League title win is a winter warmer for Cowdray Park

After further heavy rain, some areas of Cowdray Park showed signs of saturation. But the course was perfectly playable for the final match at home to Farnham, who were also still in with a chance of winning the title.

Cowdray captain for the day Terry Jasper must have been perturbed when he saw the Farnham teamsheet, which contained the names of Dick Turpin and Jesse James, but he need not have worried as his team rose to the occasion with a stunning 4-0 victory.

The win was all the more creditable as the home side were conceding shots to seven of the Farnham players.

Jasper and playing partner Phil Harrison soon established an early lead which they never relinquished and duly ran out 4&2 winners. David Tilley and Peter Hallt were also in front early and recorded an excellent 4&3 victory.

The third game featured the two best-handicapped players, John Doran (Cowdray Park) and Mike Ward (Farnham), and it proved a real nail-biter with the result going to the wire with Doran and Mike Purdie hanging on for a 2&1 win.

The whitewash was completed with a solid performance from John Newman and Harvey Terry, who overcame their opponents by 3&2.

Cowdray had to sit and wait anxiously before news filtered through from Guildford that their match against Puttenham had ended in a 2-2 draw. That meant Cowdray won the title with 29 points ahead of Puttenham on 27.5.

Celebrations broke out at Cowdray Park at the successful culmination of a season, which had been blighted by bad weather, with Cowdray having four matches cancelled.

RESULTS (Cowdray names first): Terry Jasper & Phil Harrison beat John Cooper & Willie Douglas 4&2; David Tilley & Peter Hallt beat Peter Conway & Dick Turpin 4&3; John Doran & Mike Purdie beat Mike Ward & Paul Maxfield 2&1; John Newman & Harvey Terry beat Jesse James & Dave Lowrey 3&2.

Forty-two ladies teamed up with the seniors to play a greensomes Stableford. After a foggy start for the early players, a glorious day was enjoyed and some fantastic scores were achieved.

Results: 1 Margaret Curwood & Dave Gaff 45pts; 2 Marilyn Davis & Alan Godfree 43; 3 Sue Brown & Wally Mitchell 42.

Nearest the pin after two shots on the 12th hole were Pat Wallace and Allen Sibley; nearest the pin after two shots on the 15th hole Barbara Smith and Mick Nobes.

n Cowdray Park seniors kicked off their season in traditional fashion with a home match against Ham Manor, a team they had defeated 7-1 and 8-0 in the past two seasons.

This year, however, Ham Manor came with a strong team and put up an excellent show to be beaten only by 4½-3½ in the final match.

The match started with an unfortunate incident on the first fairway, when visiting captain John Barr collapsed unconscious.

Home captain Allen Sibley put him in the recovery position and arranged for a blanket to be brought until he came round.

Barr joked that it was the shock of such a good drive which caused him to faint. Eventually he was taken back to the clubhouse where Cowdray’s general manager, Phil Stevens, drove him home to Angmering.

The lead match became two-versus-one and despite his best efforts, Ham Manor’s eight-handicapper, Peter Yeates, gave best to Sibley and John Newman.

The match between Dave Lucking and Mike Hughes and Steve Tellyn and Gordon Smith was a real cliffhanger, with the result in doubt until the players returned to the clubhouse, where it was agreed the Cowdray pair won by one up.

Cowdray’s Peter Laws and Tony Castley came up against ten-handicap Alan Orr, who was at the top of his game. He covered the final 16 holes in only four over par and, backed by Bob Hutchings, overcame the home pair 2&1.

Cowdray halved and won the next two matches to take a 3½-1½ lead. The matches starting on the 17th resulted in two wins for the visitors to level matters, before Cowdray’s in-form Clive Strudwick and partner Barry Overington came in having defeated their opponents by 4&3 to give the home side an overall victory by 4½-3½.

Results (Cowdray names first): Allen Sibley & John Newman beat Peter Yeates & John Barr (retired) 6&5; Dave Lucking & Mike Hughes beat Steve Tellyn & Gordon Smith 1 up; Peter Laws & Tony Castley lost to Alan Orr & Bob Hutchings 2&1; Philip Singer & Roy Penrose halved with Phil Powell & John Strange; Keith Chapman & Clive Brine beat Mike Spooner & Bernard Jacobs 3&2; From 17th; Colin Tebbutt & Roger Poat lost to Bob Sadler & Gerry Casey 4&3; Bill Hummerston & Mike Holden lost to John Baker & Dave Souter 2 dn; Clive Strudwick & Barry Overington beat Steve Mountain & Mike Warnock 4&3.

The latest Cowdray Park senior to score a hole in one is Ian Goodall, who aced the long par-three 17th.

The pin was in the most difficult position it could be, and it wasn’t until after Goodall had searched for his ball around the green that he discovered it in the hole, much to the joy of his three playing partners, who then celebrated in the clubhouse with him.

BOGNOR

On the only pleasant day last week, 43 ladies took part in the Memorial Bowl Stableford. The format was teams of three with two scores to count.

The winners with 82 points were Sheila Sargeant, Lynn Miller and Wendy Johnson. Second were Penny Entecott, Marge Fenwick and Berit Smallcorn on 81; third with 78 were Edwina Beresford, Eileen Morris and Sally Cameron.

AVISFORD PARK

The midweek Stableford was won by Gerry Reid with 37 points.

The senior Stableford was won in division one by Tony Stansfield with 36 points and in division two by Roger Lewis with 40.