Golf: Suzanne is Taylor-made to win ladies’ title

Bognor GC’s ladies’ club championship saw four ladies play 18 holes in the morning, with Suzanne Taylor and defending champion Chloe Court going through to the finals in the afternoon.
Bognor's lady captain and ladies' club championship semi-finalistsBognor's lady captain and ladies' club championship semi-finalists
Bognor's lady captain and ladies' club championship semi-finalists

A sunny day brought members out on to the course to watch the thrilling match. It was nip and tuck over the front nine and could have gone either way, but Suzanne holed some great putts to take the lead up to the 16th hole, where she won the game.

On a beautiful day 62 ladies from Bognor GC played a Stableford for the America Cup. Conditions were excellent and the overall winner was Sue Sidebotham with 40 points.

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Other results: Silver - 1 Sian Southern 37pts, 2 Heather Tidy 36, Sue Monger 35. Bronze A - Marge Fenwick 35, Janet Weeks 33.

The following week, on a perfect warm September morning, 58 ladies played the Stableford finals competition. Only those ladies who had won or been runner-up were eligible. The winner was Sara Stoneham with 39 points while Ann Bushell achieved an eagle two on the par-four third hole.

Bognor seniors had a terrific match against local rivals Littlehampton. Virtually all games went their way and they ran out comfortable winners by 6½-1½ . Bognor’s captain set the ship in the right direction in the opening game with a very good draw against Littlehampton’s strong pair Ray Lee and Jan Devries.

The Bognor bankers Steve King and Paul Cooper delivered with an excellent 8&7 win and to finish it off Mike Oates won against Littlehampton’s last pair on his own, as his partner forgot about the game and was having breakfast in a Devon hotel when contacted at 9am on the morning.

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Results: Chris Hickling & Trevor Till halved against Ray Lee & Jan Devries, Steve King & Paul Cooper won 8& 7 over Tony Buckle & Peter Harris, Mick Mathews & Andy Isitt won 3&2 over Colin Wilson & Lee Hillier, Clive Millett & John Samain won 5&3 over Peter Morris & Dennis Osbourne, Vic Ward & Dave Hollis lost 4&3 to Gerry Rook & Rene Maby, Jim Catt & Barry Ingate won 2&1 over Norman Tinson & Andy Bayford , Allan Delves & Roger Selway won 2up over John Whatmore & John Sopp, Mike Oates won 1up over Ron Wilkins & Dickie Burt.

COWDRAY PARK

On a sunny day, Cowdray Park’s monthly medal produced some excellent scoring, reflecting the improved conditions.

Top of the pile in division one and overall, with a stunning score of 66, was the genial club bar manager Chris Strudwick, receiving just reward for his year-long consistency with top-ten finishes in every medal this year.

Close behind on 67 was Mark Jasper, with Trevor Challen third a further shot behind – all three players earned handicap reductions.

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Division-two winner was William Yates on 68 from former club captain Phil Cummins on 69, on countback from Justin Thorpe, while Ken Chapman showed a welcome return to form and fourth place with a 71.

Division-threee scoring was more conservative with Tony Tabner taking the honours on 70 from John Hall on 72, on countback from senior Rob Knight. Twos were in short supply, indicating that maybe conditions were not as easy as scoring might indicate.

Twos: Div 1 - Phil Harrison (3rd) Rod Brown (9th), Trevor Challen and Sean Gallagher (11th). Div 2: Colin West (11th) and Martin Donohue (3rd).

Leading scores - Div 1: 66 Chris Strudwick; 67 Mark Jasper; 68 cb Trevor Challen, Chris Cummins, Scott Evans; 69 cb Alan Gormley, Shaun White; 70 Todd White. Div 2: 68 William Yates; 69 cb Phil Cummins, Justin Thorpe, 71 ocb Ken Chapman, Mick Fillary, Nick Sampson. Div 3: 71 Tony Tabner, 72 cb John Hall, Rob Knight.

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After poor weather, Cowdray Park seniors were glad to get back into match action against near neighbours Petersfield on a sunny day.

Having suffered a heavy defeat at Petersfield, Cowdray were delighted to win 4-3, maintaining their run of good home form.

The teams were evenly matched in terms of handicap, none more so than the lead match involving match manager Gary Strowbridge and John Doran, which was nip and tuck until the 11th hole, when the Cowdray duo seized the lead and won the next two holes before closing the match out by 3&2.

The home side doubled their lead when Bill Brownlee and George Crouch easily accounted for their opponents 5&4.

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The visitors reduced the arrears when Dave Hirons and Peter Laws faced David Dunglinson, who parred the final nine holes to clinch the win by one up. Pat Bonner and Mike Cardiff restored the lead with another comprehensive win by 5&4 before the visitors fought back and reduced arrears again.

The match went the way of the home side with a narrow win, by one up, by Barry Overington and Roger Poat, rendering the final match a dead rubber which went the way of Petersfield.

Results (Cowdray names first): Gary Strowbridge & John Doran beat Marshall Smith & Colin Stevenson 3&2; Bill Brownlee & George Crouch beat Peter Ellam & Charlie Martin 5&4; Dave Hirons & Peter Laws lost to David Dunglinson & John King 1 dn; Pat Bonner & Mike Cardiff beat Peter Marchant & Arthur Kerrison 5&4; Chris Hoare & Mike King lost to Brian Phillips & Ray Couzens 3&2; Barry Overington & Roger Poat beat Phil Coverdale & Jeremy Hawton 1 up; Graham Evans & Peter Hallt lost to Terry Roach & John O’Rourke 3&2.

Having defeated Hayling Island 7-1 at home, Cowdray Park seniors knew the return match at the links course would be a very different – this Championship course is the toughest they face during the year.

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The visitors lost 5.5-2.5, with two matches only lost by the narrowest of margins. Match manager Trevor Edwards was hopeful late substitute Wally Mitchell might prove to be his secret weapon but, such was the play of the home pair Alan Mills and Martin Toomer that the visitors never got a look in.

Edwards and Mitchell could not cope with the stunning play of Mills and Toomer. Between them the home pair scored 15 pars and three birdies to win 5&4.

The strong Cowdray pair of Paul Owen and David Tilley fought hard against their opponents but lost by 2&1. Cowdray’s first win was a stunning victory by Dave Lucking and seniors’ captain Sam Howes by 5&3 before the visitors drew level when John Doran overcame the loss to injury of his partner Martin Brine to virtually single-handedly beat the Hayling pair by 2&1.

Ian Heustice and Mike Cardiff halved to keep things level but the remaining three matches went the way of the home side, although, in the final match, John Smith and Peter Hallt were only bested on the final green.

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Results: Trevor Edwards & Wally Mitchell lost to Alan Mills & Martin Toomer 5&4; Paul Owen & David Tilley lost to Chris Penrose & Richard Linsell 2&1; Dave Lucking & Sam Howes beat Barry Jones & Doug Johnson 5&3; John Doran & Martin Brine beat Richard Killon & Barry Goodchild 2&1; Ian Heustice & Mike Cardiff halved with David Clark & Clive Thistleton; David Wickham & Gary Strowbridge lost to Alan Spencer & Roger Thompson 5&3; Chris Hoare & Colin Tebbutt lost to Phillip Bailey & Tony Child 3&2; John Smith & Peter Hallt lost to David Hurst & Peter Mullins 1 dn.

Cowdray Park seniors’ 100 per cent home record - 18 wins out of 18 - was finally ended when Liphook gained revenge for a home defeat by 4-3 to beat Cowdray by the same margin.

Match manager Brian Carpenter and David Heard lost a close match with Johnny Talbot and Jeff Rawlins by 2&1. Carpenter almost kept his team in it but his putt on the 17th stopped one inch short of the hole to give victory to the visitors.

The following two matches were halved before Ken Marjoram and Barry Overington conjured up an excellent 4&2 win against Liphook’s strongest pair.

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Liphook reclaimed the lead with another narrow 2&1 win before the resilient Cowdray pair of David Tilley and Wally Mitchell won an extraordinary match by 3&2.

Wally Mitchell gave Cowdray the lead at the fifth hole and the home pair had an astonishing run of six consecutive winning holes to go seven up. Possibly thinking they had done the job, they seemed to relax and the Liphook pair won the next four holes to give the match some spice before Wally Mitchell parred the 16th to close the match out by 3&2.

This levelled the match score at 3-3 but the visitors took the honours 3&2 in the final match to end Cowdray’s fine home run.

Results: Brian Carpenter & David Heard lost to Johnny Talbot & Jeff Rawlins 2&1; Sam Howes & Colin Tebbutt halved with Jeremy Richards & Chris Thwaites; Roy Penrose & Allen Sibley halved with Tony Walker & Graham Howarth; Ken Marjoram & Barry Overington beat Martin MacPherson & Graeme Fairley 4&2; John Newman & Mike Cardiff lost to Wyn Davies & Richard Edmondson 2&1; David Tilley & Wally Mitchell beat Brian Marquand & John Read 3&2; Clive Brine & Peter Hallt lost to Bill Wadsworth & Geoff Smith 3&2.

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Cowdray ladies hosted an exchange day with Liphook. The weather was glorious and the course was in superb condition. The format was a Stableford drawn pairs.

Results: 1 Ann Tyrrell and Jill Parry 60pts; 2 Mary Sexton and Sandy Barnett 59; 3 Tessa Stockwell and Marnie Evans 58.

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