Golf veterans get trophies shared between lockdowns

Some of them have already been reported on in these pages but a few important cups have been played for recently, including the Captain’s Cup, won by Mike Harington, beating four other players on countback.

There was a magnificent effort by Ken Dowinton to take the Claret Jug, his maiden trophy win, with 43 points.

The current season for captain Colin Westwood culminated in his handing over a cheque to Harry Hardiner of the St John Ambulance, Colin’s nominated charity, for £2,110. It was a great fundraising effort despite the intervention of Covid. Colin stays as captain for another year, when his nominated charity is the Snowdrop Trust.

Other winners this year include: The Remembrance Trophy(2019) Brian Burn; Founders Cup – Paul Kavanagh; Spring Trophy – Paul Hills; Vets’ Champion – Mike Snuggs; Champion Seniors’ Cup – Mike Snuggs; Vets’ Handicap Championship – David Hungate; Royal Garden Hotel Summer Trophy – John Styles; Rob Baldwin Award – Dave Monkton; Captain’s Cup – Mike Harrington; Claret Jug – Ken Dowinton; Venables Trophy – Jim Roberston; Summer Eclectic Div 1 – Chris Penny; Summer Eclectic Div 2 – Martin Bushby; Matchplay Singles – Mike Harrington; Matchplay Singles Plate – John Discombe.

Cowdray Park

The fourth and final round of the Captain’s Prize was played in seemingly kind conditions with sunshine, welcoming greens and neat fairways.

However conditions were deceptive as only three players scored better than handicap. In-form Richard Burden recorded 39 points, followed by Richard Mellor and Michael Briant on 38.

In the day’s pairs competition, Richard Burden and Ken Cullen were first with a combined 71 points. Two pairs were second with 67, Richard Mellor & Roger Powell and Chris Hoare & Michael Briant, the latter duo winning on countback.

In the overall competition for the Captain’s Prize, the clear winner was Allan Gormley with 115 points for the best three scores out of four rounds; an excellent score with an average per round of just over two shots better than his handicap of five.

There were three players with 107; David Wickham second on countback from David Fowler and Peter Hallt.

The Podmore Salver was played in heavy bursts of rain at the start of the morning and in the afternoon, a cold wind throughout the round and some pleasant sunny periods.

This greensomes Stableford competition with drawn partners drew 84 entrants and produced some decent scores.

The winners with a creditable 41 points were Chris Blatchly & Chris Hutchings. Second were Dave Coombes & Cliff Davis with 40 points, and third with 39 points, on countback, were Adrian Poole & Nick Upjohn from David Cornthwaite & Ken Cullen and Eric Bounton & Allen Sibley.