Maurice should be in golf Hall of Fame

Mike Harrington with the Claret Jug, flanked by Maurice Hall and Bill DunstoneMike Harrington with the Claret Jug, flanked by Maurice Hall and Bill Dunstone
Mike Harrington with the Claret Jug, flanked by Maurice Hall and Bill Dunstone

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The last of Chichester veterans' founder members, Maurice Hall, announced his retirement from competitions before the start of the competition for the Claret Jug.

He then played his best round for a long time to return a magnificent 42 points. Two other players had 42 points and as it turned out Maurice was beaten on countback , first by Bill Dunstone who claimed second place and then by eventual winner Mike Harrington.

It was a beautiful day for the 60 entrants and some of the golf was brilliant, with a third of the field scoring par or better.

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And it was a great day for Maurice, who had supported the vets for so long and been a great servant to the section.

He plans to remain a visitor to the par-three course and be an occasional clubhouse visitor.

Result - Claret Jug winner Mike Harrington 42pts; 2nd Bill Dunstone 42; 3 Maurice Hall 42; 4 John Paul 40; 5 Nick Hobbs 40.

Chichester visited Blacknest on a perfect day and won 5-1.

Scores: Jim Robertson & D Galloway won 2&1; M Hunter & K Williams won 3&2; D Monkton & N Wood won 3&2; B Santer & C Goldsmid lost 4&3; N Moore & P Mitchell won 2&1; G Bell & P Green won 1 up.

BOGNOR

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A Bognor ladies’ Stableford final was won by Caroline Pilbeam with 38 points.

Results: Silver Division: 1 Caroline Pilbeam, 2 Suzanne Taylor, 3 Jackie Herbert, - Sue Monger. Bronze A Division: 1 Janet Weeks, 2 Chris Puddicombe, 3 Sara Stoneham, 4 Barbara Trenchard. Bronze B Division: 1 Jackie Chamberlain, 2 Brigitte Paul, 3 Margaret Delves. Bronze C Division: 1 Jane Finch, 2 A Coupe.

It was finals day for the Kindred Cup team at Lee-on-the-Solent Golf Club. Bognor have qualified for finals day for the second year in a row.

In the semi-final, by a quirk of fate, they were drawn against Petersfield, who had beaten Bognor on the 19th hole of the deciding game in the 2015 semi-final, before going on to win the final.

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Norman Lee and Peter Lott led off and got home 2&1. Alastair Murray and Mark Watson won two up, Ian Paine and Simon Watts saw off last year’s extra-hole winners by 5&3.

The final pair of Ron Stevens and Mick Garrigan fought back from four down but eventually went down 3&1. Rob Comins and Richard Beresford were still out playing extra holes to decide their tie, but were called in once Bognor had won the match.

Bognor took on Andover in the final.

Lee and Lott brilliantly delivered their first point, then Comins holed a pressure putt on the 18th to see him and Beresford home one up.

Murray and Watson, getting six shots, were outgunned by their opponents and Simon Watts and Ian Paine, getting five shots, were outclassed by their single-figure men.

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This left Garrigan and Stevens in the decider and they walked on to the 18th tee with the match still alive. But a 10ft Andover putt went in while a Bognor putt horse-shoed out, leaving them runners-up by the slimmest of margins.

The Kindred team can be proud of a splendid effort yet again... there’s always next year!

Thanks go to John Cable, Roland Heath, Club Captain Chris Hickling and Peter Stoneham who helped the team on their way in earlier rounds.

In a strange twist of fate, father and son Bognor members Ron and Richard Kendrick both had holes in one on the same day on different courses. Ron managed his at Brockenhurst and Richard in the Dupree competition at Rowlands Castle.

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Bognor seniors entertained Southwick Park on a glorious day. It was fortunate that it took place as Southwick encountered four-mile traffic jams on the A27 because of Goodwood Revival and the match was delayed. Bognor won 5-2.

Results: Jim Catt & Andy Isitt lost 3&2 to Rod Smith & Peter Wright, Mike Matthews & Mike Wadley won 4&3 over Harry Roberts & Allen Hartshorn, Peter Brookshaw & Jim Stephenson won 7&6 over Doug Watson & Dave Jenkins, Mike Oates & Barry Ingate won 1 up over Tex Houston & Keith Young, Steve King & Allan Delves won 2 up over Ginge Dudley & Jerry Moulson, Peter Collins & Bryan Madgwick lost 2 down to John Morris & David Neilson, Ken Catt & Clive Millett won 4&3 over Ray Reed & Tony Saunders.

Bognor golfers Ian Hendry and Martin Leo have been crowned American Golf senior champions in the nationwide retailer’s inaugural senior championship.

The duo totalled a hugely-impressive 36-hole total of 78 in the face of difficult conditions, taking the title by six points from Northwich pair Andrew Threlkeld and Nigel Wells.

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The grand final brought together qualifiers from all over the UK and Ireland to play 36 holes over two days on the Brabazon course at Ryder Cup venue The Belfry.

Hendry and Leo set down a marker with 40 points against a stiff wind in round one despite facing a number of challenges.

Sitting in top spot by two points overnight and just making their tee time in torrential rain on Saturday, Hendry and Leo set about a repeat performance of their first round. Consistent golf and impeccable teamwork saw them pick up 38 points to secure victory by six.

Hendry said: “To get the chance to play a Ryder Cup course from entering a free competition has been amazing. The organisation by American Golf and their support team has been brilliant and to top it all off we’ll be on Sky Sports.

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“We mixed in some good golf with some bad shots but as a team we combined really well. It was our first competition together but it definitely won’t be the last – I can’t wait to come back and defend next year.”

Daniel Gathercole, director of marketing and communications at American Golf, said: “Ian and Martin play off seven and five so to come in with 78 points is an incredible achievement.”

COWDRAY PARK

After a few spots of rain at the start of Cowdray ladies’ two-day autumn meeting, the weather improved.

It was a slightly-different story on day two with the temperature soaring well above 30C. But the ladies managed to complete the round without any problems.

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Results: Monday – Individual Stableford –Winners: Div 1 Sue Brown 37pts; Div 2 Jo Fife 38; Div 3 Ann Laver 38; Tuesday – Waltz – played in teams of three (one score on par 5s, two scores on par 4s and three scores on the par 3s): 1st place off, 1st tee Gaynor Dudman, Jill Parry, Jo Fife 74pts; 1st place off 10th tee: Jenny Nichols, Chris Somerville, Judy Stillwell 70. Nearest the pins, 9th hole - Julia Kelly; 11th hole - Lil Cummins

After heavy rain the day before, there was unbroken sunshine when Cowdray Park players took to the course for the September monthly medal.

The rain had softened the course and many players took full advantage to record good scores.

In division one Scott Evans recorded the day’s lowest score of 64 to continue his immense progress over the past two years, during which time his handicap has reduced to six.

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Club champion Todd White returned the day’s lowest gross score of 70 (nett 67) for second place, from Shaun White and Kevin Raishbrook on 68.

Scoring was equally good in division two which Richard Smith won with 65, followed in second place by Nick Sampson on 67 and Simon Small on 68.

Division-three winner was Eric Morrish with 66, while second was club captain Martin Day with 68.

Results: Div 1: Scott Evans 64; Todd White 67; Shaun White, Kevin Raishbrook 68; Trevor Challen 69; Guy Goodens 70. Div 2: Richard Smith 65; Nick Sampson 67; Simon Small 68; Steve Hathaway, David Hayward 69; Martin West 70. Div 3: Eric Morrish 66; Martin Day 68; Chris Rennison 72. Twos - Div 1 - Trevor Challen (9th), Todd White (11th & 17th), Kevin Raishbrook (9th); Div 2 - Adam Exall ( 3rd), Simon Small (3rd). Div 3 - Martin Day (11th).

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Cowdray Park seniors entertained Liphook and ran out 4½-2½ winners, having won 4-3 at Liphook earlier in the season, completing a rare double.

The course was in good condition, although the greens, following treatment, were slower than usual and did not give any advantage to either side.

Stand-in match manager Allen Sibley, partnering David Wickham in the opening match, took an early lead and by the turn were six up. Although the visitors fought back well, the task was beyond them, and Cowdray’s pair ran out winners by 3&2.

Sam Howes and Barry Overington followed this with a hard-fought half before Colin Tebbutt and Alistair Proctor edged home by one up to increase Cowdray’s lead. This match looked to be heading for a half before Tebbutt holed a superb chip on the final hole to clinch the win.

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Having won at Liphook against the same pair, Mike King and John Newman again had a fight on their hands against Dennis Geal and Henry Jones.

Geal is a former Cowdray club captain and showed his liking for the course when he won the over-75s prize at the recent seniors’ open, and continued in the competitive vein to make the home pair go all the way to the 18th for a half.

Liphook’s only win came in the next match before Nick Austin and Roy Penrose had the day’s best win – 4&3 – before the match finished with a half from Tony Pike and Rob Doney.

Results (Cowdray names first):- Allen Sibley & David Wickham beat Bryan Smith & Jonny Talbot 3&2; Sam Howes & Barry Overington halved with Richard Edmondson & Phil Stephens; Colin Tebbutt & Alistair Proctor beat Robin Rickman & Simon Sheppard 1 up; Mike King & John Newman halved with Dennis Geal & Henry Jones; Ken Marjoram & Chris Hutchings lost to Anthony Collet & Chris Rowe 2 down; Nick Austin & Roy Penrose beat Chris Thwaites & Geoff Rawlins 4&3; Tony Pike & Rob Doney halved with Graeme Farley & Paul Darnell.

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Cowdray seniors travelled to face West Sussex in a match played as foursomes, the only time Cowdray play this format during the season.

Not surprisingly, the advantage lay with the home team and they pressed it home with a 5½-2½ win. It was a glorious day, with the course in fine condition.

As early results came in, victory for the home side looked a foregone conclusion. Cowdray opening pair John Newman and Dave Gaff defied the lack of games as foursomes to claim a win and give their side a good start, but the visitors had to wait until the final tie to register their second, courtesy of Chris Hoare and Dave Coombes.

Apart from a half from Peter Hallt and John Blockey, the remaining games went to the home side. Although the result was disappointing for the visitors, they were pleased to welcome back captain Derek Smith after a long absence and David Tilley following a hip operation.

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It was a sunny day for the 71 players competing in Cowdray Park seniors’ monthly Stableford.

Pat Bonner has re-joined the club and, in his first competition back, wasted no time in making his mark with a two on the third hole. He continued to show he had not lost his touch after his lay-off with a score of 36 points and fifth place in division two.

That division provided the best scoring of the day with Ian Ward the day’s top scorer with a magnificent 42 points.

Early on in his round there was no clue as to his eventual score as he finished the front nine with a level-par score of 18 points. It was on the back nine his scoring really took off with a succession of pars, interspersed with consecutive birdies on 12 and 13, when he twice chipped in from off the green for eight valuable points, which helped him amass 24 points on the back nine.

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Second was Derek Cooper, with his year’s best round of the year, 39 points, to earn a handicap reduction and, alongside Ward, a place in the seniors’ championship at the end of the season.

In division one, captain Derek Smith continued his comeback, and for a time led the field with 36 points, until Mark Kelly passed him with 38 points, quickly followed by Frank Cheevers in second with 37.

Leading scores: Div 1- 38 Mark Kelly; 37 Frank Cheevers; 36 ocb Rod Brown, Ken Marjoram, Derek Smith; 35 Phil Pett, John Newman. Div 2- 42 Ian Ward; 39 Derek Cooper; 37 Bernie May, Barry Overington; 36 ocb Pat Bonner, Mel Milburn, Jon Fife; 35 ocb Ian Gunn, Ian Fiander, Tony Castley. Twos - John Newman (9), Ken Marjoram (11), Jon Fife (9), Pat Bonner (3), Barry Overington (9).

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