Norfolk’s golfers delivered a superb second-day surge to secure fourth spot in the nine-team Eastern Counties Foursomes at Seacroft Golf Club.

Norfolk began the tournament positively as they gleaned six points from an available ten in their opening-session matches with Cambridgeshire and hosts Lincolnshire.

Suffolk and eventual winners Leicestershire & Rutland provided stiffer competition in the afternoon to leave Norfolk tied-sixth at the halfway stage.

But joint-managers Simon Clark and Carl Green made a couple of tweaks overnight and their side came flying out of the gates on the Sunday morning.

In a stunning session of golf Norfolk’s five pairings went unbeaten, collecting a bumper haul of nine points from matches against Northamptonshire and Beds, Bucks & Oxon.

The stars of the show were Scott Sealey and Sean Rafferty who were chosen by Green and Clark to lead out the team.

Sealey and Rafferty powered to two convincing victories to add to their first-day haul of three points.

Immediately behind them – and in the same emphatic form – were Josh Chamberlin and Jonny Spinks.

Chamberlin arrowed a succession of drives down the middle and Spinks underlined his irons prowess with a series of piercing shots as the duo won both of their matches.

Clark and playing partner George Morris showed class and grit in two hard-fought encounters. And Clark’s gutsy seven-foot par putt on the final green locked down a further 1.5 points for the resurgent Norfolk team.

Green’s putter served up similar magic at the last hole as he and Warwick Calasse won one game and finished all-square in their other.

It was left to Sully Goddard and Danny Loveday to complete Norfolk’s dream morning, as they battled their way to two narrow wins.

At lunch Green and Clark’s men sat in a share of fourth immediately behind Bedfordshire, who they opposed – along with Warwickshire – in the final set of matches.

Norfolk started slowly and trailed almost across the board in the opening exchanges. But gradually they edged their way back, highlighting their team spirit as well as talent.

Sealey and Rafferty earned a win and a half. Sealey’s brilliant shot into the 12th was inches away from a hole-in-one – and he and Rafferty closed out as Norfolk’s leading duo with 6.5 points, unbeaten in any of their eight games.

Chamberlin and Spinks picked up a couple of fine triumphs to post 5.5 points, a total matched by ever-reliable Clark and Morris.

Calasse came up with a masterstroke at the last, firing a 7-iron approach from the rough to 15 feet to help set up a half against Warwickshire.

That left Norfolk with an overall tally of 22.5pts, just four back from victors Leicestershire & Rutland.

Clark said: “This is our best points haul for many a year. We had a great day on the Sunday – 14.5 points. Nine in the morning was absolutely brilliant.

“Saturday morning was decent as well. We just had one indifferent session, which put us behind the 8-ball a little bit. But the guys gave their all over the weekend and Carl and I can’t ask for any more than that.”

None of the other eight counties bettered Norfolk’s 14.5 points from Sunday’s play.

Green added: “We’re a work in progress. But we’re delighted with the performance and it shows what quality we have in the team.”

Norfolk Squad: Simon Clark (Great Yarmouth & Caister); Carl Green (Great Yarmouth & Caister); Warwick Calasse (Sprowston Manor); Josh Chamberlin (Thetford); Sully Goddard (Thetford); Danny Loveday (Thetford); George Morris (Dereham); Peter Murphy (Mundesley); Sean Rafferty (Royal Norwich); Scott Sealey (Dunston Hall); Jonny Spinks (Swaffham).

Link to all results: Eastern Inter Counties Foursomes, Seacroft 2026