IN TERMS of results it has been a season of struggle for the Hertfordshire County Golf team, played three lost three does not have an impressive ring to it.

But behind the scorelines, things are actually on a steady incline and Terry Trude, team manager and captain, is hopeful of a result against Bedfordshire at Hadley Wood golf course this weekend [August 25 and 26].

"We won this league three seasons ago and then shared the regional title after halving the South East Final with Kent," explained Trude.

"Then we lost five of our eight-man team to the professional ranks. Obviously we have struggled to replace them but we are rebuilding slowly."

The difficulty in finding suitable replacements is best highlighted by the fact that Trude has used 15 players in three matches this season, and many of these have been drawn from the Colts team.

In fact, half of the current crop have also been turning out for the Hertfordshire Colts team. It is, perhaps, this lack of experience more than anything that has held the senior team back.

"We could and should have won all our games. They've all been very close but I think there has been a certain naivete about us," Trude said. "But then youngsters will always battle against older players when it comes to matchplay."

The manner of Hertfordshire's defeats this season appear to support Trude's theory.

It is highly revealing that on each occasion they were leading after the morning foresomes, only to be overhauled during the singles matches, when younger players especially, can find the course a lonely place.

Tom Piggott (Welwyn GC) provides a good example of the difficulties in making the step up. Yet to be beaten for the Colts, Piggott has earned just one point for the senior team, and that was in the foresomes alongside John Ambridge, who has represented the County for two decades.

In a bid to bring much-needed guile to his team, Trude has recalled Dennis Hastings for the match against Beds. Hastings, who has represented the County for a number of years, will also benefit from having played the Hadley Wood course earlier this year in the final of the County Championships.

Also coming in, Colt Tom Halladay, a two handicap, will make his debut against a seasoned Bedfordshire team, the nucleus of which has played together for the past five seasons.

Hertfordshire: James York (West Herts); Scott Dobbins and Paul Coburn (both Sandy Lodge); Mark Payne (Brickendon Grange); Ben Connelly (Porters Park); John Ambridge (Moor Park); Tom Halladay; Dennis Hastings.