Bognor golfers have a spring in their step

An excellent turnout of 63 Bognor Golf Club seniors took part in the seniors' spring cup.
Cowdray Park seniors who took on PetersfieldCowdray Park seniors who took on Petersfield
Cowdray Park seniors who took on Petersfield

It’s one of the seniors’ majors and the majority of the scores reflected the blustery conditions, though there were some superb scores registered by the winners.

This year’s format changed to include a drawn team-of-three format, with all scores counting.

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After the competition all players were treated to bangers and mash. Seniors’ captain Jim Catt presented the prizes.

Results: Winner - Gary Steventon 42pts, 2 Phil Lee 40, 3 Jim Stephenson 39. Team winners – Gary Steventon, Stuart English & Andy Isitt, 2 Jim Stephensom, Roger Selway & Mike White, 3 Trevor Till, David Turner & Ivon Towse.

Bognor seniors made the short journey to Selsey and a very close encounter could have swung either way. Bognor just lost out 4-2.

Selsey, as usual, were excellent hosts and both teams look forward to the return in August.

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Results: Barry Ingate & KenCatt halved, Frank Hodder & Mike Wilson won 2&1, Bryan Madgwick & Peter Collins lost 6&5, RobbWalker & Peter McCormack lost 2 down, Andy Isitt & Terry Kuhler lost 3&2, Ian Bright & Bob Lee halved.

COWDRAY PARK

Cowdray seniors travelled to Puttenham to face the home side, who are virtually unbeatable on their own patch as proved by their record in the Winter League. The visitors duly lost 4½-1½.

Cowdray match manager Bill Brownlee and David Wickham were shown little mercy by their hosts, being beaten 7&6.

John Newman and Peter Hallt briefly restored equilibrium with Cowdray’s only win, by one up, followed by a half from Ken Marjoram and Chris Hoare before the home side completed their victory with wins in the final three matches.

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Results (Puttenham names first): Tony Luscombe & Neil Willis beat Bill Brownlee & David Wickham 7&6; David Vowles & Alan Gilmore lost to John Newman & Peter Hallt 1 dn; Alan Marshall & David Martin halved with Ken Marjoram & Chris Hoare; Ray Graham & Richard Lisowski beat John Fife & Dave Coombes 6&5; Malcolm Jeffrey & John Hawksley beat Barry Overington & Bill Birnie 1 up; Tony Maylon & Norman Pavey beat Richard Burden & Mike Cardiff 3&1.

Cowdray seniors hosted near neighbours Petersfield, who fielded what was probably their strongest team ever in this fixture.

They were led by former Cowdray Park Club captain Alan Austin, who always flourishes upon his return, this time being no exception. He and partner Terry Roach racked up eight pars between them and put the home side’s Gary Strowbridge and Robin Phillips to the sword, winning 4&2.

Mike Cardiff and Wally Mitchell equalised with a 2&1 win, Bill Birnie and Philip Singer halved their match and David Wickham and Bill Brownlee won 3&2, with the remaining matches going to the visitors, albeit by narrow margins, and they claimed victory by 5½-2½.

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Results (Cowdray names first): Gary Strowbridge & Robin Philips lost to Alan Austin & Terry Roach 4&2; Mike Cardiff & Wally Mitchell beat Tim Allen & David Dunglinson 2&1; Peter Laws & Alastair Proctor lost to Bob Mitchell & John O’Rourke 1dn; Bill Birnie & Philip Singer halved with Marshall Smith & Jim Lutener; Chris Hutchings & Colin Tebbutt lost to John Spiers & Baron Howell 2&1; David Wickham & Bill Brownlee beat Paul Duncan & Richard Vardy 3&2; Howard Morley & Bruce Spooner lost to Derek Harrison & Ray Couzens 2 dn; Dave Coombes & George Crouch lost to Mike Jarrett & Jeremy Newton 1 dn;

Cowdray seniors took part in their first medal competition of the year, for the Heard Tankard, in tricky conditions, with a stiff, swirling breeze.

The day before, the club had played host to the Sussex Professional Golf Union for their spring meeting under identical conditions, and they professionals found the course extremely difficult with only one player beating 70.

The seniors found conditions equally testing with only four of 63 players equalling or bettering the CSS.

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Winner on countback was John Renwick from Ken Marjoram, both scoring nett 68s. Two former seniors’ captains tied for third place on 69, with Allen Sibley getting the nod over David Laver on countback.

Trophy donor David Heard came next with 70, but recorded the day’s lowest gross score, 78, just edging out four other players on countback, Mike Briant, Chris Hutchings, Peter Laws and Jim Booth. There were seven twos.

Leading scores: 68 John Renwick, Ken Marjoram; 69 Allen Sibley, David Laver; 70 David Heard, Mike Briant, Chris Hutchings, Peter Laws, Jim Booth. Twos: Graham Thompson, Chris Hutchings;Allen Sibley; Paul Owen, John Renwick, Ken Marjoram; Bruce Spooner.

Cowdray ladies competed in the 2016 Peugeot LGU Coronation Foursomes Stableford.

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The competition is open to all members of affiliated golf clubs in Great Britain and Ireland. The winning pair will be eligible to compete in any of the area finals.

The winners were Georgie Miller and Jo Fife with 36 points. Runners-up were Catherine Staples and Kate O’Kelly with 35, while Mary Bainbridge and Solveig Burton came in third with 34.

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