Guernsey seniors bring the feelgood factor with them
THE Guernsey captain wants his side to ride the crest of the wave provided by last weekend’s seniors success as they aim to wrest the Challenge Trophy from Jersey this weekend.
Danny Vennard, who has two of the triumphant Sarnian over-55s in his ranks in Mick Marley and Nigel Vaudin, agreed that the remarkable 13-2 result has injected a feelgood factor into Guernsey golf just at the right time as his troops head to La Moye.
‘With a couple of seniors in our side I think we’ve got to look to build on that momentum,’ he said.
‘They obviously had home field advantage, but, definitely, if they can do it why can’t we do it?’
As well as the momentum garnered from the seniors, Vennard will also be reminding his side of the fighting spirit Guernsey showed last year to recover from being whitewashed in the fourballs session to earn a remarkable 10-10 draw with some outstanding performances in the singles.
‘The chips were down and I think we were quite shell-shocked with it happening that quickly, before we knew it we had lost the afternoon session 5-0.
‘We all looked at it and it was “well, we’ve all got to win [in the singles]” basically and we nearly pulled it off.’
But it is also those memories of last year that are obviously in Vennard’s mind when he reveals what he believes will be the key to success this time around.
‘Definitely staying with them for the first couple of sessions.
‘Obviously, if we can win one of those, or even both of them, and take some momentum into Sunday.
‘I’m really happy with the pairings, I think we can get going really quickly, and with the five pairings we’ve got in mind I’m confident they can compete and get some points in early.’
Although holders Jersey will be favourites on home soil, Guernsey have a better record at La Moye than when they visit Grouville and won there eight years ago.
The hosts will field three new caps in their team, including their new island champion Sam Vautier and the Jersey strokeplay champion Sam Jaakola, but Vennard insists he has taken little notice of who has been selected across the water.
‘It doesn’t really matter. You can read what you want into it, but at the end of the day we’re in control of our team and that’s all I’m really concentrating on, trying to get them in the best frame of mind when they step onto the tee box.
‘We know Jersey are good, whoever they put out, so it doesn’t really bother me who the individuals are.
‘La Moye is that bit longer [than other CI courses] but it is dry and running out so not everyone is going to be hitting driver everywhere, people are going to be hitting irons at a lot of places.
‘At the end of the day, it’s all going to come down to the putting.
‘I don’t mind it being close, we just want the result the right way around at the end. I think it will be very tight.’
Guernsey team: Danny Bisson, Danny Blondel, Jamie Blondel, Tim Carter, Steve Mahy (all L’Ancresse), Daniel Griggs, Tom Le Huray, Mick Marley, Nigel Vaudin (all Royal Guernsey) and CJ Elmy (La Grande Mare).
Jersey team: Alex Guelpa, Josef Hacker, Sam Jaakola, Hugo Jacques, Charlie Kiberd, Matthew Parkman, Jeremy Phillips, Richard Ramskill, Jason Stokes and Sam Vautier.
Tomorrow: Fourballs and foursomes.
Sunday: Singles.
