Bognor's big day shows golf can be fun

A great family fun day was held at Bognor, with 51 playing a 16-hole Texas scramble in twelve teams, with a mix of mums, dads, grandparents, uncles, juniors and academy players taking part.

The winning team was Olly, Megan and Mark Tinson and Mark Littleboy with a 11-under gross for 16 holes. Runners-up were Richard and Tom Hendrick with Shaun and Charlie McGuiness.

The putting competition for juniors was won by Megan Tinson. Mitchell Kane was second. Tom Hendrick was the top academy member with Charlie McGuiness runner-up. Nearest the tenth pin was Richard Hendrick, John Wadley won it at the 15th.

Junior member Katie Field qualified for the Wee Wonders grand final, a tournament which encourages boys and girls aged five to 12 to take part in competitive golf.

At St Andrews, Katie’s age group - the nine-to-tens - played three rounds on the nine-hole Balgove course.

Her score led to a very creditable eighth place in her group. She now looks forward to the next finals later in the year in Nottingham.

The second week of the autumn meeting saw a 32-hole foursomes competition held.

Results: 1 Nicki Vincent & Lynne Watson 60pts ocb, 2 Briget Samuels & Heather Tidy 60, 3 Sian Southerton & Michelle Auger 59, 4 Sheila Sargeant & Denise Pratt 58 ocb.

An 18-hole competition also took place.

Results: 1 Wendy Bell & Jane Russell 38, 2 Ann Bushell & Lynn Miller 34, 3 Eileen Morris & Mary Hardy 33, 4 Carol Adams & Davina Rumsby 32 ocb.

The winners of the 14-hole afternoon competition were Caroline Pilbeam & Jaqui Humphreys with 29 points. Runners-up were Barbara Trenchard & Chris Puddicombe with 28.

Only 25 Bognor ladies braved the elements and entered the medal and buttons competition.

Silver winner was Denise Pratt, bronze was Eileen Morris.

Results: Silver - 1 Denise Pratt 79 nett; Bronze A - 1 Janice Eder 79, 2 Edwina Beresford 80; Bronze B - Eileen Morris 75, Yvonne Potter 76, Dianna Crook 91.

The Bognor vets and ladies knockout final saw Ken Catt and Angela Allen, who won the 2010 final, paired together again - but they were narrowly beaten after a tense and exciting 16 holes by Eileen Morris and John Owen.

During the season more than 65 veterans took part in the four qualifying rounds of the Fletcher Trophy. The final was contested by the 34 best qualifiers. Roger Leverton was the winner with 43 points. Second was John King on 42, Richard Kaemena was third with 40.

Having lost earlier in the season at Southwick Park, the veterans, captained by Jim Catt, won the return match in style 7½-½. The outstanding result of the day was the 7&6 win by Bob Bennett and Peter Collins.

Other scores: J Catt & K Catt won 3&1, A Bence & E Bridger won 6&5, M Oates & D Hollis halved, J Woodhead & B Woolstencroft won 2 up, T Till & V Ward won 4&3, R Hedge & P Black won 2&1, A Fitzgerald & D Sheath won 2&1.

The veterans won their home game against Singing Hills 6½-1½.

Scores: F Hodder & C Millett won 6&5, G Steventon & V Ward won 6&5, T Wells & H Layton won 6&5, B Bennett & P Collins won 5&3, T Till & J King halved, M Delves & A Fitzgerald lost 2 down, R Kaemena & D Burke won 5&4, S Flack, & B Ingate won 2 up.

COWDRAY PARK

Cowdray seniors continued their end-of-season resurgence with a comfortable 6-2 home win over Farnham, avenging their earlier 4½-3½ defeat at the Sands.

Cowdray won the first four matches. Leading pair of match manager David Wickham and Tony Pike had a one-up win. Easier victories followed from Jan de Vries and Richard Histed (4&2), Mike Hancock and John Friend (4&2) and George Crouch and Gary Strowbridge (6&5).

Two out of the three matches teeing off on the 17th went to the home side to complete their victory.

Results: David Wickham & Tony Pike beat Dick Turpin & Ian Swaddling 1 up; Jan de Vries & Richard Histed beat Ron Last & Dave West 4&2; Mike Hancock & John Friend beat John Collinson & John Corbyn 4&2; George Crouch & Gary Strowbridge beat David Lowery & Bill Pratt 6&5; David Tilley & Brian Carpenter lost to Peter Bryan & Terry Phillips 2&1; John Doran & Ian Goodall beat Mark Forrester & Reg Young 6&5; John Stone & Roy Penrose lost to Jim Cumming & John Cooper 2&1; Clive Brine & Philip Singer beat Eric Christie & John Cope 2&1.

Adverse weather conditions cleared for Cowdray seniors’ latest medal competition. Fifty-nine players competed for the Yellowlees Quaich, named after a Scottish drinking cup and in memory of former member Bill Yellowlees, with a trophy donated by his widow Wendy.

The incredible finish did justice to Bill’s memory, with five players finishing level on nett 68 and the winner decided on countback.

Competition organiser Dave Hirons set the target in the clubhouse, having bogeyed the 18th. Phil Harrison overtook Hirons on countback, but eventually finished third. He was passed by Brian Brockhurst, again on countback.

Brockhurst waited in the clubhouse, hoping to win for the first time this year, but Cliff Davis overtook the leader by half a point.

A relative newcomer to the section, Graham Thompson, joined the group on 68 to claim fourth and relegate the unlucky Hirons to fifth.

n Twenty-four ladies played in the national Daily Mail Qualifier, a foursomes medal off full handicap.

The winners with a score of 75 were Marilyn Davis and Jane Holden. Runners-up were Wendy Street and Sally Williams with 75.5. The winning pair qualify for the Daily Mail tournament.

SELSEY

The Selsey Golf Club veterans’ club championship is a 36-hole stroke-play competition played from the white tees on two consecutive Wednesdays to determine both the gross and nett champions. This year the winner of both was Jeff Wootton, who plays off 12 and recorded gross 165 and nett 141.

In second place in the gross, with 178, was Alan Neno, ahead of Ray DeBuse on 184.

Second in the nett contest was Reginald Ewens with 143 and in third was Trevor Plaistow on 145.

GOODWOOD

Junior golfers from all parts of the UK can learn the secrets of the professionals and how they train at an residential training camp at Golf At Goodwood.

The project will coincide with most half-term holidays and involve intensive coaching from a former European Tour player together with leading women professionals as well as an Olympic coach and an adviser to world No1 Rory McIlcroy.

Led by Ryan Fenwick, Golf At Goodwood’s PGA professional and current Sussex PGA champion, the four-day residential programme will run from October 28 to November 1 for juniors aged between 13 to 18.

Fenwick, also a regional EGU England coach and lead coach for the Sussex junior squad, will be joined by Steve Gent, a strength and training specialist for elite athletes including world and Olympic champions. Also joining in is Chris Sells, founder of Strokesaver.com which allows players of all abilities to analyse the strengths and weaknesses of their game online.

Some of Sells’ clients include US PGA champion McIlroy, former US Open champion Graham McDowell and Ryder Cup star Lee Westwood.

The camp includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and accommodation, four rounds of golf, entry to the Goodwood junior open, four days of coaching with a teaching ratio of 1:4, golf specific fitness seminar, 24-hour supervision and evening activities. The cost of the camp is £399 per person.

Fenwick played alongside Luke Donald, Paul Casey and Justin Rose as an amateur for England before turning pro in 2000 winning on the European Challenge Tour, Europro Tour and Sunshine Tour in South Africa.

He said: “We wanted to create a training camp that would give youngsters the opportunity to replicate how the top players train on a day-to-day basis, not just in terms of practice but their intensive fitness programme, nutrition and mental approach.”

Ryan has a wealth of experience coaching youth development through to tournament professionals including Ladies’ European Tour players Hannah Ralph and Anna Scott, who will be joining him throughout the camp.

To find out more call 01243 755168.