Golf: Millett’s magic wins trophy at Bognor

The Bognor GC seniors’ Autumn Cup took place with a combined singles and team format. A total of 64 seniors took part on a very cold morning and there was some excellent scores in both the team and singles.
Clive Millett receives the prize at BognorClive Millett receives the prize at Bognor
Clive Millett receives the prize at Bognor

The overall winner was Clive Millett with an excellent 41 points – his first competition win in his 40 years at the club. Second was Mike Watts with 40 points and third Phil Lee with 39.

The team event was won by Mike Watts, Phil Lee, Ray Pepperell and Rob Walker with a total of 142 points, ahead of Bob Young, Steve King, Nigel Wainright and Peter McCormack with 134.

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Mike Watts is in a rich vein of form – he won the Captain’s Prize a month ago as well as the team prize that day. Seniors’ captain Allan Delves presented all the prizes.

The 2015 Winners and Runners-Up Trophy saw the cream rise to the top in the form of Andy Brown.

He won the trophy with a gross 67, nett 65, which gives him a handicap of one.

Second was was Paul Oliver with 73, nett 67 and third Peter Stoneham with 76 (68).

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The Daily Mail Foursomes took place on a damp and cold morning but the scores were very good.

In first place were Bill Cronin and Richard Barnett with a gross 81, nett 66.5. Second were Martin Leo and Peter Stoneham with 76 (71), third Richard Hendrick and Chris Jenkinson with 79 (71).

Bognor seniors finished their summer season with games against Royal Winchester and Ham Manor.

At Royal Winchester, Bognor edged it 4½-3½ in a thrilling encounter where the match hinged on the last pairing.

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Results: Allan Delves & Clive Millett lost 2&1, Dave Turner & John Woodhead won 2&1, Frank Hodder & Gary Steventon lost 2&1, Steve King & Andy Isitt won 1 up, Peter Collins & Ian Bright won 2&1, Brian Wolstencroft & Mike Wadley won 2&1, Richard Perry & Barry Appleby lost 4&3, John Samain & Derek Whiting halved.

Bognor then entertained Ham Manor but were soundly beaten 5-1. In a number of the pairs Bognor were giving between eight and 12 shots to their opponents and it was just too great a mountain to climb.

Results: Allan Delves & Hugh Diaper lost 2&1, Mike Wadley & Clive Millett won 3&1, Frank Hodder & Bryan Madgwick lost 2&1, Mike Oates & Steve King lost 3&2, Peter Collins & Nigel Wainright lost 4&2, Andy Isitt & Richard Perry lost two down.

Bognor seniors played their Tregear Cup, a three-clubs-and-a-putter competition and more than 40 souls braved the atrocious weather, with rain all through the round for everyone. Scores very low generally.

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Doug Hamlett, at nearly 87 and pulling a trolley, completed the course. They don’t make them like him anymore.

Results: 1 Frank Hodder 36pts, 2 Ron Stevens 31, 3 Malcolm Dodds 30.

Bognor’s lady captain’s drive-in was blessed with good weather. Berit Smallcorn and her husband had an optician’s business before they retired and Berit’s vice-captain Wendy Johnson chose this as the theme.

Some 68 ladies took part in the competition, playing in pairs.

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Results: 1 Angela Allen & Sandra Coulton, 2 Bridget Samuels & Sophie James, 3 Jenny Phillmore & Dora Vaughan, 4 Nicola Holton & Debbie Fenton. Nearest the pin winners - Nicki Vincent and Mary Adames.

COWDRAY PARK

Cowdray Park seniors’ season finished in the same way as the dank and dismal weather when they suffered a rare home defeat at the hands of Rowlands Castle.

Having beaten the visitors 5-3 on their home course, Cowdray found themselves on the end of a defeat by the same score, but during the year Cowdray had won the other 20 home matches.

Things started brightly for the hosts, with match manager Chris Hoare and Mike King winning 4&3 over the visiting pair, before the visitors levelled. Cowdray regained the lead courtesy of another 4&3 win from Gary Strowbridge and Nick Austin. From then on until the final match it was unbridled success for the visitors.

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The last match provided a third win for the home side from Howard Morley and Tony Castley by 2&1, but only after some nasty scares from their opponents Terry Barnett and Don Wilkinson.

Shot of the day came on the 11th when Morley holed his second shot on the par-three 11th for a birdie.

Results (Cowdray names first): Chris Hoare & Mike King beat Ron Clement & Chris Jenkins 4&3; Mike Hughes & Eric Bounton lost to Steve Lapage & Alan Jones 2&1; Gary Strowbridge & Nick Austin beat Ian Barrowcliffe & David Foster 4&3; Roger Poat & Terry Adsett lost to Phil Sparshatt & Graham Kirk 7&5; Wally Mitchell & John Smith lost to Trevor Pope & Graham Allan 1dn; Mike Holden & Brian Carpenter lost to Mike Fibbins & David Morris 4&3;Peter Hallt & Barry Overington lost to Ken Watherston & Robin Reucroft 1dn; Howard Morley & Tony Castley beat Don Wilkinson & Terry Barnett 2&1.

In horse-racing circles, there is an adage that says ‘back the man in form and this proved to be most appropriate with the result of Cowdray Park seniors’ Champions’ Trophy final, as the first three were all winners during October.

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Players qualified for the final throughout the year by finishing first or second in the appropriate competition. The winner with a score of 67 was Allen Sibley, despite a two-shot penalty for playing the wrong ball. He had won the October Stableford.

Runner-up was David Tilley (68), who qualified for the seniors’ singles knockout recently. His opponent, John Doran (69), also won through to the final recently while winning the club’s monthly medal at the beginning of October.

There were 11 twos recorded, which rather diluted the rewards for the players.

Cowdray ladies played a Stableford on a still and sunny day. All proceeds from the day go to Macmillan.

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Results: Div 1 - 1 Sue Brown 37pts; 2 Lina Cullen 34; 3 Wendy Street 33. Div 2 - 1 Joyce Fanshawe 37; 2 Barbara Smith 35; 3 Margaret Hoare 35. Div 3 - 1 Marnie Evans 31; 2 Caroline Smith 30; 3 Anne Laver 30.

EMSWORTH

A mother and son from Emsworth have just missed out on an expenses-paid trip of a lifetime to Morocco at the southern regional final of the 2015 Morocco Matchplay.

Jan Ostrom, 60, a 16-handicapper, and her 19-handicapper son, Mark, 19 - both members at Rowlands Castle GC - just failed to secure one of the two qualifying spots up for grabs at the Morocco Matchplay southern regional pairs final at the Manor House GC, Castle Combe,Wiltshire.

Instead, the places in February’s grand final at the stunning Golf de Mogador in Essaouira, went to Llanishen GC members Robert Hession and Andy Bird, and Alan Russell and Phil Bermingham from Fulwell GC.

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The Morocco Matchplay, powered by HowDidiDo, takes place from February 7-12, 2016.

AVISFORD PARK

Avisford Park GC seniors can look back on an excellent summer season of golf. Matches against other local clubs have been very close-fought and slightly more wins than losses.

The seniors’ championship was due to take place in August but a torrential rainstorm rendered the course unplayable and the event had to be rescheduled.

When it was played, a field of 29 competed for the title. Top gross scorer was William Lock with 89, ahead of Robert Boulter and Colin Payne, both on 90.

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Nett winner was also William Lock with 73, beating Wallace Lock (74) and Boulter (75).

The seniors’ summer knockout competition was spread over four months. The singles final saw Kevin Brown beat Peter Brown while in the doubles, Peter Collins and Wallace Lock beat Richard Strickland and Chris Scott.

LITTLEHAMPTON

The seniors’ section have played six matches and held four competitions in recent weeks.

Matches have been played at home to Wentworth, Waterlooville, Rowlands Castle and Hayling Island, of which the club managed one win, against Hayling. Away matches at Waterlooville and Hankley Common were both lost.

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The Autumn Medal was won by Len Hillier with a nett score of 66; Graham Daines was second with 68.

The Lampard Trophy a bogey competition was won with a score of plus six by Jan De Vries, with Tim Applewhite second on plus three.

The Coleman Cup for handicaps 18-28 was won by John Grove with 44 points, Andrew Bayford second with 42. The Members’ Cup for handicaps 0-17 was won by Mike King with 42 on countback from Jan De Vries.

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