A 125-year-old score was settled this week when members of a Barnsley golf club took on a team of Scottish soldiers in a rematch of a clash which took place in 1893.
Silkstone Golf Club is marking its 125th anniversary this year and research revealed the first match marking the establishment of the club in 1893 had been played between the club and a team of officers of the Carabiniers and Royal Scots who were stationed nearby at the time.
Keith Geal, captain of the club in 2015, contacted the army to see if the successors were open to a ‘rematch’ and on Wednesday a team from the The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards travelled from Scotland to take up the challenge.
The soldiers won the match in 1893, and on Wednesday Silkstone levelled the score - despite one of the defeated soldiers scoring a hole in one.
“It was a brilliant day,” said Keith, 60, of Towngate, Silkstone.
“There were eight pairs of ours versus eight pairs of theirs, so 16 a side.
“I was paired with our oldest member, Roy Newcombe who’s 88.
“When we got to the 15th (hole) Lt Col John Sands who we were paired against was lining up, and I gave him a bit of advice how to take it. And I wished I hadn’t when it dropped in the hole.
“There’s him, never played it before, us who’ve played it hundreds of times, and he gets a hole in one. It’s only the second I’m aware of on the course this year, and the first on that hole.”
The soldiers were treated to an evening meal after the match and spent much of the night in the bar.
“They didn’t want to leave,” said Keith. “Some great friendships have been made, and I think we’ll be heading up there at some point for a rematch.”
