Bognor golfers rise to the challenge all weekend

It started with the Challenge Cup, a 36-hole medal handicap event running since 1924, and the Purley Trophy, a 36-hole medal scratch event, also a Sussex county order of merit event going since 1970.

Next day, the Davis Bowl, an 18-hole foursomes event, and the Milbourn Cup, an 18-hole fourball better-ball bogey, were played.

In the Bognor Challenge Cup fourth was George Pyett from Selsey GC with a nett total of 137.

Third was Alun Davies from East Brighton with 136, the runner-up Storry Thrower from Goodwood with 135. But the winner of the Challenge Cup for 2011 was home player Gary Embleton on 133.

The best morning score was 66 by Jamie Turnbull from Rowlands Castle. In the afternoon it was Liam Maskell (Bognor), also with 66.

In the Purley Trophy, joint third were Alasdair Dalgliesh from Haywards Heath and Joe Doherty from Worthing with gross 142 scores.

Runner-up was James Doswell from Highwoods GC with 140. The winner was Wayne Hawes from Littlehampton with 139. The best morning score was 70 by Michael Pullen of Hill Barn while in the afternoon it was James Ashman, also with 70.

In the Davis Bowl, fourth were Storry Thrower from Goodwood and Ian West from Littlehampton with 36 points. Third on countback were Miller Stevenson and Alan Simmonds from Bognor, also on 36.

Runners-up were JJ Stephenson and Ian Paine from Bognor with 38 while the winners were Jed Moore and Andy Selby from St George’s Hill with a fantastic 43 points.

Some 120 played in the Millbourn Cup, including 75 from various clubs.

In third place on countback were Mates Bates and Alan Roll from Worthing GC. Second were two Bognor members, Andrew Field and Ron Hendrick with a score of plus eight.

The winners were another Bognor duo JJ Stephenson and Ian Paine with a plus nine.

Bognor’s veterans’ open invitation day at Bognor attracted a very large entry of 96 from 22 clubs across Sussex and Hampshire.

There were many favourable comments about the condition of the course and the organisation of the event. It was the 20th occasion on which the Bognor Centenary Plate has been contested.

The winners this year with 135 points were the team from Chichester. Haywards Heath were second with 133 and third on 128 were Rowlands Castle.

First in division one was Mike Snuggs (Chichester) on 38 points, second Len Kruse (Haywards Heath) on 37 and third Maurice Huggett from The Dyke on 36.

In division two Robert Carmichael from Lee-on–the-Solent was first with 37 points. Second was David Abercrombie (East Brighton) on 36 on countback from Tony Moore (Copthorne).

First overall, winning the trophy, was Marcus Blake from Rowlands Castle with 40 points. Runner-up was John Jones (Hayling Island) on 39.

Sixteen Bognor members took part. Barry Vanstone recorded the best score of 37 points. Dave Orton was second on 36 and Paul Archer third on 35. Archer excelled on the second half of the course, winning nearest the pin on the tenth and 16th and the longest drive on the 18th.

Bognor’s veterans lost 5-3 at Waterlooville.

Scores: J Owen & B Bennett lost 3&2, R Hedge & G O’Neill lost 2&1, F Hodder & J Woodhead won 3&2, P Lott & P Barker won 3&1, C Millett & K Catt lost 1 down, R Braham & V Ward lost 5&4, D Turner & R Selway won 2&1, D Hollis & B Baylis lost 2 down.

The junior section at Bognor are growing and now have 18 in the under-13 age category. There was a great turnout of 20 for the Redfern Trophy.

Some 13 were in the main competition and seven in the over-28 handicap. The winner was 13-year-old Ryan Maskell, playing off 18, with 45 points. Ben Hughes, handicap 28, was second on 44 and third Matt Wood, handicap 26, on 40.

Winner of the over-28s was 12-year-old James Woosley, who plays off 34, with 53 points. Nearest the pin on fifth was Megan Tinson, and Louis Harrison, the junior captain, was nearest in two on the 16th.

Fifty-eight Bognor ladies competed in a Stableford.

Results: Silver: Sian Southerton 40pts, June Salt 36, Sheila Sargeant 35 ocb, Gill Harries 35. Bronze A:

Hayley Mackay 42, Lara Johnson 39, Liz Quinton 34. Bronze B: Jill Gill 28 ocb, Vanessa Cole 28, Jane Finch 27. Vets: Mary Hardy 34, Doris Thomas 32.

SELSEY

After winning the Tom Keep Cup in 1992, Tony and Annette Terry will have their name in gold on the boards again. Married for more than 43 years, they made a great partnership in the mixed foursomes Stableford winning the cup once again with 39 points. Runners-up were Meg Mearns and Kevin Fielder.

New member Sharon Williams has added more silver to her collection. Playing in her ‘lucky pink sweater’, she managed to take the Edward Jones Trophy in the par competition, one shot ahead of Barbara Winter.

Conditions were wet and windy for the Three Clubs and Putter competition. Equipped with only a driver, putter and five and eight irons, Penny Hesp proved that sometimes less is more and secured the cup just two points ahead of Judy Sharpe.

AVISFORD PARK

Chichester GC veterans are the latest to fall victim to Avisford Park seniors’ superb home form.

A recent match resulted in a win for Avisford by 4½-1½.

Results (Avisford names first): Brian Coughlan (captain) & John Miller beat David Blythe (captain) & Roy Chandler 5&4; Bob Boulter & Gerry Tarrant beat Brian Burn & Richard Parker 2&1; Peter Redford & Bryan Rogers halved with Mike Chapman & Mike Beer; Chris Machin & Bill Lock beat Mike Harrington & Peter James 5&4; David Feist & Graham Williams beat Richard Holden & John Paul 3&1; Gerry Reid & Nick Birch lost to Chris Myers &

Robin Stainsby 3&2.

In the club Stableford, Carl Corbin won division one with 41 points and Donald Every won division two with 45.

The midweek medal was won by Robert Kuszka with a nett 63.

In a senior Stableford, Tony Stansfield won division one with 41 points and in division two Basil Woolven was the victor with 40.

In the Saturday Stableford, Bob West won with 40 points.

The captain versus secretary competition was well attended and good fun, but the secretary’s team could not beat the captain’s, who triumphed 6-3.

The nearest the pins were won by Chris Wall on the second, David Feist on the 13th and 14th, Dave Rudman on the 15th and Richard Stillwell on the 18th.

The latest senior Stableford was won in division one by Ernie Rivett with 39 points and in division two, Colin Coe with 39.

The midweek medal was won by Robert Bridgers with a nett 68.

The latest Saturday Stableford was won by Lee Passey with 43 points.