High class field for Union four

Shropshire & Herefordshire's elite amateurs will tackle the hardest format in golf next week to find the Union's foursomes champions.

A maximum field of 132 players - 66 pairs - will converge on Ludlow to do battle for the prestigious Jeffrey Clee Salver, the first major prize on offer on the 2007 calender.

Heading the all-star cast will be Wrekin's Andrew Stephenson and former Shrewsbury man Duncan Harris - now playing out of Bewdley Pines and last year's S & H Open champion - who have won the competition for two of the last three years.

Two three-under par rounds of 67 saw them come out just ahead of Church Stretton pair Jonathan Gidney and Nick Kelly in a thrilling tussle in 2006 - but only after a four-hole play-off.And both pairs are again among a starting list packed full of potential winners - including a highly encouraging number from the area's ever-increasing junior talent.

Shifnal's Richard Prophet and Ludlow's Oliver Farr boast the lowest combined handicap in the competition at +3, while Hawkstone stars Ashley Chesters and Ricky Pharo and Tom Benbow and Sam Breakes are also amongst the young pretenders hoping to claim top prize.

"The starting list has its usual strength so the winners will have had to produce some excellent golf," predicted organiser Roy Price.

"The highest combined handicap is 12 so there will be golf of the highest order played."

Play is due to get under way at 7.23am with the final pairs going out for their second round at 4.10pm.

But gauging a finishing time will be difficult if recent years have been anything to go by - with seven of the last nine stagings requiring a play-off to decide the winners.

If required, that would be played over four holes with a sudden-death shoot-out coming into operation should the scores still be tied.

And Price admits he has mixed feelings over the prospect of another bout of extra-time.

"In one sense they are great as it gives you a chance to organise the prize presentations," added Price.

"But it also gives you a real headache with the light because we are tight anyway."