Wreb takes flight to lift Chichester golfing trophy

Chichester veterans were pleased to play their Stableford for the John Venables Memorial Cup on a lovely day. The course played longer after recent rain and scoring was good.

A close contest ensued and once again a fighting finish proved crucial to the result. Standing on the 16th tee, Dave Wren was a couple of points behind but he proceeded to birdie that hole and par the 17th for a crucial seven points which took him to 39 – one ahead of his nearest rival.

Result: Winner Dave Wren 39pts; 2 Wyndham Halswell 38; 3 Don Hagell 37; 4 Norman Moore 37; 5 Graham Probert 36; 6 Tony Denton 36.

The veterans completed their schedule of inter-club fixtures with their final match of the season away to Goodwood.

This was a new fixture where the aggregate of scores from the home and away matches determines the winner of the Jim Robertson Cup.

Leading 4½-1½ from the home leg, Chichester required two points to win the trophy. It was a tough struggle on the Downs course and while some were losing heavily, two pairs enabled Chi to achieve the win.

Bruce Santer and Peter Green played brilliantly to win by 4&3 while Ken Jackson and Dieter Matthey held their nerve to win 2&1. In the last match, Ken Jackson scored a hole in one which helped achieve a great victory for the team.

Results: B Shrives-Wrist & P Compton lost to V D’Costa & I Senior; J Robertson & C Goldsmid lost to M Walsh & A Hughes; B Santer & P Green beat R Hoare & J Drury; N Moore & G Williams lost to P Hayden-Jones & R Hoad; K Jackson & D Matthey beat K Johnson & T Evan-Fisher; J Styles & C Penny lost to T Till & J Dixon.

Two previous home matches were won – against Cams Hall it finished 4-2 and versus East Horton it was 5-1 – which gave an overall season record of 31 matches played, 21 won, two halved and just eight lost.

COWDRAY PARK

Members at Cowdray Park were deeply saddened by the recent death of Keith Chapman, one of the club’s most popular members over the past 25 years. His popularity was no better exemplified than by the huge turnout at St Mary’s Church, Easebourne, for a thanksgiving service for Keith’s life and afterwards at the reception in his beloved golf club.

Keith had been a keen sportsman throughout his life and had a successful business career, but it wasn’t until his retirement in 1990 that he decided to take up golf. He tackled the rudiments of golf with his usual determination, learning the basics at Foxbridge GC before deciding he need a bigger challenge and joining Cowdray Park. It was probably no coincidence that Keith had bought a house within one mile of the club.

On the course, Keith displayed all the talents which had characterised his success in business – the setting of high targets and his determination to achieve them; his ability to mix with other people and bring out the best in them – all of this, combined with a dry sense of humour, quickly ensured his popularity at Cowdray.

The seniors’ section soon recognised Keith’s talents and he was a natural choice for captain of the seniors, a role he filled with his usual consummate skill. He also served for many years as the seniors’ fixture secretary, another job he tackled and one in which he displayed his excellent organisational ability and, in addition, he still found time to act as match manager for Cowdray’s fixture against West Surrey.

When Keith was diagnosed with terminal cancer, this was yet another challenge to be faced not feared. Despite the increasing toll it was taking on him, he still appeared regularly at the club and only a few weeks before he died, he was out on the course playing nine holes with three friends, still wielding his trusty putter.

It was a beautiful summer’s afternoon and, on the conclusion of the golf, the four friends sat on the patio outside the clubhouse, enjoying the panoramic views across the polo grounds; the South Downs providing a wonderful back-drop in the distance and the whole scene enhanced by a couple of large jugs of Pimms.

The occasion and the location provided a lasting and appropriate memory of a good golfer, a fine friend and a true gentleman. He will be much missed.

Cowdray Park’s monthly medal took place on a fine day with the course in excellent condition but very testing from the white tees.

The winner of division one, on countback, was John Doran, with a nett score of 67. This capped a fine week for him as he reached the seniors’ singles knockout by finally disposing of George Crouch on the 18th hole.

In second spot was Trevor Challen, who suffered a further handicap reduction to four, while third place went to Martin West with 68, while three players shared fourth place, with 69 – Shaun White, Guy Goodens and Mark Howes.

Division two went to Ben Standage with 67, from new member Simon Small on 69 (lowest gross in the division) and a handicap reduction to ten.

Third on countback with 71 was Richard Whitcomb from Ken Marjoram, putting in yet another high finish. They were followed by Mick Colban (72), Adrian Poole and Adam Exall (73).

Division three featured the days lowest score, nett 65, from Andrew Pay who, by virtue of a series of excellent scores, has had his handicap reduced by an additional two shots to 16.

Six shots behind in second place was Andrew Douglas followed, on 72, by Martin Lester, Denis Stillwell and Rob Knight.

Leading scores: Div 1 - 67 John Doran, Trevor Challen; 68 Martin West; 69 Shaun White, Guy Goodens, Mark Howes; 70 Chris Cummins, Kevin Raishbrook, Peter Harding, Andy Salmon and that man Dave Hirons. Div 2 - 67 Ben Standage, 69 Simon Small, 71 Richard Whitcomb, Ken Marjoram; 72 Mick Colban; 73 Adrian Poole, Adam Exall. Div 3 - 65 Andrew Pay; 71 Andrew Douglas; 72 Martin Lester, Denis Stillwell, Rob Knight; 73 Alan Richardson, David Rennison.

Cowdray ladies enjoyed their two-day autumn meeting blessed with glorious sunny weather. The event was well-organised by Barbara Smith and Margaret Curwood.

Day one was an individual Stableford, played in twos with a two-tee start.

Results: Div 1 - Wendy Street 35pts; Jane Holden 32; Gaynor Dudman 32. Div 2 - Cath Yates 29; Pat Wallace 28; Joyce Fanshawe 26. Div 3 - Catherine Staples 30; Frances Marjoram 26; Sandra Barber 26. Best front nine - Div 1 - Sue Brown 15pts; Div 2 - Sally Williams 15; Div 3 - Judith Brownlee 13. Best back nine - Div 1 - Marilyn Davis 17; Div 2 - Barbara Smith 15; Div 3 - Ann West 14.

Day-two format was a triple six competition.

Winners off first tee: Catherine Staples & Gaynor Dudman; winners off tenth tee: Sue Brown and Janice Leath; Nearest the pins: 9th hole, Jane Holden; 11th, Sue Brown.

BOGNOR

The Hollymead Cup, sponsored by the Hollymead House residential home, attracted the top 40 players from this year’s major competitions, were invited to play.

Each position in the club’s majors carries points and the points are reset before the final event, which allows the majority of the field to be still with a chance of winning the cup.

Peter Stoneham won the final event with an excellent nett 65, good enough to move him into second place overall. Martin Leo took second place with a nett 68, which meant he held on to first place and won the Hollymead Cup.

In a separate Stableford held on the same day as the Holymead, Adam Badman won with 37 points, Norman Lee and Simon Ostrom were in second place with 36.

The autumn seniors’ supper competition attracted an excellent 80 players, it is a four-ball better-ball Stableford, with pairs being drawn after dinner, the night before the competition.

The day itself was chilly but dry and the course was in great condition and there were many scores over 40 points, which was terrific.

Winners were Dave Hicks and Mike Wadley with an excellent 45 points, second on countback were Bill Houlton and Trevor Till and third Simon Ostrom and Jim Catt with 43.

Club captain Simon Watts presented the prizes, which went down to sixth place to reflect the turnout. He thanked Bill Chick and Ron Alcock who have run the competition for more than 20 years.

The four-team challenge, when 12 members of the ladies, juniors, seniors and men’s sections go head-to-head for the bragging rights, was played last weekend. The men’s tactic this year was to wear bright colours to dazzle the opposition and once the juniors had stopped laughing, battle commenced.

Men’s captain Simon Watts just edged the opening skirmish from junior captain James Woosley, and with club treasurer Martin Seagrove and Peter Stoneham also picking up maximum points, the men’s team were off and running.

Defending champions, the seniors, finally got into their stride as Mike Oates grabbed a maximum, but the juniors were steadily accumulating points with three second places in the first four groups. Lin Harbutt posted four points for the ladies and by halfway, there was only two points between any of the teams.

Superb efforts by Katie Field, Megan Tinson and Harry Malin saw the juniors edge ahead but then the men’s tail wagged and despite Frank Hodder’s big four points for the seniors, Sara Stoneham’s maximum for the ladies and a gallant finish by Thomas Hendrick for the juniors, Andy Fields ‘four-pointer’, disloyal lady captain’s husband Mark Watson and Derek Dady achieved top billing for the men’s team. Watts was delighted to receive the trophy from Allan Delves following many years in the seniors’ possession.

Bognor seniors held the Fletcher final, the culmination of four rounds played over the summer months with points awarded in each round for the top 20 places. The top 36 players after the four rounds are invited to play in the final.

Winner this year with a truly magnificent 45 points was Malcolm Dodds, who went round the back nine in one over gross. Second and third with good scores of 40s were Bryan Madgwick and Ray Proctor.

Bognor seniors played in two matches. The first, at home against Sandown & Shanklin on a wet and windy day, was won by Bognor by an impressive 7-1 margin. There was an excellent 8&7 win by Roger Selway & Peter Collins.

The second game was at Hayling, and on a marvellous sunny and windless day Hayling ran out 5-3 winners. Once again Roger Selway turned in another excellent performance and with his partner Richard Kaemena won their match 5&4.

Results (v Sandown & Shanklin): Gary Steventon & Bryan Madgwick halved, David Turner & Dave Chalmers won 2&1, Alan Delves & Frank Hodder won 7&5, Chris Hickling & Clive Millett won 7&6, Paul Cooper & Hugh Diaper won 4&3, Steve King & Brian Wolstencroft halved, Derek Whiting & Steve Flack won 2&1, Roger Selway & Peter Collins won 8&7.

v Hayling: Allan Delves & Frank Hodder halved, Paul Black & David Turner lost 6&4, Peter Bell & Richard Perry lost 5&3, Dave Chalmers & Russel Braham won 3&2, Roger Selway & Richard Kaemena won 5&4, Peter Lott & Clive Millett lost 5&4, Gary Steventon & Alan Fitzgerald lost 5&4, Andy Isitt & Chris Hickling halved.

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