The Ladies of Sidmouth Golf Club issued a challenge to the men recently, to play in a four-person team competition, two ladies and two men, writes John Barnard.

There isn’t many times that the men and ladies do play together, but 28 men accepted the challenge and played last Wednesday morning.

The format was a drop out scramble medal so all four players tee off, the best drive is then chosen. That ball is picked up and the other three play from that spot and so on until a ball is holed.

There is a skill in deciding whose drive to take on each hole as all four players have to have at least four drives on the card. The four players handicaps are added up, 10 per cent calculated and this is then deducted from the final gross score (it sounds complicated but it is simple in practice).

Fourteen teams were able take up the challenge, and, in pride of place, were Marie Timms, Susan Hackett, Lester Willmington and David Stone. They scored an excellent 60.6, 5.4 better than the medal card.

Second were Coral Roberts, Rosemary Walker, Don Cooper and Bruce Harcourt with 61.5. Well, in third, with 64.1 were Sheila Faulkner, Andrea Milton, Bob Cook and Club Captain John Barnard.

Lady captain Margaret Deuce made the presentations to a packed clubhouse in the afternoon. The weather was excellent and there was agreement that a great time had been had by all and this must be repeated.