Ladies and professionals team up for great day of golf at Cowdray

Forty-eight ladies and their professionals played an 18-hole medal round in teams of four, with two best scores to count.

The winning score of 17 under par was produced by a team led by pro Marcus Groombridge from Singing Hills. His ladies were Pat Wallace (ladies’ vice-captain at Cowdray), Iona McKean and Penny Gaunt from Cottesmore.

Runners-up were Sylvia Darnell, Fiona Sapsworth and Cathy Downey from Slinfold and their pro Neil Darnell from Mannings Heath with 12 under par. Third were Cowdray Park pro Scott Brown and Ann Tyrrell (Cowdray), Valeria Taylor from Chiddingfold and Freddie Hughes from West Sussex with 11 under.

The winning professional score was posted by Giles Velvick from Horam Park with gross 69.

Cowdray Park ladies played in their autumn meeting on a hot day. The format was a Stableford over 18 holes. This was followed by a quiz, lunch and prizegiving. The day was organized by Sally Williams and Jill Parry.

Results: Nearest pin, 9th: Sue Morris; 11th: Polly Davenport; Best front nine - Div 3 Pauline Lamb 18pts, Div 2 Barbara Smith 19 c/b, Div 1 Jill Parry 19. Best back nine - Div 3 Heather Pearce 17 c/b, Div 2 Glenda Luff 16 c/b, Div 1 Sue Brown 19, Div 3 - 1 Janet Poat 34, 2 Anne Laver 30 c/b, 3 Pat Hewson 30; Div 2 - 1 Sue Brockhurst 35, 2 Sally Williams 33, 3 Myrna Heustice 32; Div 1 - 1 Solveig Burton 41, 2 Tessa Stockwell 37, 3 Marilyn Davis 35.

Thirty ladies played in the EWGA medal at Cowdray. The very breezy conditions made scoring difficult.

Results: Div 1 - Marilyn Davis 78, Pat Wallace 79, July Stillwell 80; Div 2 - Myrna Heustice 76, Sally Williams 78, Caroline Haynes 79; Div 3 - Maureen Bailey 75, Judith Brownlee 82, June Page 84.

The top of the leaderboard for Cowdray Park seniors is becoming more congested, with only five points covering the top 22 players.

Following August’s Stableford, Jan de Vries jumped to top spot with 59 points, hotly pursued by three single-figure handicap players, Dave Lucking, John Doran and Paul Owen.

Because of their low handicaps, there is small margin on many holes for improvement. Two higher-handicap players made giant strides into the top ten - Tony Castley and Phil Pett jumping from 34th to seventh and 33rd to eighth respectively, both with 62½ points.

Cowdray seniors had a stunning 7-0 home win over local rival Liphook, the second year in a row they have achieved this feat.

Match manager Brian Carpenter and partner Jan de Vries overcame the visiting pair by 2&1. Peter Laws was called in at the last minute to replace an ailing Sam Howes and proved a fine replacement, partnering the in-form David Heard to a nail-biting victory by one up. The remaining five wins were by comfortable margins.

Results (Cowdray names first): Brian Carpenter & Jan de Vries beat Sandy Sullivan & Richard Blott 2&1; Mike King & Trevor Edwards beat Roger Mowll & David Mowlam 4&3; Paul Owen & Peter Clarke beat John Read & Peter Ritchie 5&4; David Heard & Peter Laws beat Richard Freedman & Richard Mountford 1 up; Allen Sibley & Keith Chapman beat Bryan Smith & David Moffatt 4&2; David Manning & Alistair Proctor beat Alan Hill & Gordon Oehlers 4&3; Ian Goodall & Philip Singer beat Bob Locking & John Trewby 2&1.

Cowdray seniors beat Petersfield 6-2, gaining quick revenge for their recent away defeat. Cowdray won the first five matches, starting with a stunning 7&6 win from match manager Ken Newberry and John Smith.

This score was replicated by Colin Tebbutt and Pat Bonner and a further three wins gave the hosts an unassailable lead.

Results: Ken Newberry & John Smith beat Paul Vangrove & Peter Thayre 7&6; Brian Brockhurst & Mike King beat Alan Austin & Baron Howell 2&1; John Newman & Graham Evans beat Barry Lucas & Chris White 4&3; Roger Poat & David Tilley beat David Budd & Alan Patrick 3&1; Colin Tebbutt & Pat Bonner beat Michael Miller & John Edelsten 7&6; George Crouch & Barry Overington halved with John O’Rourk & Syd Williamson; Mike Hughes & Alistair Proctor halved with John Broad & Peter Clarke; Ray Tucker & Mike Holden lost to Colin Stevenson & John Dunmall 5&4.

The Podmore Trophy, an 18-hole Stableford, attracted 34 pairs.

Scores: 1 Paul Shaw, Ken Marjoram, Tony Petras & Brian Dormer 84pts; 2 Matt Harrison, Eric Morrish, Dave Lucking & Steve Lucking 83; 3 Steve White, Shaun Pay, Roger Murphy & Andy McFarlane 82.

BOGNOR

There were 90 entrants for the Grayson Cup Stableford. The winner was Mike Oates with 41 points, five of those points coming at the 400-yard-plus 11th, where he holed out in two.

It came three weeks after he won the veterans’ captain’s prize.

In the Grayson, Roy Tidy was second, also on 41. Ron Stevens was third, Graham Leaney fourth, Mick Martin fifth and Ian Stoneham sixth, all with 39. Of the eight ladies taking part, Heather Tidy had the best score of 34.

There are only two rounds of the Hollymead Cup to be played.

After ten rounds Jordan Vincent, the club champion, is the leading qualifier with 1,300 points, followed by Alan Simmonds on 1,173 and Jim Catt with 1,017.

It is similar in the Len Hodge gross and nett competitions. After nine rounds Andy Brown is the leading gross qualifier with 439, Rob Kissell is second on 452 and Dave Hicks third on 455. Ian Paine is the leading nett qualifier with 410, with Mark Watson and Rob Kissell both on 416.

August was an extremely busy month for the Bognor juniors. The annual open for the Newbridge Trophy drew 36 competitors, including three girls, from 12 clubs in East and West Sussex. (The winners are pictured above).

Scratch winner was Tom Stoneham (Bognor) with a gross score of 74. Oliver Bradbury (Chichester), last year’s winner, was second on 76. Third was Adrian Moore (Worthing) with 77.

Nett winner was Matthew Starling (Hill Barn) with 67 points. Second was Will Townsend (Hill Barn) on 68. Max Littleboy (Bognor) was third on 69, on countback from Jake Stoneham (Bognor). Prizes were provided by Peter Lea. A junior team won their John Bury Plate game at Hassocks 2½-1½. Tom Stoneham and Scott Bingham won, Jake Stoneham and Jack Taylor halved, Ryan Breach and Max Littleboy won and Ryan Maskell and George Bingham lost.

The team are through to the semi-finals against Crowborough at Worthing this Sunday.

In the Bognor ladies’ autumn meeting a medal competition was played for the Millbourn Cup. Sixty entered.

The cup was won by Nicki Vincent with a fantastic nett score of 62.

Results: Silver - Nicki Vincent 62, Ann Bushell 71, Janet Carter 72, Sheila Sargeant 72 ocb. Bronze A - Jacqui Humphreys 75 nett, Pat Rishman 77, Chris Puddicombe 76, Jane Russell 81 ocb. Bronze B - Barbara Evans 67, Christine Downie 71, Carol Adams 74, Maleta Moore 77.

AVISFORD PARK

The Walberton Golf Championship is open to anyone who lives or works in Walberton, Fontwell or Binsted or belongs to a village society or organisation.

The winner scoops the Millennium Cup – a trophy presented by Hilton Hotel – in an event held at Avisford Park GC.

The overall winner was Ian Senior with the excellent Stableford score of 42 points. Ian Wilmott was second with 39 and Bob Boulter third with 38.

The winner of the ladies’ competition was Ian’s wife Pauline with 33 points.

Bob Boulter was nearest the pin on the second and 13th holes while Neil Percival hit an impressive longest drive on the fourth.

Thanks went to Chris Brown for his organisation.

Saturday’s Stableford was won by Nathan Warren with 39 points.

On Sunday a charity day competition attracted 59 entrants. Winner with 41 points was Jeremy Newman and in second was Michael Paige with 39.

The nearest the pins were won by Simon Small on the second, Wilson Sharpe on the 13th, Ian Hardwell on the 14th and Brian Jeffries on the 18th. A total of £500 was raised for the captain’s charity.

The seniors’ Gery Reid Trophy was won by Chris Machin with 39 points ahead of Brian Comber with 37.