OW Golf Society News

David Hughes and Nigel Huxtable on Sheringhams signature fifth hole

September and October represent the final two months of our season and they are always quite busy, especially since the introduction of the ‘Autumn Tour’, initiated by John Gould OW (1960-68) five years ago. More of that later.

Even before the school term started, the boys were out in force to avenge last year’s rare defeat by the OWs in the Barnett Trophy match, now regularly played at The Addington. Avenge it they did, with the school’s leading pair recording a better-ball score in the low 60s, and an overall 3-1 victory in the match.

The society holds four main meetings in the year and the last of them was the Autumn Cup meeting at Royal Ashdown, on their West Course. There are no bunkers on the course but there is still plenty of trouble for the unwary; never mind the golfers, the Sunday dog walker or stroller needs to keep an eye open for stray golf balls too. This particular occasion saw David Hughes OW (1965-72) avoid the hazards and score his maiden triumph in the golf society; the first of many, no doubt. His early morning practice clearly paid dividends, and his 34 points successfully fended off the close challenge of Nigel Huxtable OW (1969-76) and new member Howard Beeston OW (1964-72), who finished second and third respectively.

The last of the major scratch tournaments of the year, for serious golfers, was the Grafton Morrish, played at Hunstanton and Brancaster on the North Norfolk coast. Whitgift has had a fairly mixed run of late in these tournaments and unfortunately this was no exception; a first round win versus Nottingham was followed by a second round loss to Rugby, who are rapidly becoming a formidable golf school. They also beat us in last year’s Halford Hewitt.

The society’s sixth Autumn Tour teed off at Hunstanton a week earlier than the Morrish. 21 OWs made the trip to Norfolk, the largest attendance yet for what has become an increasingly attractive finale to the season for many members, and we were rewarded with some fine weather and spectacular golf courses. Hunstanton is a worthy and tough venue; as if to emphasise the point, their stroke index 18 hole, supposedly therefore the easiest, is a blind, 210 yard, par 3. Don Anderson OW (1965-72) recovered from a poor start to his round to come out top on the day. The following day, we were at Sheringham, just along the coast; with the stereo attractions of a tourist steam train on one side and cliffs on the other. [Photo – David Hughes and Nigel Huxtable on Sheringham’s signature fifth hole]. Mike Berners Price OW (1962-70) took the honours here. Cromer was our final venue before the trip home; another very scenic course around the lighthouse and along the cliffs. Despite a 2-shot ‘tour cut’ from his victory at Sheringham, Mike Berners Price finished first again, and, not surprisingly, took the overall first prize for the tour as a whole.

Thanks are due not only to John Gould, who organized the trip, but also to Tony Harris OW (1964-72), who organised the finances, and to Alan Scovell OW (1970-77), who managed to keep track of all the individual scores, the team scores on each day, the house scores (Mason’s were the winners), and ran a book on the side. Those of us who backed Mike BP were especially grateful for this last element.

Anyone wishing to join the society should contact the secretary at peterbgale@sky.com.

Peter Gale OW (1963-69),
Honorary Secretary

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