The annual Club Championship and Handicap Cup was played at Sidmouth Golf Club, writes John Barnard.

Most players enter both competitions, a 36-hole medal event, scratch for the Championship and nett for the Handicap, a more realistic aspiration for many of us.

It’s never a large field as it’s a long day of golf, but always highly competitive and this year not a great weather forecast, particularly for the afternoon.

At lunchtime, all the morning rounds were back and in the scratch, Neil Holland and John Jones both had gone round in 68 with Matt Bavington in on 69 and Duncan Taylor on 69 so very close.

As predicted, the weather closed in so the later starters certainly saw the worst of the weather.

By the end of a very wet afternoon, Duncan Jones had returned an excellent 64, helped by a glorious eagle on the thirteenth and he was crowned club champion (or he will be at prize giving) with an overall gross score of 134.

Neil Holland was second with 137 and Lewis White was third with the same score, but Neil’s score was better in the afternoon.

In the Handicap Cup, Stuart Coles, Matt Bavington and John Jones all recorded nett 64’s in the morning, but the second to last group included a new member, David Fish who finished birdie, birdie to record a nett 63 to lead after the first round.

In the afternoon, David’s group were the last to play (some fair weather golfers didn’t bother going out!).

After six holes, the weather really closed in and by the half way point, it was just unpleasant, but David’s score was better than his handicap at the turn.

Still, if you are called Fish you shouldn’t mind water and David kept ploughing on.

As the greens began to fill with water and the rains turned even heavier, it was just David and one playing partner left. Over the last two holes, David somehow managed a par, par finish and once in the clubhouse, it was clear how important that was as Duncan Taylor had recorded a nett 62.

David’s nett 65 in the afternoon was enough to get him home by two shots scoring 128.

Duncan Taylor was second with a 130 and John Jones was a further shot back on 131.

David had already won the Friday stableford so Sunday capped a glorious weekend, re living his youth!

Well done, to all who played both rounds, it wasn’t easy!