Design engineer Chris Hawkins could be forgiven for thinking Lady Luck was in pandemic lockdown after missing out by the narrowest of margins in three competitions in the space of a month at Leighton Buzzard’s Plantation Road golf club.
But he buried the bogey with a near-flawless performance in Leighton’s September Midweek stableford last Wednesday, beating 121 club colleagues for top spot with a 40 point haul.
Chris only took up playing golf seriously at the start of the year, and was almost immediately locked out by the measures imposed nationally to reduce the risk of spreading the deadly virus still paralysing many work, sport and social activities.
He got his game back into gear in July and in August, finished joint top in the Midweek stableford but fourth on countback after carding 38 points; joint runner-up in August club stableford with 40 points, and then runner-up in 75th Anniversary Trophy event with 37 points.
Says Chris, whose father David is a former Captain and President of the Leighton club, a Past Bedfordshire County President and current County Secretary: “I had a few lessons and practise a lot…and its paying off. My target now is get my handicap down to single figures.”
And he’s well on his way to achieving that having had three shots cut from his handicap following his consistent performances in recent weeks and now plays off 15.
But Chris still makes sure he finds time to support 12-year-old daughter Lauren who’s making a name for herself in ladies soccer. Lauren plays for the MK Dons ladies Under 14 team and on Saturday, scored two goals in a 5-0 victory over Newport Pagnell boys.
Leading scores in the golf club September stableford were: 40pts – Chris Hawkins; 39pts – John Bunyan, Phil Coumbe, Richard Winchester; 38pts –Mark Sandham; 37pts – Andrew Reinke, Steve Richardson; 36pts – Barry Nappin, John Allinson.
PICTURE CAPTION: Stableford winner….Chris Hawkins.