Golfers sharing out the silver at Selsey

The Godding Bowl and Tom Keep Cup both see players picking their own partners.

The Godding Bowl was won by Rita and David Green and the runners-up were Brian Chamberland and Beverley Guest. The Tom Keep was won by Sue Bligh and Craig Newman; runners-up were Teddy and Peter Senft.

The third mixed competition was between the veterans and the ladies for the Silver Gauntlet. The lady Ccaptain has to swipe the silver gauntlet round the veterans’ captain’s face (only gently!) then throw the gauntlet down to start the challenge.

This year it was won by the veterans.

The lady captain congratulated the vets but vowed the ladies would do better next year.

Selsey veterans had their presentation day, starting with a 14-hole competition. There were 40 members on the course which was in very good condition and the greens ran quite fast.

Afterwards the presentations took place in the clubhouse and many members received their bottles of spirit or wine for earlier competitions.

The Arthur Powis Cup was presented by Eddie Williamson, daughter of Arthur, and veterans’ captain Peter Senft to winner John Mustoe.

The Eddie McGhee Trophy was presented by Eddie’s widow Sylvia to ohn Williamson.

Flowers were presented to the ladies by the vets’ captain while the monthly medal glass was presented by the vets’ captain Peter Senft to winner Terry Chapman.

COWDRAY PARK

Cowdray seniors’ August Stableford marked the return to competitive action of captain Derek Smith following a serious spinal operation.

Conditions proved testing, with a strong wind not helpful and the greens proving as difficult as ever. There were many good players recording disappointing scores.

Best score of the day came in division one from Bill Birnie, who returned an outstanding score of 41 points. Long-time leader John Hall finished second with 39, from Dave Balfour on 38.

In division two Dave Darby kept up his recent good form to win with 39 points, having gone out in the second group, alongside John Renwick, who finished third on countback with 38, pipped for second place by Alistair Proctor.

Five players recorded twos in division one, including Howard Morley, who scored two, on the 11th and 17th.

Five recorded twos in division two, including Arthur Mayson, who, only a week before, had scored a hole-in-one on the ninth hole, the same hole he scored his two.

Leading scores: Div 1 - 41 Bill Birnie; 39 John Hall; 38 Dave Balfour; 37 Pat Harrison; 36 Chris Hutchings. Div 2 - 39 Dave Darby; 38 Alistair Proctor, John Renwick; 37 David Tulip, Barry Overington; 36 Bernie May. Twos - D1 Terry Adsett (11), Peter Hallt (3),Howard Morley (11&17), Mike Briant (11). D2 - Rob Doney (11), Arthur Mayson (9), Rob Knight (17), Dave Darby (9), John Renwick (9).

Cowdray seniors travelled to Worthing to face one of the strongest teams in Sussex, who had lost 5-3 at Cowdray earlier in the season.

The five matches teeing off at the first, bar one which was halved, went to the hosts. The remaining three matches teeing off at the 17th were won by the visitors.

After Worthing had taken a 4-0 lead, Trevor Edwards and David Wickham arrested the flow with a half – before the pairs teeing off at the 17th turned things round.

Good friends Brian Brockhurst and Dave Darby edged home by one up, Chris Hutchings and Mark Kelly had a comfortable win by 3&2, before Mike Briant and Mike Cardiff closed out with a one-up win, to make the final score 4½-3½ to Worthing.

Cowdray can console themselves with the fact that, over the two legs, they came out on top by 8½-7½.

Results (Cowdray names first): Sam Howes & Peter Hallt lost to Ian McDonald & Bob Dargan 3&2; Ian Heustice & Barry Overington lost to Ron Turner & Alec Price 4&2; Colin West & George Crouch lost to Mike Hall & Gordon Harrison 5&3; Chris Hoare & Colin Tebbutt lost to Brian Quaife & John Wood 3&1; Trevor Edwards & David Wickham halved with Ricky Cannons & Neil Bowen; Brian Brockhurst & Dave Darby beat Mike Hyatt & Mike Smith 1 up; Mark Kelly & Chris Hutchings beat Ron Simcock & Mike Machin 3&2; Mike Briant & Mike Cardiff beat Phil Gobeil & Maurice Huggett 1 up.

Bramley have proved a thorn in the side of Cowdray Park teams over the years, but this year Cowdray had a fine 6½-1½ home win before losing this return 4½-3½.

The first match, featuring both team captains, ended in an honourable half. The teams were level after 12 holes, but the hosts won the next three holes. Cowdray’s pair of Roger Poat and Rodney Fisher dug in and fought back winning the 16th courtesy of a 60ft putt from Poat.

A par was sufficient to win the 17th, before the comeback was completed on the 18th by Fisher, using his long-handled putter to good effect from off the green to secure the half.

A narrow defeat followed before Chris Hutchings and Rob Doney overcame former Surrey vets’ captain Mike Whitaker and Bruce Holton 2&1.

Mike Holden and Jon Fife gave Cowdray the lead with a 4&3 win before Bramley levelled by the same margin. Mike Cardiff and Philip Singer edged home by one up before the hosts levelled the scores again. Bramley took the final match to clinch the match.

Results: Roger Poat & Rodney Fisher halved; David Wickham & Dave Fowler lost 2&1; Chris Hutchings & Rob Doney won 2&1; Mike Holden & Jon Fife won 4&3; Wally Mitchell lost 4&3; Mike Cardiff & Philip Singer won 1 up; Terry Adsett & Colin West lost 1 down; Richard Burden & Clive Brine lost 4&2.

Teeing off in a regular roll-up, Cowdray seniors 28-handicapper Arthur Mayson scored a hole-in-one on the ninth, his first-ever ace.

His joy was tempered as he did not see the ball enter the hole. When he arrived at the green he thought his ball had run off the back.

Not content with that, he scored a two on the same hole a week later in the monthly Stableford.

Cowdray seniors held their annual invitation, whereby a member invites a guest for the day.

Thanks to the efforts of organiser Pat Harrison, a full field off 40 pairs gathered. It was a superb day weather-wise, with temperatures in the mid-20s and the course in impeccable condition, although a number of players still found the greens difficult.

The players were sent on their way by David Wickham and Mike Hughes, with the format a better-ball Stableford.

Winners on countback with a superb score of 43 points were Cowdray’s top senior Dave Hirons and his guest Bill Houlton from Bognor, beating Cowdray’s Alan Godfree and Mike Vansittart (Worthing).

Four pairs were tied on 42 points, with third place going to Paul Owen and Jeff Harper (Ferndown), fourth Bill Hummerston and Steve Lewis (Goodwood) and fifth Dave Balfour and A Matthews (Burhill). Chris Hoare and Jim Jewell (Slinfold) just missed out on a prize.

Nearest the pin on the ninth was local member Tony Sapsworth, on the 17th it was John Buchanan (Littlehampton) and the 16th in two, Cowdray’s John Hall.

After a buffet, seniors’ captain Derek Smith thanked organiser Pat Harrison for his hard work in making the event such a success, Pat’s wife Sheila who ran the raffle and Tessa Stockwell, Solveig Burton and Margaret Curwood from the ladies’ section, who acted as receptionists and assimilated the scorecards.

The raffle raised £375 for Chestnut Tree children’s hospice.

Twelve Cowdray ladies bravely set off in hot sunshine to play 36 holes, battling for the title of 2016 club champion.

This year the field included Lille-Beau Thorpe, a 11-year-old junior member. After the first 18 holes, she came in as joint leader with Wendy Street, both with gross 83 (nett 71) and three shots ahead of nearest rival Sue Brown, who shot a very respectable 86.

After a light lunch and a little shade, the second 18 saw Lille-Beau consolidate her lead with a gross 85 (73) while Wendy dropped back to a gross 91 (79).

Jill Parry took second place with a gross 90 with Wendy and Solveig Burton both shooting gross 91. Tea and presentations followed and Lille-Beau took the Munro Trophy with Wendy taking the runners-up salver. Sue won the Curwood Salver for nett rounds of 74 and 81. Lille-Beau is thought to be Cowdray’s youngest-ever female club champion.

Stableford results: Div 1 winner Gaynor Dudman 30pts; Div 2 winner Jo Fife 36; Div 3 winner Pat White 31.

BOGNOR

More than 90 men played in the Crouch Cup. Club captain Chris Hickling won with an amazing 44 points, earning a two-shot handicap reduction.

Mick Garrigan was second with an excellent 40 points, normally enough to win. In third was Rob Kissell with 39.

Bognor’s Kindred Cup team won 3-2 at home to Stoneham Golf Club. They rogress to the finals at Lee-on-the-Solent GC in Hampshire for the second year running.

Bognor seniors made the short trip to neighbours Chichester GC. On a glorious day for golf, Chichester ran out 5½-2½ winners.

The opening match involving the two senior captains, Jim Robertson of Chichester and Jim Catt of Bognor, with their respective partners, was even until the last three holes when the Bognor pair managed two birdies and a par to edge a 2&1 win. Bognor won and halved the next two pairs but Chichester took the remaining five pairs to claim the match.

Results: (Bognor names first) Jim Catt & Mike Oates beat Jim Robertson & Nick Hobbs 2 and 1, Alan Fitzgerald & Tony Wells halved with Richard Holden, Alan Delves & John Chapman beat Mike Hunter & Gordon Williams 2 and 1, Peter Bell & Ray Leggett lost 3 and 1 to George Bell & Campbell Goldsmith, Clive Millett & Chris Hickling lost 7 and 6 to Bruce Santer & Nigel Wood, Bryan Madgwick & David Tirner lost 7 and 6 to Chris Penny & Micky Mould, Mike Matthews & Ken Catt lost 2 and 1 to Norman Moore & Peter Green, Steve King & Hugh Diaper lost 2 and 1 to Phil Mitchell & Bill Dunstone

Bognor seniors played two homes games in quick succession. The first was halved 3½-3½ with Selsey before Bognor beat Ifield 4-3.

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking sports news where you live.

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be among the first to know what’s going on.

1 Make this website your homepage

2 Like our Facebook page at facebook.com/pages/Sport-Sussex

3 Follow us on Twitter @SportSussex

4 Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

Share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!