RAFGS retains the Stevenson Cup!  As August drew to a close 12 members deployed to Huntercombe GC for the annual match, now in its 55th year. Huntercombe were most welcoming and the match was played in near perfect conditions with the course presented beautifully.

We won the final match to secure an honourable draw. To date the RAF have won 25, Huntercombe 22 with 8 draws.

Lunch was most enjoyable and some members took advantage of the weather and played in the afternoon. A perfect day!

Team:

In glorious conditions our players experienced Rye at its best. We were greeted with beautiful weather and a Spitfire fly past.

Sadly, although Kevin Burston managed to get a full squad, Rye were depleted for various reasons including Covid, so it was decided not to play the match but go out in 3-balls playing 666. A match result was therefore not possible.The customary excellent lunch was followed by 4x3-balls, again playing 666, so most of our players had a thoroughly enjoyable day playing a great course with their own ball more than they had expected.

We are indeed privileged to play at Rye.

Team:

10 teams of 4 found the scoring tougher this year with strong winds and intermittent rain. Nevertheless they all enjoyed the day which was brilliantly organised by Phil Gough. We welcomed Dave Holmes, Dave Pretorius and Mark Whalley to their first RAFGS event.

Nearest the pins were won by Phil Gough, Ian Wood, Mick Roche and Gary Cook. 3 teams scored 77 points. In 4^th place were Phil Gough, Ken Agbonabi, Gary Cook and Jerry Davies.3^rd were Tom Brisbane, Chris Emmott, Inch McAlpine and Jeff Purdy. 2^nd came Jon Corlett, John Pearce, Dennis Virgo and Lyndon Wall. The clear winners of the Weir, Sutherland, Sassoon and Egerton Johnson Cups with 80 points were the lowest handicapped team of Ollie Whyatt, Steve Lockwood, Dave Pretorius and Ian Robinson, whose 2 over par gross was the best round of the day.

The carvery was again outstanding and the Coxmoor staff looked after us extremely well.

The Hon Sec had endured his most frustrating build-up to the Championship Meeting as Version 1 of the Starting Sheet listed 37 players but a variety of ailments and work priorities mean that on the day Version 7 had just 29!

Moor Park was in great condition, their staff could not have been more helpful and the weather was ideal. We welcomed Martyn Dove, Charlie Barclay-Hudson and Matt Branowsky to their first Meeting and welcomed back Mark Hudson after a lengthy absence. New names featured on all the trophies. Everyone found the West course tricky so the scores were not as spectacular as in recent years.

Ray Bull narrowly won the India Trophy with Mark Rumble 2nd.  In the Vets’ (over-60) events, Ian Robinson just pipped Mark Elsbury to with the Scratch Cup, with Rick Lipscomb just beating Mark for the Handicap Cup. For the major prizes, Simon Johnson was a worthy Champion golfer winning his first RAFGS trophies - the Scratch Cup from defending champion Julian Deans, and also the Handicap Cup with Rick Lipscomb just one shot behind.

Our President, Sir Roger Palin, kindly presented the prizes, before praising the efforts of the Hon Sec who was organising the Championship Meeting for the last time. He then introduced Stu Butler who proceeded to astonish the Hon Sec by presenting him with an array of prizes funded by members. The members present rose in a standing ovation. The Hon Sec was lost for words!