Representing the LUGS, Ian Raisbeck and Mike Kershaw flew the flag admirably at this year’s Alba Trophy, held at the delightful and welcoming Woking Golf Club on Saturday 7th June 2025. In a high-quality field of 38 teams, the LUGS pair battled through the classic heathland test to finish a very creditable 8th place, combining tenacity, flashes of brilliance and the odd moment of drama.
The day began with a bang – quite literally – as Raisbeck, entrusted with hitting the first drive of the day on the par-5 15th, promptly found a ditch with his opening tee shot. Undeterred by a pair of opening bogeys, the pair regrouped quickly, with Kershaw proving an early anchor. He holed a superb 25-footer for par on the 2nd, before topping it with a 30-foot bomb for birdie on the 4th – the first real sign that his new LAB putter might be a game-changer.
Raisbeck, recovering from his errant opener, began to find fairways and shape shots with growing confidence as the round progressed. A tidy stretch through the middle of the round and some clutch up-and-downs – most notably from over the back of the 9th – kept the scorecard from ballooning. They posted a five-over-par 75, which, in the gusty conditions, had them sitting in 9th place heading into the afternoon.
After an unfortunately shortened lunch due to incoming rain, and with hopes of climbing the leaderboard, the duo teed off on the 4th hole to start Round 2 – and chaos quickly ensued. Raisbeck’s drive was struck well but started right and leaked further still, sailing over the fence and trees, eventually finding the railway line heading in the general direction of Portsmouth Harbour.
Despite the early hiccup, they rallied again. Pars were hard-earned, birdie chances limited, but the pair dug deep. A notable highlight came in their gritty finish: birdie-birdie-bogey-bogey, a run that perfectly encapsulated their day – fighting spirit laced with a dash of unpredictability. The afternoon 79 (+9) gave them a total of 154 (+14).
In a strong field peppered with experienced and elite golfers, an 8th-place finish was a commendable result for Raisbeck and Kershaw.
Their performance was full of character, camaraderie, and no shortage of entertainment, both self-inflicted and spectacular.
The Alba Trophy remains one of the finest tests in foursomes golf and Raisbeck and Kershaw ensured that LUGS was once again part of its rich narrative — a team that played hard, laughed harder, and left with heads held high.
London University Golfing Society 