Report by Barry Theobald

Sunshine, blue skies and barely a breath of wind greeted 16 society golfers at Prince’s Golf Club, a far cry from the more familiar battle with the elements on the south coast.

The day’s competition took place across the Dunes and Himalayas nine-hole courses, two testing and undulating layouts where the tricky greens provided a stern challenge.

The first special prize of the day, Nearest the Pin on the short but demanding par-three 5th, went to Barry Theobald, who fired his tee shot to within three feet of the flag.

There was another moment of quality on the par-four 17th, where Keith Cottington claimed Nearest the Pin in two with a superb chip from around 55 yards that finished just six inches from the hole.

The overall competition could hardly have been closer, with the top three all finishing on 34 points. After countback, Steve Sharp emerged victorious, with Barry Theobald taking second and Craig Fawcett third.

It was also great to see Chris Fryer back among the leading contenders, finishing just a point behind in fourth place with 33 points.

A cracking day’s golf, some impressive shot-making and, for once at Prince’s, the weather was firmly on our side.