No hiccups for Hicks as he wins Bognor golf trophy

A large field of 117 members took part to play 18 holes on consecutive days.

Dave Hicks, the club champion, playing off three, won the main competition with a nett score of 135. John Cable was second with 137, on countback from Shaun Maskell, with 15-year-old junior member Jordan Vincent, playing off nine, fourth on 138.

Hicks also won the gross competition with a score of 141. Second was 17-year-old James Ashman, playing off one, on 144, and Andy Brown was third on 146.

On day one, Andrew Field had a nett score of 66 and on the second day, Hicks’ nett score was 64.

Another large field of 88 entered the Easter Medal. Rob Kissell, playing off six, from division one, was the winner with a nett score of 65. Second was John Lampard (Div 2) on 66 and Alan Fitzgerald (Div 3) was third, also on 66.

Paul Oliver was fourth on 67 on countback from Mark Wilmer, both in division one. Andrew Field (Div 1) was sixth on 68, on countback from Dave Orton, Gary Embleton and Alistair Murray, all from division two.

Bognor won their first-round match 6½-5½ against Pyecombe in the County Scratch Trophy. The second round will be played at Eastbourne this Saturday.

Scores: James Ashman and Shaun Maskell won 5&3, Dave Hicks & Simon Ostrom won 2&1, Brian Arnell & Andy Brown halved, Andrew Field and Tom Lea lost 1 down. Singles: Ashman won 5&3, Brown won 3&1, Hicks won 4&3, Field won 3&1, Arnell lost 3&2, Lea lost 5&4, Maskell lost 2 down, Ostrom lost 4&3.

Bognor’s veterans matches are now in full swing, with the first match won 7½-2½ at Littlehampton.

Scores: John Owen & Mike Wilson won 6&5, J Catt & P Barker lost 1 down, G Steventon & P McCormack won 1 up, B Vanstone & D Hollis won 1 up, J Wyatt & T Wells lost 5&4, R Hedge & J Woodhead won 2&1, I Kracke & C Millett won 3&2, D Burden & B Bennett won 2 up, F Hodder & K Catt won 3&2, D Turner & T Till halved.

The home match against Royal Winchester was won 5–3.

Scores: Russell Braham and Dave Turner won 6&4, R Selway & J Morris lost 1 down, C Millett & H Diaper won 5&3, A Bence & J King halved, P Lott & D Burke halved, F Hodder & V Ward halved, A Fitzgerald & J Cookson won 4&2, G O’Neill & B Baylis halved.

Bognor’s juniors have started their season extremely well. They won their first match in the West Sussex League at home to Hill Barn 5½-½.

Scores: Louis Harrison won 2&1, Jordan Vincent won 5&4, Dan Hoare halved, Tom Stoneham won 3&2, Ryan Breach won 2&1, Ryan Maskell won 2 up.

Their home match against The Dyke in the Covey Cup was won 3½-½.

Scores: Louis Harrison & Jordan Vincent won 6&4, Tom Stoneham & Dan Hoare won 7&6, Sam Grover & Ryan Maskell won 5&3, Ryan Breach & Jake Stoneham halved.

Fifty-one ladies from Bognor GC held an exchange day with Waterlooville GC. The Bognor ladies travelled to Waterlooville and played in a teams-of-three stableford with two scores to count on each hole. Lunch and prizegiving followed.

Results: 1 Nicki Vincent, Lynda Searle, Pat Rishman 75pts, 2 June Salt, Debbie Fenton, Beryl Payne 73, 3 Ann Kuhn, Yvonne Potter, Sophie James 72.

Ladies who stayed at Bognor played in a stableford competition.

Results: 1 Caroline Pilbeam 34, 2 Mary Hardy 32, 3 Juliet Morgan 31.

CHICHESTER

Chichester GC’s ladies held their qualifying competition for the national Peugeuot Coronation Foursomes.

In windy conditions, Lyn Santer and Hazel Chandler pipped Kathy Donohoe and Caroline Hawkes by one stableford point. They now wait to see if their 35 points will get them into the regional final later in the year.

EWGA Medal Sat: 1 Rachel Greenland 71 nett, 2 Kathy Donohoe 74.

COWDRAY PARK

Cowdray Park seniors were celebrating their first hole-in-one this year when nine-handicapper Mick Fillary hit an ace on the long par-three 17th hole. Unfortunately he did not witness it as the hole was on the upper level.

The 160-yard effort was all the more creditable as Mick had only played one round before this in the past year. Naturally his colleagues were quick to celebrate the event in the bar.

n Cowdray Park seniors travelled to play Farnham vets at the excellent Sands course at Seale. The course had lost some of its fire following heavy showers, which made ball control easier.

The match was a case of what might have been for Cowdray Park withthree pairs succumbing on the 18th, while Dave Lucking and Graham Evans eked out an honourable draw. Despite these valiant efforts the honours went to the home team by 5½-2½.

Stoic play from Cowdray’s match manager David Wickham and partner Tony Pike gave them a 4-3 win and this was followed by an equally-sound performance from experienced campaigners David Manning and Robert Strick, who won two up.

Results (Cowdray names first): David Wickham & Tony Pike beat Jesse James & Terry Phillips 4&3; Peter Burton & Roger Poat lost to Jim Cumming & Brian Newman 1dn; Paul Berry & John Start lost to Dave Slaney & Jim Wood 2&1; David Manning & Robert Strick beat Greg Faulkner & Tim Green 2up; Dave Lucking & Graham Evans halved with Peter Selencky & Gerry Marley; Mike King & George Crouch lost to Keith Jackson & Peter Miller 3&2; John Friend & Ray Tucker lost to Mark Forrester & Mike Prior 1dn; Mike Cardiff & Jim Booth lost to Evan Ames & Dennis Pettitt 8&7.

Cowdray Park seniors competed in pairs for the Podmore Salver, under the greensome stableford format with a handicap allowance of seven 16ths of the players’ combined handicaps.

It was not until after halfway that the higher scores started. Rob Doney and John Kitchener took the lead with 38 points, having displayed a creditable consistency all the way round. Almost the last pair out were Graham Evans and Peter Hallt.

The pair took the lead with 40 points, while in the final group Dave Lucking and Phillip Currie recorded 38 points and took second from Doney and Kitchener on countback.

Cowdray Park seniors travelled to Waterlooville for their second away match in three days. The result was an exact reversal of the previous game, with Cowdray coming out 5½-2½ winners.

The first match, involving match manager Trevor Edwards and Roger Poat provided an exciting opening with chances presenting themselves to the visitors, but they found themselves thwarted by slow greens. They were one down coming to the final hole but home player Geoff Ward putted out to halve the hole but secure the win for his side by 1up.

Widest-margin winners of the day were Cowdray pair Derek Smith & Keith Chapman, who won by 6&5. Dave Hirons (handicap seven) and John Newman (13) appeared to face a difficult task with both the home pair having handicaps of 17 but with a fine display, the visitors won 4&2.

Results: Trevor Edwards & Roger Poat lost 1dn; Derek Smith & Keith Chapman won 6&5; John Doran & Gerry Bowles lost 3&1; Alan Godfree & Ken Newberry won 4&3; Dave Hirons & John Newman won 4&2; Mike King & Ray Tucker halved; Mel Milburn & George Crouch won 5&3; Peter Clarke & Barry Overington won 2&1.

The ladies’ spring meeting was held at Cowdray Park on a sunny but breezy day. The format was individual stableford in the morning followed by a nine-hole chicken chase with teams of three. The day finished with a meal and prizegiving.

The day was organised by Mary Morling and Chris Barker.

Results: Morning competition: Div 1: 1 Janice Leath 41pts, 2 Gaynor Dudman 37, 3 Wendy Street 35. Div 2: 1 Terry Hughes 37pts, 2 Joyce Fanshawe 32, 3 Chris Barker 32. Div 3: 1 Margaret Tucker 38pts, 2 Maureen Bailey 33, 3 Fran Bune 32. Nearest the pin, 9th: Sue Morris; 11th: Margaret Curwood. Best front nine: Div 1: Joan Manning 18pts; Div 2: Myrna Heustice 18; Div 3: Betty Hallt 19. Best back nine: Div 1: Stephanie Bevis 19; Div 2: Beryl Bishop 17; Div 3: Janet Poat 16. Afternoon competition: Winners: Tessa Stockwell, Stephanie Bevis & Barbara Parker nett 38, runners-up: Terry Hughes, Jenny Clegg & Lil Cummins nett 39.

AVISFORD PARK

In the club medal competition, the division-one winner with nett 63 was Lee Passey. In division two, with nett 68, the winner was Michael Dunn. The midweek medal winner was David Feist with nett 67

The senior stableford competition winners were Gerry Tarrant in division one with 38 points and Roger Lewis in division two with 43.