Bognor golfers find it tough on the road

A few of the Bognor team have known members of the Worthing team for many years and the relevant pairs were matched up to provide an enjoyable reunion.

The upper course at Worthing is recovering well after the recent dry weather. However, the sloping fairways and the excellent but difficult greens proved a challenge to the Bognor players. Worthing ran out 5½-2½.

Bognor’s winners were John Garnett and Sue Sidebotham and Campbell Smith and Berit Smallcorn. Ron and Barbara Stevens gained the half and those who lost were Allan and Margaret Delves, Rob and Sue Redmond, Brian Postion and Pauline Littlejohns, Jim and Eileen Morris, Ian and Kim Mercer.

It was a ‘grand’ day at Bognor for 200 Club member Sara Stoneham when she scooped the £1,000 first prize in the annual draw.

Heather Tidy was winner of the second prize of £500. The draw followed a team golf competition (two scores to count Stableford) which attracted 72 players.

Winners with 95 points were Norman Lee, Dave Lynn, Roland Heath and Bill Houlton. In second place with 94 points were Sue Meloy, Brian Meloy, Mick Garrigan and Graham Harmes.

Players and their guests, totalling over 100, enjoyed a buffet following the golf. Organisers Derek Dady and Debbie Fenton said they were delighted with the success of the event which produced a record attendance.

Sadly Dave Lynn, a popular member at Bognor who loved his golf, has passed away since the competition.

* Bognor Seniors entertained Lee-on-the-Solent for the first ever. On a beautiful day Bognor ran out 8-0 winners, but most games were closely fought and a number went to the 18th.

Winning pairs for Bognor were Mike Oates and Jim Stephenson, Sean Francis and David Turner, Richard Kaemena and Rob Redmond, Richard Perry and Roger Selway, Steve King and Trevor Till, Ian Paine and Ken Catt, Michael Lanham and Clive Millett, and Ian Bright and Mike Matthews.

Champ Hall paases on top tips to golfers

County showdown for Sussex golfers

COWDRAY PARK

The final matches for Cowdray Park seniors were away and at home to Alresford, away to Ham Manor and home to Mannings Heath. The seniors played the beautiful Alresford course on a sunny day. The greens were quicker which meant Cowdray managed only two wins (by Steve Calder-Smith and Ian Gunn and Nick Austin and Dave Balfour) and a half but lost in the other five to go down 5½-2½.

Against Ham Manor at Angmering, Cowdray were the first club to play the new layout. This has improved the course overall and the challenging final hole is played towards a fountain and pond in front of the elegant façade of clubhouse.

The course changes did not give Ham Manor the normal home advantage and Cowdray earned a 4-4 draw. There were wins for match captain Terry Adsett and Robin Phillips (1 up), Justin Chuter and Harvey Terry (1 up), Graham Nichols and Mark Kelly 5&3 and Richard Burden and Barry Overington 2&1.

Cowdray had won the home match 6-2 so it a convincing victory.

The home match against Mannings Heath saw Cowdray on top of their game for a 5-3 win. Match manager Allan Gormley and Barry Overington won 3&2 with two late birdies. Late stand-in Derek Smith and Graham Thompson were unlucky as a Bob Binning wedge hit the trees by the fifth hole and bounced in for an eagle as Mannings Heath won 2&1.

There were also wins for Tony Sapsworth and Chris Hutchings, Dave Wickham and Robin Philips (6&4), Mike Cardiff and Jon Fife and Justin Chuter and Gary Strowbridge (5&3).

The final match of the season was the visit of Alresford. It was a lovely autumnal morning with dew on the fairways at the start of play. Alresford found the greens ‘interesting’ as their greens play quicker. Match captain Robin Phillips and late stand-in Peter Bennett managed to halve their match on their last hole.

Hosts Steve Calder-Smith and Ian Gunn won their match but that was it and Cowdray lost 6½-1½. Despite the heavy home loss, there was a jovial atmosphere at the friendly lunch afterwards – and Cowdray hope to take revenge next year.

* The monthly seniors’ Stableford was played by 69 players on fairways heavy with dew throughout the morning making the greens seem relatively quick. There were no high scores although 40 players managed 30-plus points.

Four players qualified for the prestigious seniors’ championship to be played today (Oct 18). Results: 1st division winner William Hunter 38pts (on countback), runner up Raymond Tweddle; 2nd division winner Rob Downey 38pts, runner-up Brian Heath 37.

GOODWOODFour members of Golf at Goodwood are just one good round away from winning a luxury seven-night golf holiday for two at Paradis Beachcomber Golf Resort and Spa in Mauritius.

The quartet took part in the free-to-enter Race to Mauritius Golf Championship qualifier and filled the top four places to earn a place in the grand final at Stoke Park Country Club, Spa & Hotel, Buckinghamshire, later this month.

Lattana Hextall, 46, a housekeeper from Chichester; Linda Salero, 56, a shop assistant from Havant, Alec Stoner, 50, a landscape gardener from Kirdford, and Pete Wrigley, 36, a service manager from Storrington, will join four qualifiers at Stoke Park from each of five further events.

And whoever emerges victorious at Stoke Park will win a seven-night break for two in a deluxe room at the Paradis Beachcomber Golf Resort and Spa, with complimentary flights from London, private hotel transfers and unlimited golf at Paradis Golf Club, courtesy of the event sponsor Beachcomber Tours.

The Guildford-based luxury tour operator has sponsored member competitions at all six clubs to create the exciting event for a second successive year.Beachcomber Tours’ marketing manager, Mark Boullé, said: “Congratulations to Daria, Cynthia, Bob and Neil, and we wish them the best of luck in the grand final at Stoke Park.”