Gwent Golf Union
Match Report - Channel League Gwent v Somerset 31st August 2025
Somerset Too Strong as Gwent Falter at Woodlake Park
31st August– Woodlake Park Golf Club
Under brooding skies and a stiff breeze rolling in from the Usk Valley, Gwent hosted Somerset at the sweeping fairways of Woodlake Park. Both sides were eager to banish the memory of recent away defeats, but it was the visitors who found their rhythm and left with a deserved 9.5–5.5 victory.
The morning foursomes told much of the story. Welsh Amateur quarter-finalist Logan Westley and international Theo Baker led the home order but were edged aside by a sharp Somerset pair. Defeat followed for Coombes and Palmer, before a glimmer of hope arrived courtesy of veteran Rhys Barber and debutant Harry Ferns, whose point briefly checked the visitors’ momentum.
That hope was quickly dimmed. Father-and-son pairing Mark and Archie Hayward, despite their recent pedigree, were well beaten, and Gwent found themselves chasing the session. Yet there was late resistance. Anchormen Rob Smith and captain Daniel King fought hard over the closing stretch to salvage a halved match, leaving Gwent trailing 3.5–1.5 but not entirely out of contention.
The singles required a fast start, but Somerset once again struck first, with early wins over the Haywards stretching the lead. Archie endured a baptism of fire, but this debut will serve as valuable experience for the future. Smith fell next, meaning Somerset were just one-and-a-half points away from an away triumph.
The middle order provided a flicker of revival. Barber completed a perfect personal day with a last-green win, while Baker and Westley delivered storming victories of their own. However, despite a strong debut, Ferns slipped to a 3&2 defeat leaving Somerset needed just half a point, and their lower order duly delivered.
Coombes maintained his fine singles record with a composed win, but Palmer and King, visibly battling the effects of a long weekend and recent injury woes respectively, were unable to halt the visitors’ march.
It was a sobering afternoon for Gwent, whose optimism was tempered by the quality and consistency of a hungry Somerset side. Still, there were positives — two juniors blooded into the team, Barber’s leadership by example, and encouraging signs from the middle order.
For King’s developing squad, this is a season of transition and growth. Defeats often teach more than victories, and with three fixtures remaining — starting with Devon back at “Fortress” Llanwern on the 21st — the chance to turn lessons into results still lies ahead.
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