2002 Beneficiary Rob gets a hole in one!

Rob Turner, who has been awarded a thoroughly-deserved benefit Somerset in 2002, has recorded a hole in one at the par-three fourth hole at Oake Manor Golf Course near Taunton.

Rob, who described himself to me as "a modest golfer" said: "I hit a good tee shot, but when I looked towards the green I couldn't see my ball. Nobody was more surprised than me to find that it had gone in the hole."

Wicket-keeper batsman Rob, who celebrates his 34th birthday next month,was born in Malvern but brought up in Weston-super-Mare where he attended Broad Oak School. He later moved to Millfield, where he was in the same first eleven that included Jonathan Atkinson, Paul Bail and Harvey Trump who all went on to play for the county.

Rob went on to Cambridge, where he captained the University side as well as the Combined Universities XI. He made his first team debut for Somerset in 1991, and has become a firm favourite with Cidermen fans.

Rob's year gets under way with a Benefit Tour to New Zealand between February 12th and 27th, which has been planned around the five-match one-day internationals between England and New Zealand.

A Benefit Year Launch lunch is planned at The County Ground during March.