Joe Cruse and Jamie Clare drew on their golfing education of learning the game playing on links courses to finish tied first in the North Devon Links Festival.
The pair ended their negotiations of Royal North Devon and Saunton’s East and West courses two shots clear of Paul Nessling and the rest of the 36-strong field after completing the three rounds in one-under par.
In doing so, both attributed their success to golfing apprenticeships that involved extensive experience of links golf, and not just dealing with the terrain that fuels vagaries of bounce and an abundance of uphill and downhill lies.
The coastal locations of links courses also mean Mother Nature at her most malevolent can come into play and make already challenging lay outs even more testing, as was the case at this year’s Festival. Not least at Royal North Devon on day one.
Cruse and Clare, however, were more than equal to the task thanks not only to their youthful experiences but also a liking for golf in the dunes.
“I love links golf, although it’s a bit different to what I’m used to these days,” said Clare a year-three PGA Trainee who is attached to Long Sutton Golf and Country Club, a facility in Somerset with a parkland course.
“I grew up playing links golf at Burnham and Berrow and St Enodoc. They are quite similar to the courses we’ve played this week, so it was a good preparation.”
Cruse also has experience of St Enodoc, 23 years’ worth in fact.
“I learned the game there and am still a member,” said Cruse, who did his PGA training at the club that overlooks the Camel estuary before moving 10 miles up Cornwall’s Atlantic Highway to take on the role of head professional at Bowood Park and its parkland course.
Cruse’s success in the North Devon Links Festival also saw him party to a unique double insomuch that he began his domestic season by finishing tied first in the Cornish Festival, a three-day event staged on links courses.
By way of a bonus, having shared with Clare the £3,000 prize money allocated for the first and second places in the pros’ event, Cruse earned an extra £300 for leading his trio of amateurs – Sam Chapman, Chris Simmonds and Jim Slatter - to victory in the team competition.
The quartet amassed 243 Stableford points to finish four clear of the team led by Saunton’s Kristian Mowatt.
