STOVER'S Palairet team beat Okehampton 3½ to 1½ on Sunday to reach the semi finals for the first time since 2006.

In a close match played in good spirit at Tiverton, Stover took the first point when the top pairing of Jason Hampton and Matt Lyne won their match 4 & 3.

The second match saw Okehampton go 5 up after they won six holes on the trot from the seventh, but the Stover pair of Andy Rich and Tom Mitchell fought back to win the next five holes to be all square after sixteen.

Okehampton won the seventeenth hole and the first halved hole of the match at eighteen gave them victory by one hole.

The next two matches were very close with Stover winning both on the seventeenth. The winning pairings were Dan Parkes and Alan Hewings and Jon Jones and Steve Allen.

The final match, involving team captain Richard Pascoe and Dave Henson, was all square after eighteen holes and, as Stover had a winning lead, it was agreed not to play the match to a finish. Stover will now play Exeter in the semi finals on finals day at Yelverton on August 15. The other semi-finalists are Libbaton and Staddon Heights.

On Saturday club captain, Neil Hayman, and club professional, James Langmead, teamed up to challenge members to beat their score in a fourball better ball medal. With the course in pristine condition the pair managed to post a score of three under par 66. Unfortunately for them some 10 pairs beat their score with best score of 61 returned by John Payne and Tony Lewis.

The Wednesday stableford attracted 61 competitors with Paul Silk (13) winning division one with 37 points from Graham Green (7) and Martin Wright (8) who were the best of several players with 35 points. Division two was won by Dave Mugford (15) with 41 points. Adrian Parker (17) took second place with 36 points on count back from Brian Avery (24). There were eleven twos worth 5 balls each.

The biennial visit of young golfers from Sweden has taken place this week with the junior section playing host both on and off the golf course. The culmination of the visit was the playing for the SWEG Cup which is a Ryder Cup-type competition. On Friday seven fourball matches were played with Stover winning 6½ to ½. On Sunday seven foursome matches were played in the morning and fourteen single matches in the afternoon.

Stover won the foursomes 4½ to 2½ and the singles matches were halved at seven matches each. Overall Stover retained the cup 18-10.

One of the highlights of the week for the Swedish team was a hole in one on the seventh by Lasse Wimhed.

This weekend Stover hosts this year's Torbay Cup and will be looking to build on their Palairet success and do well in this competition as well.

The top golfers from the six SDL clubs will do battle over two days for prizes kindly donated by this year's sponsors Emery Oils and WFC Limited.

Saturday will see foursomes in the morning and fourballs in the afternoon. Sunday will see the climax of the competition with eight golfers from each club playing in a singles competition. All competitions are off scratch with points awarded for the best scores in each group.

Spectators are most welcome to come along and watch the best amateur golfers in South Devon.

Refreshments including a barbecue, will be available both days with a presentation of prizes to take place on completion of play on Sunday at approximately 5.30pm.

The Stover Seniors Section Hugh Whiting Cup had 88 entries and two sick notes and was won by Ray Sewell.

Div 1(0-15 hcp): 1st Dudley Price 40pts, 2nd Barry Ravenscroft 40pts, 3rd Rob Hudson 38pts. Div 2 ( 16-19 hcp): 1st Don Pepperell 38pts, 2nd Bob Burke 38pts, 3rd Ken Arnold 38pts all on count back. Div 3 ( 20 - 28 hcp): 1st Ray Sewell 44pts, (to win the Hugh Whiting Cup), 2nd Bill Staff 39pts, 3rd Barry Luscombe 38pts. Twos Comp (7 balls each) Bill Finnie 2, Don Bissell, Trevor Keen, Rob Hudson, Bob Burke. A draw in aid of the club's charity RSPCC raised £120.