SOUTH Bradford Golf Club have made a sensational start to the 2023 season.

They have already won the two most prestigious events of the season so far by a single stroke, the Inter Club Fourball Championship on April 30, then the Nine-Hole Clubs Team Championship last weekend.

Andrew Busfield and Oliver Tasker were part of both of those triumphs, being joined by Scot Minto and Archie Rowntree for the latter.

Busfield is also the Bradford Golf Union captain, and leads his side into their opening Yorkshire Inter-District Union Senior League Championship game of the season against Harrogate in Keighley this weekend.

He will hope his players are inspired by his own club achievements this year, saying: “It’s been a great start.

“Ollie and I have played together for years, and you never like to say your favourites as players, but we always felt likely to be in the mix to win the Fourball Championship.

“The pair of us spoke about a group we felt we had to beat, and felt our main rivals were Zac Gartland and Mark Cook, with the tournament being on their home course at Northcliffe.

“We knew if we could beat them we wouldn’t be a million miles off top spot, and we were surprised they only came seventh.

 “We felt confident knowing there were only three or four pairs capable of beating us, and that gave us a boost.”

It was the perfect team performance, with Busfield saying: “Ollie did really well on the front nine, and I came on strong on the back nine.

“We’ve got to know each other’s games down the years, and it helps that we’ve played a lot of foursomes together with the Bradford Union.”

The pair, along with Minto and Rowntree, edged out hosts Bradford Moor to win the Team Championship too just two weeks later.

Busfield said: “It was tough to beat Bradford Moor, because they had Adam Charles in their side, and while he doesn’t shoot ridiculous scores, you can rely on him to only shoot two or three over on his home course.

“They’ve also brought in Iain Walker, who’s a really consistent player, and the pair of them both hit three over on Sunday.

“But for us, Archie’s been there or thereabouts in tournaments for the last year, and has really gained in strength and confidence over the last six months.

“It was good for him to win a trophy and he and Scot came fifth together in the Fourball at Northcliffe.

“Scot’s a new lad for us at South Bradford and the four of us complemented each other well on Sunday.”

Attention for Busfield now turns to Keighley this Sunday, as he said: “I was the Union captain through Covid in 2021, and I get called a minion because now I’m back to do it again.

“A number of players have been in the team for years, like Rob Molloy, Zac, Ollie and myself but last year we brought some of the juniors through.

“We’re looking to give them more chances in the first team this year, and I’m hopeful this year, after coming second-bottom in 2022.

“All I ask though is that the team turn up to each game with the right attitude, represent the Union in the right way and try their best.”