WHEN it came to selecting Skipton Golf Club's Golfer of the Year for 1999 the judges were faced with two outstanding candidates.

On the one hand there was John Holden, who won the English Golf Union Medal, a handicap event in which he beat all the qualifiers from other clubs across the country.

On the other there was scratch team stalwart Jeremy Harding, who became the first member to win the three top competitions at the club in the same year.

In the end it was Harding who triumphed after a summer in which he displayed outstanding consistency.

Harding's unique treble was the Club Championship, a knockout competition off scratch; the Fraser Nightingale Fell Trophy, the club's stroke play championship off scratch and the Barrett Cup, the knockout open to all members but off handicap.

Harding took up golf at the age of 12 some 16 years ago, encouraged by his stepfather and made rapid progress. He has been the one to beat ever since.

In 1994 he won the prestigious Bradford Amateur Championship and was the Bradford Union's player of the year in the same year.

Now off three, he has achieved the scratch double of match play and stroke play championships in the past, a feat also achieved by Ben Mallinson and Billy Greenhalgh.

In total he has won the Fraser Nightingale Fell five times, the Scratch Championship five times and the Barrett Cup three times.

He's certain to be the one to beat again in 2000.

In the finals of his match play triumphs he beat Phil Smith in the Barrett Cup and Richard Addyman in the Scratch Championship.

Skipton professional Peter Robinson has been enjoying himself in the sun, finishing second in the annual Yorkshire Overseas Tournament, held in San Lorenzo Portugal and, with Skipton members David Grant and David James and Mike West, formerly of Skipton, now of Moortown, winning the pro-am.

Robinson finished third in this competition last year and went one better this time, showing consistency with rounds of 71,70,71,70 on the 7.500 yard par 72, sss 73 course. Winner, for the second year running, was Gary Brown of Ganton.

Robinson said David Grant, a six handicapper, had been particularly impressive with rounds of 76,77,78 and 79 which placed him ahead of several of the professionals.

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