2025 HARGA vs Wakefield Area 

Otley GC, Thursday 7th August

Surprisingly, rain met all the players on their way to Otley Golf Club for their match against the Wakefield Area, last Thursday, but there was no cause for concern, the skies cleared whilst the bacon rolls were being consumed so all was well as the respective four balls stepped onto the 1st tee. Although there was a breeze throughout the afternoon, the sun made its presence felt for most of the games and in a way, it came as a relief to have that steady flow of air to keep the temperature at a bearable level.

With respect to the golf, one can only speak from one’s experience with the fourball that one was playing in.

At the outset, it was evident that the opposition were going to be great company, and it is pleasing to report that did not change throughout the game, even though there were times when smiles became a bit thin!

A example or two, by way of explanation, happened around the putting green, as was probably the case in other games!

One example on the short par three 15th. Wakefield drove a ball within a gimme distance from the hole, but being the sport that HARGA is, they were not granted it, (the same happened the other way round on the 14th when Harga came out of the bunker to within a gimme of the hole but, likewise, were not granted the putt.)

Back to the 15th, HARGA drove his ball to some 30 feet from the hole (their other ball being in the bunker with Wakefield’s second ball never to be seen again).

HARGA sent their 30-foot put straight into the hole for two! Now the pressure was on Wakefield who popped it in for two! It must be said that Wakefield, whatever they might have been thinking, did not say anything other than a “well done” to HARGA for the putt. Great stuff!

One reverse example was on the 14th par 4, HARGA had a shot apiece. One Hargan spent his time fiddling about in the stream running alongside the fairway whilst his partner after being in the bunker was finally down for a 5/4. However, the Wakefield man had other ideas. He was on the green for two and then down for a birdie three, thank you very much! So it was that us Hargans congratulated him warmly, as is customary at these times. Eventually it ended 3&2 in favour of HARGA.

The only complaint to be heard was when one of the Hargan’s banana slipped down the throat of a thieving crow off the 9th green, not only that, it left the banana skin behind!

So, games over, we all sat down to a nice cold meat and chips dinner with a fine hot chocolate sponge and ice cream to finish.

In his speech, HARGA President Bill Barnett gave thanks to the catering and bar staff for the excellent service and quality of food and to the green’s staff for the excellent condition of the course, and especially the greens!

Stuart, who was representing both the President and Vice President of Wakefield, thanked HARGA and Otley for hosting the game and said his game had reminded of the quote by Lee Travino, “you go out, shank, miss a simple putt, have an air shot and go out of bounds, thinking, well it can’t get worse. Then go out the next day and it gets worse!!!”   That’s golf for you.

In conclusion, Bill announced a draw of 4 games to 4 games therefore Wakefield retaining the trophy for another year after winning 41/2 to 31/2 last year, (a slight improvement this year!)

The last Area match will be against the YRGA’s President’s Team at Oakdale GC on Mon 1st Sept.

Jeff Loveday

08/08/25

2025 HARGA League Tables 

August 16th

NOTE ALL MATCHES MUST BE COMPLETED BY AUGUST 31ST - THERE ARE MANY STILL TO BE PLAYED!!

2025 HARGA vs Leeds Area 

Bedale GC, Thursday 31st July

After some last-minute substitutions our HARGA Secretary, Keith Lewis, finally had a team to play Leeds Area at Bedale GC, yesterday.

The day suggested some precipitation around the time the tail enders were finishing their 18hole rounds, if they went far!

In reality, the weather was perfect for golf, a little cloudy at times, quite warm, a little breezy but dry.

The course was in excellent condition, benefiting, as most courses are at present, from the recent wet spell a few days back. The greens were a challenge to some, apart from our particular opponents, who were popping their balls in from all angles! (I’m just saying, that’s all).

While we are on the subject, and these aren’t bitter comments, my partner and I were up against a splendid couple of lads who played their golf in the true(ish) spirit of Rabbit’s golf, they were full of praise when we won a hole, the difficulty being that we only won 4 holes! They won all their holes with pars or birdies, and to halve a hole we had to do the same, but saying all that, both my partner enjoyed our game and the company we were in and that’s what it is all about, and just for the record, we had to par and birdie for our wins also, so after all that, we came a close second.

Being last out, we were last in and so dinners etc. were well underway as we sat down to eat.

In order to allow those who had been in earlier not to be kept too long, President Bill Barnett, made his apologies to those still eating, and gave his thanks to Bedale Golf Club for hosting the match, to the catering staff for their earlier bacon butties and for the meal, and the bar staff for quenching many a dry mouth following the golf.

There then followed some amusement when it came to the Trophy presentation and more importantly, its whereabouts.

In announcing a win to HARGA, 5 games to 3, the Leeds President had to apologise, along with Bill, for the absence of the HARGA v Leeds Area Trophy, apparently missing for the previous 2 or 3 years, so, as happens at times such as this, a substitute is quickly found as a stand in for the Trophy.

And so it was, that, as seen in the photo, the Leed’s President is seen presenting our HARGA President with a ceremonial water jug!

Purely an observation, the jug seemed to raise a bigger cheer than perhaps the trophy might have done.

Our next HARGA Inter Area match is at Otley Golf Club, against Wakefield Area, on Thursday 7th August 2025, meeting at 11.30 for a coffee and bacon sandwich, with the 1st tee, 12.40pm.

Jeff Loveday

1/08/25

2025 HARGA vs Flamborough Area 

Malton and Norton GC, Monday July 14th

The forecast said it would rain at some point during the day, but as it turned out, although the clouds came over, there were just a few spots, but mostly, the sun shone and the temperatures remained in the mid 20’s.

As always, the day started with bacon butties and coffee, all served by a very friendly hostess who even asked how folks wanted their bacon doing!

At the same time, the friendly banter began between the visitors and the “home” team, for instance, the question was asked by the Flamborough Area whether they needed to bring the Trophy along with them as it would be returning to them after the match, (more of later).

The Welham Course at Malton and Norton was the course of choice for the match against Flamborough. It was in fine order, with a lot of run on the dry fairways, and tricky sloping greens, difficult to read at times.

During the game there were a few near misses, one in particular coming from the 13th coming straight across to the 12th and narrowly missing a HARGA player, hit incidentally by a Flamborough player!

The games also produced some interesting anomalies, with one pair of Hargans being drawn against a pair, one of whom could launch his ball with his 7 iron, over 200yds, and his driver approaching 300yds! Not bad for a Rabbit, although thankfully, not always straight! That was topped by Ron from Scarborough North who managed to Eagle the closing par 5 with two magnificent shots! That said, they were very friendly and the game was played in the true spirit of rabbit’s golf.

The meal after the game, served by the same effervescent hostess, was very tasty and very pleasing to one Hargan, who has a particular liking for custard, when he received an extra helping from our charming hostess!

The result on the day, not as predicted by our hosts before the match, was, as announced by our President, Bill Barnett, an excellent win for HARGA, 5&3.

Bill thanked Flamborough for a great afternoon’s golf and Malton and Norton for their hospitality.

Jeff Loveday

15/07/25

Report of the 2025 HARGA Summer Quarterly Meeting including the Cyril Jones Pairs Competition

Harrogate GC, Tuesday July 1st

The third (Summer) HARGA Quarterly, this year was held at Harrogate Golf Club, organised ably by Duncan Ward, Secretary of the Harrogate Rabbits.

This quarterly’s competition was the Cyril Jones Pairs competition, where entrants play an individual stableford and then are paired up with their combined scores producing a score, the highest of which wins the Cyril Jones Salvers. Each player is given a number and then those numbers are drawn and paired up, to establish a result, which was revealed later post-dinner.

In addition, a prize is also awarded to the best net score of the day, along with a couple of nearest the pins (hole 4 (par 4) in 2 shots, hole 12 (par 3).

The day itself proved to be one of the better days we have had for golf for sometime, temperatures were down in the latter teens rather than the high 20’s C. It was overcast with a slight breeze, but the chance of showers did not materialise so conditions were ideal, alongside a course that was in good condition with some very good run on some fairways! One rabbit even surprising himself with a drive of over 300 yds on the 16th !

Compliments must go, at this stage, to the greens staff for their hard work in producing a course that was a pleasure to play on, although it must be said that the hardest working “greens staff member” was the remote mower that just kept going, cutting grass, in front of the 1st tee, all afternoon!

The catering staff must also “take a bow”. The bacon rolls before the game set the standard for what was to come later and then following the game, we were treated to a carvery of the highest quality, cooked to perfection, with a pudding of an equally high standard.

There was one member however, who shall remain nameless, who, throughout his meal, continued to question why the presence of the mint sauce was on the table, so much so, another member on the same table, put some on his own peas, just to silence him!

On to the meeting, which will appear in the minutes, all went well with no contentious issues raised.

Andy, our HARGA Competitions Secretary, read out the day’s comp results. The two nearest pin prizes went to the same man, Chas Luchford. The Individual prize for the best net score, which was shared by 4 players all on 39pts, on a back 9 count back, Jeff Loveday 19pts, Ian Jeal 20pts, Peter Wildash (mint sauce) 21pts, with the winner on 22pts, Mark Shillito.

Finally, the Cyril Jones salvers were awarded to Chas Luchford and Ian Jeal with a combined 76pts, with Peter Wildash / Danny Rowe and Peter Brunskill / Brian Allen, both pairs on 75pts. All in all, a close-run competition.

Our President, Bill Barnett, in bringing the meeting to a close again thanked Harrogate for hosting the day, the catering staff for the superb food and the greens staff for the excellent course and reminding the meeting that the next Quarterly is at Wetherby on September 29th .

Jeff Loveday

02/07/25

2025 HARGA vs Bradford Area 

Pike Hills GC, Thursday May 22nd

However, what was most evident on the day and sitting down to dinner, (which also must receive high praise for the standard of the meal, it was excellent!), was the “Spirit of Rabbits golf” that we often talk about. The buzz in the dinning room was proof that no matter what the actual result of each match might have been, there was plenty to talk about besides. The old phrase, “you don’t play against opponents, you play against friends, both old and new” was certainly true on the day.

In Rabbits, if we say scores don’t take precedence, that is true, but when you consider we play for cups, trophies and shields in these competitions, one has to accept there has to be actual winners and that is exactly what our HARGA President, Bill Barnett, did when he accepted the HARGA V Bradford Area shield and congratulations, from their President, Phil Dyson.

The score on the day was a win for HARGA over Bradford Area, 61/2 to 11/2.  

Bill, in his end of dinner speech, asked that the Green’s Staff be thanked for the excellent condition of the course and the caterers for the excellent meal, he then thanked all the HARGA lads for making the trip to Pike Hills.

The next inter-area match will be at Meltham Golf Club, against Halifax and Huddersfield Area Rabbits, Monday, 2nd June, meeting at 12.00 noon.

Jeff Loveday

23/05/25 

2025 HARGA Past Presidents Trophy 

Results, Knaresborough GC, Thursday May 8th

2025 HARGA SPRING INVITATIONAL RESULTS

Easingwold GC, Sunday April 27th

Huge thanks to HARGA Competition Secretary Andy Robinson and Easingwold Rabbits Captain Mark Shillito and his team of volunteers for the excellent organisation of the Spring Invitational. The weather was glorious and the Easingwold course was in excellent condition especially for so early in the season.  

There were some outstanding scores on the day - congratulations to the top pairs.

See the full results below.  It is all still to play for at the Autumn Invitational at Skipton GC.

Report of the 2025 HARGA Spring Quarterly Meeting 

Ripon City GC, Tuesday April 15th

Although this was the second quarterly of the year, January being the first, it was the first opportunity for the HARGA committee and members to get together for a game of golf. The competition, as always, on the day of the 2nd quarterly, was the Brian Parker Trophy, a stableford 4 bbb, played in pairs that are drawn on the day by our competition secretary, Andy Robinson.

This meant that 29 players set off in cloudy but dry conditions, (although rain had been forecast, it remained dry throughout the afternoon,) after a very nice bacon butty and coffee, a good hint of what was to come later!

For those with eagle eyes, you will have spotted 29 players and not a round figure of 30. Due to a very late drop out, one member was asked to play with two partners, his score counting for his partners if needed, thus giving him the opportunity to have two chances of collecting the Brian Parker Trophy (which did not happen, just!).

The course at Ripon played well with firm fairways, and quite a bit of run. The greens were slick-ish but still good for this time of year.

After the game, the highlight of the afternoon was awaiting in the club house, a buffet with eight choices of main course! (memories of Margaret’s catering at Flaxby, sprang to mind for some longer standing HARGANS)

With three choices of pudding, our meal at Ripon will be a hard act to follow!

As the tables were cleared, making way for the meeting, our President, Bill Barnett, called for a show of appreciation for the caterers, Dave and Emma Butteril, which was responded to with loud applause.

As folks settled down in their chairs, President Bill opened the meeting, which will be fully reported in the form of minutes to be read on the web site at a later date, however, there is the matter of reporting the results of the Brian Parker Trophy.

Andy Robinson presided over announcing them by starting off by thanking everybody for marking their cards clearly, it made his job a lot easier than it did last year!

He reported some close scores, with 2 prs on 39pts, 3 prs on 40pts but a very clear margin for 1st place on a score of 43pts for the winners, HARGA Vice President, Nigel Jones (Pike Hills) and his partner, Neil Barker (Otley). They take the Brian Parker Trophy for 2025

With it being the Spring meeting there was little else to be reported or discussed so Bill closed the meeting in almost record time.

So, in conclusion, the next HARGA event will be the Spring Invitational at Easingwold on Sunday 27th April, which was reported as being fully supported by all HARGA clubs, so good luck to all.

Jeff Loveday

2025 HARGA League Draw