Professionals Jack Yule and Giles Evans showed their class to win the Norfolk County Golf Union’s Coronation Salvers competition at Thetford on Sunday.

The pair, who play out of King's Lynn and Barnham Broom respectively, picked up 38 points off scratch to edge to a narrow victory in the annual handicap event.

The large field playing a foursomes Stableford format were confronted with a challenging course on a blustery day with a few showers.

Given the conditions and the length of the course it was no surprise that former Thetford county players Yule and Evans headed the field.

It was tough on early pacesetters Andrew and Gill Gooch from Bawburgh who had a long wait sitting on 37 points and were pipped at the post late in the day. However, their fine 19 points on the back nine enabled them to prevail over Warren Blackwell and Bernie Vaughan from Costessey.

Four pairs finished on 36 points: M and S Allen, L Cossey and J Emery, R and S Taylor and M and D Horsburgh.

Thinking big

A new partnership has been created between Easton and Otley College and the neighbouring Norwich Family Golf Centre.

Courses will begin in September and students will be able to use new hi-tech facilities that have just been opened at the centre.

Performance coach Lewis Clarke, a former student at the college, said: "We are delighted to shake hands on this deal. We believe there is no reason why we can't find the next Rory Mcllroy or Tiger Woods here in this region. You have to think big.

"We have set a target that in the next 10 years we will help mentor a touring professional via this partnership. We believe that is realistic. That said, if we had 10 people who became professionals or 10 people progressing onto degrees, we would also deem that as being a success.

"Ultimately if people are passionate about golf and they want a career in sport, this will be a great stepping stone."

Sophie Hansell, extra-curricular sports manager at the college, added: "We have taught golf in the past at the college but this partnership is helping us take our golfing provision to the next level."

GolfSixes

Youngsters from across the county are set to get their first taste of competitive golf in a new event at Dereham on Saturday, June 15.

Norfolk's first GolfSixes fixture will see children and parents from Barnham Broom, Eaton, Feltwell and Mundesley join the hosts for a fun event which is being organised by the Golf Foundation.

A team of six from each club will do a blue tee shot gun start at 3pm playing holes no longer than 150 yards.

The day will be compered by the club's top two golfers, Andrew Marshall and Richard Wilson.

Europro Tour

Marshall was one of two Norfolk professionals to tee off in the opening event of the Europro Tour, the IFX Payments Championship at Brocket Hall. He is competing alongside Jack Yule on the third tier circuit this summer and both men had a frustrating time at the Welwyn Garden City course.

Marshall missed the cut by two shots after rounds of 73 and 75 left him two over par while Yule was just one outside the mark after following a 75 with a 72. Yule recorded no fewer 10 birdies over the two days but they were accompanied by too many dropped shots and a bogey on what proved to be his penultimate hole cost him dearly.

Under-18s bounce back

Norfolk's Under-18s recorded a timely win in their home SE League North Division fixture against Suffolk and Bedfordshire at Costessey Park.

Having restored the momentum after losing at Dunstable Downs earlier this month they will now head to their final match in Suffolk with the opportunity of winning the regional event. County team managers Norman Blanch, Nick Macartney and Sammy Martin organised the day and are now planning for the finale at Diss in July.

The county were represented by Ethan Richmond, Ewan Marshall, Kieran Myatt, Sean Rafferty, Jamie Fox, Ben Terry (captain), Charlie Green and Mason Bernstein.

County action

Both Norfolk men's teams will have high standards to maintain when they play their second Anglian League fixtures of the season. Each opened the campaign with impressive 7½-4½ wins against Lincolnshire opposition, with the firsts ending a long losing streak stretching back to the 2017 campaign.

On Sunday Simon Clark's side travel to Gog Magog's Wandlebury course to take on Cambridgshire, who also won their opening fixture, while the seconds host their Cambs counterparts at Royal West Norfolk.