Chichester Golf Club's scratch team are in the quarter-finals of the Sussex County Inter-Club Matchplay Championship for the P@V IT Trophy for the first time.

They ventured across Sussex to play the third round of the prestigious
tournament against Dale Hill GC.

The team was missing a key player – Stuart Barber – so Shaun Clarke stepped in at the last minute.

After the morning foursomes, Chichester lead 3-1 with some good wins from Mark Priestley and Clarke.

Dave Turner and Aaron Squires also produced an exciting win which went to the 18th hole.

In the afternoon singles, Dale Hill won the first game and were looking like they were going to close the gap, but Stuart Probee turned his match around to win 2&1 over their No1 player Billy Goodwin.

Clarke halved his match but was unfortunate not to win and Harry Boyd produced another fine win leaving only half a point to seal the win.

Team captain Ben Marley holed out a short putt on the 16th to win his match 3&2 and secure victory for Chichester with the overall score of 7-5.

Now in the last eight, the team now face last year's finalists - Lewes Golf Club - on July 18.

The last eight is the farthest the club have ever gone in this competition and is a fantastic achievement.

Teams of the best golfers from 50 clubs across the county started the
competition so the club are very proud of their 2009 team.

* Chichester's fifth annual open veterans' golf competition took place with an impressive 90 players taking part, representing 18 golf clubs from Hampshire, Surrey and Sussex.

This year saw players from Lewes GC and Hove GC taking part for the first time.

The winning team did not have so far to come as they were from Goodwood Golf Club.

The individual winner was Barrie Stilwell from Old Thorns Golf Club.
Chichester veterans triumphed over the men's section in the annual Rife Cup.

The victory was no mean feat as several up-and-coming young golfers were fielded by the men.

All matches were very tight and many of the veterans' victories were achieved on the last green. The final score was 6½-3½ so the veterans retain the cup for another year.

Results (veterans' names first): Andrew Grant & Rob Baldwin beat Dave Monkton & Derek Clacey 2 up; Don Pattison & Nick Hobbs lost to Keith Hopper & Russ Hallet 1 up; Ken Jackson & Dave Imlach lost to Alan Jackson & Dave Hungate 2&1; Brian Burn & Barry Holden lost to Steve Tennent & Steve Dover 3&1; Eamon O'Keeffe & Mike Snuggs halved with
Julian Lindsell & Iden Adams; Brian Hensman & Campbell Goldsmid beat Brian Mitchelmore & Doug Tyrrell 2&1; Norman Moore & Barry Miles beat Tom Richie & Alan Taphouse 2&1; Dave Gilder & Maurice hall beat Tony Brock & Roger Beadman 2 up; Ken Hart & Roy Chandler beat Nigel Wells & Mark Grabowski 2 up; David Blythe & Colin Lindsell
beat Paul Davies & Fernand Morillas.

Chichester's mixed veterans and ladies' team drew at home to East Horton.

Results (Chichester names first): Jeannie Blackman & Keith West lost to Mavis Eldridge & Doug Chancellor 1 down; Marion Swayne & Peter Johnston lost to Stella Chandler & Mike Congdon 2&1; Valerie Hall & Ken Hart beat Diane Fall & Roger Tribble 7&5; Lesly Hance & Eamon O'Keeffe beat Lynne Hayward & Maurice Fall 3&2; Mo Davidson & Brian Henwood lost to Doreen Young & Tony Gale 2&1; Vron Bicknell & Ken Jackson beat Nicky Knight & Ed Machin 5&3.

BOGNOR

As a prelude to the annual festival week of golf at Bognor, the ladies' section organised a highly-successful over-55s mixed charity open, a four-ball better-ball stableford ¾-handicap competition.

Fifty-six ladies and men from 17 clubs in Sussex, Kent and Hampshire took part and enjoyed a great day of golf in perfect weather.

Winners were Mr and Mrs Thomsett from Rowlands Castle, who came in with 41 points. Second were the Herns from Cams Hall, Fareham with 40 on countback from the Bradburys of Haywards Heath.

There were 72 entrants for the annual Gilligan mixed open 36-hole stableford competition, when there were couples from 11 other clubs as far afield as Winchester, Chertsey and Mannings Heath.

The top three partnerships were all Bognor members. Mark Watson and Susan Doughty were the winners with 73 points, ahead of Simon and Jan Ostrom on 71, and Ron Stevens and Barbara Trenchard (70).

Two other club members, Gordon Catt and Sian Southeron, won the Scratch prize. The visitors' prize went to John and Catherine Sidhom, from Lingfield GC, on 64 points.

SELSEY

Selsey GC have their youngest-ever club champion.

They held their championships with a changed format. Instead of being held over 36 holes in one day, it was split into two rounds: 18 holes on Saturday and 18 on Sunday.

It formed two competitions in one – the championship off scratch and the rackstraw with handicap.

A total of 33 players started after the qualifying round last week and there was a lot of tension in the air.

After the first round, the overnight leader for the championship was
odds-on favourite Harry Pyett with a first-round score of 72, with Jason Arnould and Steve Growns on 74 and junior player Tom Aspital on 75.

Day two started with less tension in the air as the competition seemed cut and dry with second and third place up for grabs.

The clubhouse had filled up with friends and family who had come to watch the finale.

After the third-from-last group handed in their cards, it was all down to the last two groups.

But in the next group, Tom Aspital came in with a superb 70, which could not be beaten – so at the tender age of 16, he has become the youngest club champion at Selsey.

He also got the lowest nett score and won the Rackstraw Cup as well.
Third place in the championship went to Steve Growns and runner-up was Jason Arnould, also runner-up in the Rackstraw Cup.

Tom is current junior champion at Selsey and will soon defend that title. He has just finished his GCSEs and has been accepted into Sussex College of Golf at Lindfield Golf Club, which he will be starting in September.

At the end of the two-year course he hopes to turn pro, but in the meantime he is remaining a member at Selsey and will be back next year to defend his title.

GOODWOOD

Goodwood's two-for-one green fee offer throughout May to mark the 20th anniversary of the Park course has proved so popular it is being extended throughout July and August to meet demand.

Designed by world-renowned architect Donald Steel, the 6,650 yard course is surrounded by 18th-century cedars with highly manicured greens and tees and is proving to be a popular choice for golfers since relaunching earlier this year.

If you pre-book an 18-hole green fee for £25, you will receive a
complimentary green fee for a friend or colleague.

The offer is available seven days a week and is valid after 1pm every day until August 31 this year.

Call 01243 755168 or go to www.goodwood.com/golf for more.