It was a busy September for the Northcliffe with Walton Heath transferred from May so that players taking part in the US Open Qualifier could practice on our booked day!
The change however worked well with the weather, clear blue skies, glorious sunshine and high temperatures and there was a new name on the “President’s Trophy” with Andy Guiton scoring 38pts on the Old Course.
Close up in second with 36 points was Craig Fawcett. Both won wine plus Peter Millar vouchers donated by Society member Robert Jenkins. Andy was cut 2-shots, Craig 1-shot
There was a good turnout of 20 players including many previous trophy winners, though no one considered that Andy, including himself, might be the winner in the “Back the Winner” fund raising competition, so the kitty of £70 was carried over to the next fixture at Tandridge. Alex Hicks was third with 34pts and Lee Terry fourth with 33pts, winning on count back.
The afternoon Greensomes competition produced some of the closest results of the year with Joe Marvell and Society guest, Kristoffer Simpson-Bangey winning on count back with 42pts from Barry Theobald and Craig Fawcett. David Defroand and Rob Jenkins were 3rd with 41pts
Vice-Captain, Barry Theobald, who presented the prizes, said how good it had been to fit in the postponed visit to Walton Heath as it had always been one of the very best days of the Northcliffe year.
Champagne for “Nearest the Pin” in the morning on the 11th was won by Ian McIlgorm with Joe Marvell winning the Champagne on the 2nd in the afternoon.
Next up came the annual Society match against North Foreland Golf Club, the proverbial home of Lord Northcliffe who changed what was a 9-hole course into a championship 18-hole course, plus building Europe’s first ever 18-hole Par 3 course alongside called “The Northcliffe”.
Lord Northcliffe launched the Daily Mail in 1896 and was a great golfing enthusiast who helped to popularise the sport through the newspaper and founded the Northcliffe Golf Society in 1910.
It was 28 years ago that the first annual matches between the Society and the Club started and Society President, Lord Rothermere, donated the “Lord Northcliffe Challenge Cup”. With the scores at 15 – 11 in favour of the Club, with one year cancelled because of the Queen’s death, it was North Foreland who were this year’s winners. Many of the holes were lost or won on the last couple of holes with tricky greens causing many problems for the Society players.
Chairman of the Society, Vyvyan Harmsworth, presented the trophy to Club Captain, Tommy Dolan, and congratulated all players on making it a very special day for both the Society and the Club.
North Foreland was quickly followed the following day by Knole Park, a change from the usual links golf course at Royal Cinque Ports. With significant price increases to play the regular links course, it was decided to try Knole Park on the way back to London and it proved to be an outstanding success. With deer around you on virtually every hole, the course set in the grounds of Knole Park is exceptional and regarded as one of the most beautiful courses you will ever play.
Society and local member Will Flint suggested his course as a suitable option and committee members voted to give it a try and were very impressed with the challenge of the course and both the food and warm welcome by all at the Club.
The “Northcliffe Cup” was won by Joe Marvell, who scored an impressive 39pts, to win his first big Society trophy after many years of trying. He is cut 2-shots with runner-up Ian McGowan who scored 38pts cut 1-shot with Jayne Burden third. Phillip Woods won the Champagne for Nearest the Pin.
The final September fixture was Tandridge and holidays, work pressure and the added Walton Heath fixture that was moved from May resulted in numbers being comparatively low. All players were highly impressed with the condition of the course, the best that everyone had seen over the years.
With a rollover of £70 included in the “Back the Winner”, it happened again at Tandridge.
No-one including winner Mike Germain picked him out to win so with an extra £40 invested, there will now be a rollover of £110 at West Hill on TUESDAY, October 24
Mike’s 38pts was good enough to win the “Tandridge Putter”, donated to the Society by the Club in appreciation of the years that the Society has played the course. In second place was John Tucker with 35pts, beating Will Flint on countback. Mike was cut 2 shots to 16 handicap and John 1 shot to 22. Champagne for Nearest the Pin on the 8th was won by Will Flint with Clive Heard winning the champagne on the 15th.
The afternoon Texas Scramble over 9 holes ended in both 4xBalls scoring the same points so the prizes were halved with each player presented with a bottle of wine.
The next fixture will be West Hill on TUESDAY October 24 and the final fixture of the year, the Christmas Scramble at The Berkshire is Monday, November 13.
View event details here.
Words: Garth Burden
Pictures: Ian McIlgorm
Website: Neil Fitter
