Golf: Barber is a cut above rivals as Cowdray foursomes comes to end

It was an up-and-down round with only one hole being halved. Thirty pairs entered the competition.

Meanwhile, playing their first match of 2012 in the Surrey & West Sussex Winter League, Cowdray Park travelled to face Bramley, who always field a strong side and raise their game for the visit of the Sussex side.

This time, however, the visitors pulled out all the stops and won the final tie by the minimum margin to clinch a 2½-1½ victory and close the gap on the leaders to 1½ points with a game in hand over two of their rivals.

Captain for the day Terry Jasper and partner Mike Purdie gave the visitors the best possible start with a 6&5 win, followed by a halved match for Dave Lucking & Brian Carpenter.

The third match went the way of the home side, whose top pairing of Dick Humphrey and Mike Whitaker levelled matters with a win by two up.

It was all down to the final tie, which went to the last green, where the Cowdray pair of Chris Dormer and Brian Bulpitt held their nerve to win by one up and secure victory for their side. This was Bulpitt’s second win in his second match.

So Cowdray completed their first double of the season and kept up the pressure on Puttenham, Farnham and Hindhead, all of whom have 14 points to Cowdray’s 12.5 points.

Results (Cowdray names first): Terry Jasper & Mike Purdie beat Mike Burnham & Terry Newman 6&5; Dave Lucking & Brian Carpenter halved with Frank Mangan & Gren Boyden; Peter Hallt & John Doran lost to Mike Whitaker & Dick Humphrey 2 dn; Chris Dormer & Brian Bulpitt beat Terry Vermigle & Rex Maidment 1 up.

In an effort to raise funds for his charity, The Mary How Trust, Cowdray Park seniors’ captain Bill Hummerston has joined forces vice-captain Allen Sibley to challenge any pair of seniors to a four-ball better-ball Stableford, with each of the losers contributing to the charity.

The initial match resulted in the redoubtable Ray Dowse and consistent Alan Godfree beating the pair 5&4.

The challengers were four up after five holes. Despite improvement from the captains, they were thwarted by Dowse, who, having one of those days, recorded an exceptional nett score of 63 and seemed to sink most putts - and where he failed, Godfree succeeded.

The captains hope to restore their reputations in the February challenge.

CHICHESTER

Winter sunshine brought 30 ladies out at Chichester for their Texas scramble Florida-style. The winning team featured Caroline Hakes, Angela Hancock and Lyn Santer with 73.4 points. Second were Elaine Fell, Angela Perkins and Jean Corbould with 74.8 and hot on their heels in third were Margaret Leigh, Marie Howlett and Gill Fielding with 75.1.

The Saturday ladies also enjoyed the sunshine and played a game of split the sixes. Winners from each team were Rebecca Curd with 47 points, Mary-Lou Litton with 41 and Val Swain with 39.

BOGNOR

At the recent Bognor veterans’ annual meeting, Roger Selway took over as captain from John Owen.

Following their very successful season last year, when they won 20 of their 36 matches and halved three, the veterans are looking forward to the 2012 season. Again there will be 36 matches against their friends from 18 clubs in Sussex, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Already the new year has started well with a resounding 6½-1½ at Rowlands Castle. It was a good team effort by Bognor as in every match the shots given by the lowest handicapper all came from the visiting pair.

Results: Gary Steventon & John Bumfrey won 7&5, Roger Selway & Peter Barker won 6&5; R Hedge & D Hollis won 2&1, P Collins & C Millett won 3&2, D Turner & J Woodhead lost 4&3, P Lott & J King won 1 up, A Bence & J Cookson won 5&3, J Wyatt & T Till halved.

AVISFORD PARK

Friday the 13th wasn’t unlucky for Ian Denyer as he scored a hole in one on the second.

The midweek Stableford winner was Philip Pye with 44 points and the weekend Stableford winner was Bob West with 39.

The senior Stableford winner in division one was Gerry Tarrant with 36 points and in division two was John Moore with 36.