It all came down to count back at Tandridge for the winner of the Caird Cup and Tandridge Putter.

The top three finishers all scored 38pts on a day when the course was in brilliant condition with slick greens that caught out so many players.

Conditions couldn’t have been better with Clive Heard, new member Tommy Farren and Joe Marvell all relishing the near perfect golfing conditions to score 38pts each with Clive just beating Tommy with Joe third.

Tommy had travelled over from the Mail’s print site in Ireland to take part and was full of praise for the Tandridge course with particulate mention that it had been well worth the journey just for the food even if he hadn’t been able to play well.

Clive, playing of his WHS handicap of 8, was cut one shot under Society rules with Tommy playing off his WHS 17 handicap, also cut one.

Prizes for the day were presented by Vice-Captain Barry Theobald.

The fixture had seen the lowest attendance on record for a Northcliffe fixture, with much of the reason put down to members catching up on held over holidays needing to be taken, having been postponed because of Covid delays over the last couple of years creating pressure on work schedules.

The afternoon 9-hole Texas scramble is proving to be a popular game to end the day and to help walk off the calories of a carvery lunch.

The winners were the team of John Morgan, Mike Germain and Tommy Farren.

Champagne for “Nearest the Pin” on the 8th was won by Brian Viner and Clive was the only winner in the fund raising “Back the Winner” competition, collecting £20 having backed himself, with £20 into the funds. Barry Theobald was the only player scoring a “2” and won £20 with £10 into the funds.

The guest prize was won by long-time Northcliffe member Evan Samuel, also a member of the Press Golfing Society who now works on the Times and under Society rules couldn’t win the main trophy with his 38pts.

Garth Burden