There was strong demand for a place and some unfamiliar faces in Sidmouth’s team visiting Exeter last week.

Ray Gunston was partnered by Alec Salway in the first game off, and they apparently played well together once Alec had established why Ray would possibly watch Liverpool FC, when United were available just down the M62.

The handicaps were closely matched, but the pair didn’t need any shots and cruised to a five and three win over the home golfers.

Peter Spooner and Richard Whiddon were next off with Peter giving the shots, but if I had had any money, I would still have put it on the strong Sidmouth pair. However, Peter and Richard were three down by the fifth, but won 16 to go level, and took 17 and 18 for a great two-hole victory.

Pop Banfield and Derek Geear had an interesting time in the next game off when, due to a slight misunderstanding, Pop had to endure the lovely conditions wearing his waterproof trousers. However, he soon overcame the humid leg difficulties and they won comfortably by two holes.

Sidmouth were now three points up, with only three more games to finish and, as the next featured Bob Welsman deservedly giving shots and Julian Taylor shockingly receiving some, the future looked rosy for our seniors captain as he prepared his after dinner speech. I don’t feel able to repeat what he told me about their performance, but we had lost that game by the thirteenth hole. Tony Crowe and John Bainbridge were next off and, fortunately, they reassured Ray Gunston with a good five and four victory, to seal another point. This now left Doug Goodall and Mike Anderson to pick up the remaining point with a win on the last, with the result of Exeter 1 Sidmouth 5.

Three days later, Colin Paddon was in charge as he welcomed Windwhistle to our course, and he had chosen Peter Emery for the privilege of playing with him in the opening game.

Not surprisingly, the visitors had difficulty with the fast and tricky greens, lost the first and conceded on the 13th to lose six and five.

In the next game, George Hudec delighted John Bainbridge when he remembered where he was playing, but, in a tough encounter, they found themselves three down, with three holes to play.

A great fightback in this close game saw them win 16, 17 and 18 to share the point and keep Sidmouth in the lead.

Chris Ashley and Nigel Sharp were next and, for a change, Chris was facing an opponent off a similar low handicap. Nigel will have unsettled the visitors when he drove the par three eleventh, despite receiving a shot, and a good four and two win increased our lead. Dieter Ritz and Charles Warren couldn’t improve on this when they lost their game six and five, and a comment from Charles that, if it weren’t for bad luck, he wouldn’t have had any luck at all, concerns me, as he and I are playing together soon.

The visitors were now only one point adrift, but David Bromage and Mike Boyes put the match beyond doubt with a two and one win, and left Mike Anderson and John Hicks to make the result respectable with an emphatic four and two victory.

I don’t know if Mike arrives late or has upset a seniors dignitary, but persistent readers may have noticed he is often at the tail end of our teams. Maybe he will soon receive what some regard as the ultimate honour, and partner Messrs Gunston or Paddon after another strong performance.

The result was Sidmouth 4� Windwhistle 1�.