Golf: Chichester veterans take time to remember

The course was in fine condition, though the rough was difficult and caught out many, as shown by the decidedly-average scoring from many of the players. There were just six who managed their handicap or better and they were led home by a superb round from the newly-appointed vice-captain Nigel Wood, who recorded 39 points to win by two from Gordon Williams and Chris Penny.

Among entrants were 24 ex-service members who contested the team competition, which proved extremely close as the average team scores were calculated.

The Army scored an average 27.86 while the Royal Navy made 28 and the RAF flew in with an average 28.63 to win the competition once again.

Result: Winner Nigel Wood 39pts; 2 Gordon Williams 37; 3 Chris Penny 37; 4 Alan Bateman 36; 5 Ken Hart 36; 6 Bill Dunstone 36.

COWDRAY PARK

Cowdray Park seniors took a break from their end-of-season fun events to compete in the monthly Stableford, the scores of which would decide the winner of 2015 Eclectic.

A near full house turned out for what was the last Stableford of the year, as the December competition has been replaced by the Keith Chapman Memorial Trophy, named in memory of the seniors’ stalwart, who died recently.

Weather conditions were mixed, being dull, cool and breezy with intermittent showers, while the greens were slow, leading to many misjudged putts and frustration.

Some players coped with conditions better than others, with score scores in the high 30s soon becoming commonplace.

Winner of division one was elder statesman Peter Hallt with 39 points, continuing to roll back the years. Second on countback was big-hitting Mike Burgess, unaffected by the stiff breezes, followed by Roger Poat.

Two single-figure handicappers came next on 37 points, with John Doran shrugging off the disappointment of his defeat in the singles knockout final, and five-time winner Phil Harrison, who went into this competition leading the Eclectic field.

Division two provided the best score of the day, 40 points, from Graham Thompson, building on his fine round the previous week. Second place, with 39 points, went to veteran Irishman Pat Bonner, who also scooped the division two pot for twos.

Three players shared third place on 36 points, Mike Holden, Phill Morris and Peter Clarke, from, on 35 points, a new name on the leaderboard, Joe Berzak, and Tony Castley, with his best competitive score of the year.

In division one, twos were scored by Roger Poat, Paul Owen and Terry Jasper.

The raffle raised £164 for Dreams Come True.

The seniors finally bade farewell to member John Smith with celebratory drinks and snacks ahead of him making his way down under for his annual visit for six months.

* David Tilley beat John Doran in an exciting final of the Cowdray Park seniors’ singles knockout for the Lait Trophy.

The match went to the second extra hold before it was decided, with both players playing well in the strong wind, showing why they had won through to the final.

AVISFORD PARK

Dave McConnell thoroughly enjoyed his year as captain of Avisford Park seniors. Some 14 matches were played on a home and away basis against seven other clubs. Avisford ended up with eight wins, five losses and one draw.

Home matches: beat Rookwood 4-2, beat Hill Barn 5.5-0.5.; beat Waterhall 3-2; beat Chichester 3.5-2.5; beat Foxbridge 4-2; beat Southsea 5-1; beat Rustington 5-1. Away: Beat Foxbridge 3.5-2.5; Drew with Hill Barn; Lost 5-1 to Rookwood; lost 5-0 to Chichester; lost 6-0 to Rustington; lost 3-1 to Southsea; lost 4-0 to Waterhall.

The year got off to a great start with the seniors unbeaten after seven games, but gradually the tide turned and they won only one of the last five matches.

The turnout was generally good and good hospitality was enjoyed home and away.

McConnell was struck by the many compliments paid by visiting teams to the excellent condition of the course at Avisford. It is no coincidence he has been able to welcome a clutch of new members to the club this autumn and he hopes they will get involved in matches in 2016.

An Arundel golfer will have no excuse for missing the next tee-time after winning a limited-edition BOSS watch for achieving a hole-in-one.

Janet Piggott, 75, scored the ace on the 148-yard, par-three eighth at West Sussex GC, and the 23-handicapper was rewarded with membership of the exclusive BOSS Watches H1Club and a specially-commissioned, commemorative timepiece.

The luxury German brand has once again pledged to reward club golfers with an exclusive watch for every hole-in-one recorded during a club competition in 2015, after giving away more than £1.5m-worth of limited-edition timepieces since its launch in 2013 - and Piggott is among the latest to achieve the feat this year.

The scheme is open to any golfer whose club uses HowDidiDo - a free-to-use, web-based social network for golfers - and anybody playing in official club competitions is eligible. Currently, more than 1,800 clubs use the website.

In addition to the limited-edition watch, Piggott joins more than 10,000 members in the BOSS Watches H1Club which offers access to exclusive benefits and merchandise.

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