Golf: Chichester ladies enjoy busy end to year

In a nine-hole competition Val Edwards, Marilyn Forward and Lynn Plowman came top of the seven groups competing, winning by a four-point margin.

In a team Stableford bisque competition, the winning team were Kath Donohoe, Caroline Hawkes and Fiona Walsh with 100 points. In a well-contested ‘split the six’ competition, Heddie Straw led her team to victory over the teams of Jeannie Blackman and Caroline Hawkes, who came equal second.

Festive celebrations began with a Christmas breakfast followed by a teasing double-your-points, minus-your-putts which at times was very frustrating.

Kathy Donohoe, Val Swain and Rachel Greenland emerged as winners by three points over Mary-Lou Litton, Lisa Mitchelmore, Fiona Walsh and Pauline Beale.

A Christmas lunch was enjoyed with some hardy souls braving the weather to play a few holes beforehand. Captain Caroline Hawkes had arranged this event, which included a raffle with many magnificent prizes with some of the proceeds going towards her charity The Apuldram Centre.

A ‘Bah Humbug’ contest involved scoring points for getting into trouble, for example going in the water, but the aim was to score as few points as possible.

Christmas spirit prevailed and prizes were won by Kathy Donohoe as individual winner, Caroline Hawkes, Yvonne Dunckley, Jennifer Sherwood as team winners and nearest-the-pin winners Lisa Mitchelmore and Jennifer Sherwood.

The final two events of 2014 were Bingo Bango Bongo, where players were rewarded for being first on the green, nearest the pin and first to hole out.

Winners of a Saturday competition were Mary Lou Litton with 24 points and Caroline Hawkes with 27. In a Tuesday competition, winners were Val Edwards with 25, Margaret Boon with 22, Jeannie Blackman with 21, Sue Bond with 22 and Fiona Walsh on 26.

The winter section of the Four Seasons competition was hotly-contested. Top three were Lisa Mitchelmore on 33 points, Rachel Greenland on 32 and Caroline Hawkes on 32.

LITTLEHAMPTON

More than 100 members of Littlehampton Golf Club turned out for the annual capers competition.

Thie event is also referred to as the greenkeepers’ revenge as the staff place the holes in almost-impossible positions on the greens, making putting something of a lottery that even the best find difficult to master.

Many competitors dressed in outrageous clothes, such as club professional Stuart Fallow and his team of Wayne Hodder, Stuart Fallow, Darren Maynard and Will Illsley, who won the event for the second successive year and took the fancy-dress prize too.

Club captain Mike King thanked members for turning out for the competition and praised the greenstaff for the excellent condition of the course.

Despite the heavy rain of recent weeks, an improved drainage system introduced in the autumn has had an immediate effect and members can look forward to many more course enhancements in 2015.

BOGNOR

In a very busy last week before Christmas, three men’s turkey Stablefords were played. Ian Hendry won two of them and Mark Bingham the other. There would have been a sumptuous feast in the Hendry household with winners and runner ups receiving butcher’s vouchers.

On Christmas Eve, 88 men, ladies and juniors turned out in the traditional ten-hole cross-country team Texas scramble medal competition. All competitors enjoyed a full English breakfast before attempting to play the course.

The most challenging hole this year was the 585-yard par five hole, which started on the 12th tee, before meandering down the 12th, 11th, over to the ninth with the green being the tenth.

This year’s captain Ron Stevens’ team led the way all dressed as Father Christmas. He was joined by 2014 vice-captain Simon Watts, 2015 vice-captain Steve Reddick and John Cable.

Winners with a magnificent score of 28.1 were the Dreamteam – Andy Wiggins, Paul Elliott, Dougie Lowman and Brian Bowditch. Second with 28.7 were Mike Oates, John Lampard, Cliff Willis and Jerry Rixon, and third with 29 were Ian Paine, Robbie Bright, Ian Bright and Andy Isitt.

COWDRAY PARK

Cowdray Park held their annual prizegiving and pride of place went to Dave Lucking, who won the club championship with two sub-par rounds and won the Veterans’ Cup for over 55s, the first person ever to achieve this feat.

This achievement was acknowledged by the committee with a presentation. Earlier in the year, he had won the Bowyer Cup.

All prizes were presented by club captain Sean Gallagher.

Roll of honour: Baker Trophy: 1 Bill Birnie, 2 Jonathan Mack. Family Foursomes: 1 Shaun & Lee Pay, 2 Todd & Shaun White. Ted Norman: 1 Todd White; 2 Dave Lucking. Am-Am: Martin Milward, Colin West, Adam Exall, Simon Randell. Bowyer Cup: 1 Dave Lucking, 2 Gary Scott. Cowdray Antlers: 1 Russell Stagg & Pam Leach. 2 Richard Chapman & Sue Brown. Veterans’ Cup: 1 Dave Lucking. 2 John Newman. Purcell Cup: 1 Archie & Trevor Challen, 2 Howard Kasey & Richard Smith. Californian (Scratch): 1 Tony Humberstone; 2 Howard Kasey. Californian (Handicap): 1 Adam Exall, 2 Nick Sampson. Midhurst Cup: 1 Tony Humberstone, 2 Martin Milward. Holmes Cup: 1 Trevor Challen, 2 Todd White. Hestor Edwards Cup: 1 Mick Taylor, 2 Martin Milward. Gooseberry: 1 Chris Strudwick, Shaun Pay & Fran Bune. Winter Foursomes: 1 Chris Dormer & Mick Fillary, 2 Ron Barber & Mick Colban. Owen Cup: 1 Steve & Martin West, 2 Todd White & Harvey Terry. Stent Cup: 1 Justin Chuter, 2 Mick Taylor. Charles Edward Cup: 1 Mick Taylor, 2 Justin Chuter. Tommy Thompson Cup: 1 Adrian Poole, 2 Dave Coombes. Jack White: 1 Matt Harrison, 2 Steve White. Todd Bowl: 1 Mark Howes, 2 Todd White. Scrase Cup: 1 Peter Harding & Tessa Stockwell, 2 Colin West & Sally Williams. Married Couples: 1 Cliff & Marilyn Davis, 2 Phil & Lil Cummins. J & J Cup: 1 Lee Pay & Todd White, 2 Phil Cummins & Lee Dormer. Kennington Cup: 1 Howard Kasey, 2 Dave Hirons. Podmore Trophy: Adam Exall, Archie Challen, Guy Goodens, Dave Fowler. Tupper Trophy: 1 Andy Salmon, 2 Tony Humberstone. 19th Hole Cup: 1 Shaun White & Phil Harrison, 2 Andrew McFarlane & Steve Lucking. President’s Putter (Club Championship): 1 Dave Lucking, 2 Shaun White.

* Christmas came early for Cowdray Park senior Roger Poat when, on his way to a 2&1 victory over Phil Harrison in the winter singles, he scored a hole in one on the par-three 11th hole.