Prizes galore at Cowdray Park - hole in one for Chichester golfer

Some 66 seniors attended the lunch in the dining room of the club. The traditional Christmas lunch was delicious and the friendly staff excelled themselves.

Seniors’ captain Alistair Proctor, in one of his final acts as 2018 captain, handed out the champagne prizes and trophies to the winners and bottles of wine to the runners-up.

The roll of honour is below but the most prestigious prize is for the winner of the seniors’ championship which is a medal for qualifiers who have won during the year.

The winner this year was Brian Symonds, who accepted the award and gave a heartfelt thanks to all the hard work of the seniors’ committee, especially Alistair and the golf club staff who have looked after the members, the course and clubhouse so well during the year.

Seniors winners: Barham Salver, Foursomes match play, Alan Gormley and Colin Tebbutt; Podmore Salver, Greensomes match play, Brian Symonds and Mark Upton; Lait Trophy, Singles match play, Alan Gormley; Sandell Trophy, Singles match play, Allen Sibley; Rolland Plate, Medal, Brian Brockhurst; Yellowlees Trophy, Medal, Brian Symonds; Heard Trophy, Medal, Phil Harrison; Elliot Cup, 3 Club Stableford, Dave Hirons; Triple Six Trophy, Betterball, Chris Hutchings, John Smith; Captains Prize Trophy, Best 3 out of 4 stablefords, Philip Singer; Carter Trophy, best Stableford performance throughout the year, Alan Gormley; Ken Young Trophy, Eclectic, Chris Hutchings; Champions Trophy, medal and overall winner, Brian Symonds.

* New captain Mark Kelly and his vice captain Terry Adsett were appointed unanimously at the Cowdray Park Golf Club seniors’ section annual meeting.

Nearly 50 seniors attended the event, which was followed by a nine-hole competition with mulled wine and mince pies afterwards.

Outgoing captain Alistair Proctor was congratulated on a very successful and enjoyable year. He presented a cheque for £5,650 to Canine Partners.

Kelly’s chosen charity is the Sussex Snowdrop Trust which provides nursing care at home for children with life-threatening or terminal illnesses.

Di Levantine from Snowdrop gave a brief introduction to the work of the trust. The captain’s objectives are to continue the ethos of the seniors to provide good golf and friendship and support the charity.

Tim Allen, Cowdray Park’s director of golf, gave an update on the recent and planned projects involving the clubhouse and course.

This is an exciting year for golf with changes to the rules which will increase speed of play and the enjoyment of the game.

The recent refurbishment of the clubhouse and course improvements – namely a new 13th tee and water and electricity connections to the halfway hut – will be followed in 2019 by bunker improvements on several holes, the construction of a new hi-tech swing studio (opening in January) and irrigation upgrades.

Golfers reflect on busy year and welcome new captainsThis is all against the backdrop of increased membership numbers and an ever-improving course, clubhouse and team.

Following the meeting there was a nine-hole team Stableford competition, with the best two out of three scores counting.

Winners with 41 points were Clive Strudwick, Andy Douglas and John Newman. Runners-up with 40 were newly-elected trio Justin Chuter (now secretary), vice-captain Terry Adsett and captain Mark Kelly.

Veterans celebrate ... frosty start for golfersCHICHESTER

Sang Porter scored a hole in one on the 13th on the Cathedral course during a four-ball better-ball team game.

Plenty of ladies enjoyed a lunch in the Cathedral Suite and several managed to play a round before it. It was lovely to see some members returning to enjoy the day.

Results - Accumulator Div 1 - 1 Caroline Hawkes 898; 2 Heddie Straw 876; 3 Bev Seymour 864. Div 2 - Wendy Jeffery 4614; 2 Treyn Haynes 1956; 3 Hannah Stephens 1298. Nearest the pin - 1st hole, Nicky Eastland; 8th in two, Bev Seymour; 18th in two, Judith Whittaker.

Two out of four - 1 Mary-Lou Litton, Caroline Hawkes, Viv May- Hearn , +SP 90; 2 Jane Buckley, Lisa Mitchelmore, Helen Ball and Hannah Stephens 80; 3 Kathy Donohoe, Val Swain, Fiona Walsh and A Matthews 79. Betterball - Pam Muller, Fiona Walsh and Lisa Mitchelmore 71; Mary-Lou Litton, Jennifer Sherwood and Vena Lee 69; Caroline Hawkes, Viv May-Hearn and Kathy Donohoe 69. 4BBB - Pauline Beale and Heddie Straw 37; Caroline Hawkes and Jackie Heard 35; Nicky Eastland and Viv May-Hearn 34. 4BBB - Maria Conner and Val Swain 42; Helen Ball and Heddie Straw 41; Lisa Mitchelmore and Caroline Hawkes 39.