Saturday was one of the big days in the Sidmouth Golf Club calendar as the members prepared for the annual Awards Presentation Evening with the match between teams led by the club captain and the club manager, writes High Dorliac.

This was a fantastic afternoon of golf, despite the, at times, changeable weather, as 60 members took part in the match.

It was a special occasion both for club captain Colin Macklin and especially for new club manager Tim Aggett.

Tim, the current Devon senior champion, partnered with Yvonne Anning and fought out an honourable and hugely entertaining halved game with Colin and the lady captain, Sheila Faulkner.

In terms of the overall score, the manager’s team emerged with the upper hand, securing an eight-and-a-half to six-and-a-half success.

However, the on-course action was merely a curtain-raiser for the main event, the presentations in the evening.

This is an event shared by all sections of the club, and, although apologies were received from some of those who had been successful in the past season, but who were unable to be in attendance, there was still a big crowd – not only of those who had something to collect, but also of many members who had simply come to support and share in the congratulation and celebration of an excellent year of golfing excellence.

The high point of the evening was the presentation of the major men’s trophy, the Challenge Cup, which this year was won by Mark Bathard.

Mark gave a tremendous, funny and emotional speech of thanks, not just on his own account but on behalf of everyone who had been honoured during the evening.

The club captain and also, on behalf of the ladies, the immediate past lady captain, Maria Clapp, went on to announce the names of the vice captains elect for 2019 who would be put forward to the annual general meeting for ratification; Lester Willmington for the men and Penny Lyne for the ladies.

Club chairman John Barnard announced that long-standing member John Lewis would be nominated to the role of club president for the forthcoming three years. There was generous applause for all three nominees.