Somerset all rounder Ian Blackwell is playing his last few rounds of golf in England before he departs for Adelaide on Sunday with the rest of the England Academy players, and if his performances at cricket are anything like his most recent efforts on the fairways then he is in for a good winter.

On Monday the former Derbyshire player took part in the Colin Montgomerie Lung Foundation Charity Golf Day at Sunningdale Golf Club.

Playing off his handicap of 10 he finished 8 over par to finish in third place in the Stableford competition, that was won by rugby superstar Zin Zan Brook, and Ian also won the longest drive competition.

`Blackie' told me: "I think that I did pretty well because this was the first time that I have ever played the championship course."

Tuesday saw Somerset's newest England cricket star taking part in the Sir Steve Redgrave Gold in Five Golf Day, the charity set up by the record breaking Olympiad to try to raise £5 million over the next five years, at Woburn Golf Club.

In the Stableford competition `Blackie' scored 36 points but in the matchplay he emphatically beat the host, Steve Redgrave 6 and 4 to record another successful round.

Ian Blackwell was fleetingly back at the County Ground in Taunton on Wednesday morning before heading out for a round of golf at nearby Taunton Vale Golf Club, where he was making up a foursome with the new Somerset skipper Mike Burns, fast bowler Richard Johnson and Middlesex wicket-keeper David Nash.

Although the prizes on offer were not so grand you can bet that the golf was highly competitive and not many putts were conceded!

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