The start of the new season of seniors’ competitions got under way on Monday with a three-ball six-s-x-six format, writes Chris Grubb.

First out were the seniors captain Bruce Harcourt with last year’s captain Hugh Dorliac, who unfortunately had to play as a two ball as their third team member was missing due to a late withdrawal.

However Hugh Dorliac won nearest the pin prize on the fourth which softened the blow!

The following 21 teams of three all managed to get around in better weather conditions than had been forecast, and, with the ground having dried well after the weekend storms, it all proved to be an enjoyable morning.

Overall it was a very close scoring competition with the winning team of Chris Grubb, Mike Davis and Tony Willson managing to rise above the rest to win with a score of 82 points. Tony Willson in particular proving to be in very good form.

It was close for the minor places with countback called into play to determine Bob Johnson, Adrian Haysom and Ed Bamborough as the runners up and John Townsend, H Thompson and Coulston Herber t as third after both groups returned scores of 79 points.

The nearest the pin in two on the 17th was Colin Macklin.

The joy of starting the new year was tinged with sadness though as once the last team had passed the tree in the middle of the seventh fairway, which had stood for decades, it was due to be felled, as unfortunately it had died and had become a hazard.

After an excellent start to the season the Opening Dinner was held in the evening when the new captain Bruce Harcourt presented a cheque to the club captain Richard Powell for £500 towards his captain’s charity CLIC Sargent.

The evening was brought to a close with the presentation of the Winter Eclectic Cup to Phil Spencer, who won it with a score of 51 just ahead of Tony Stoyle with 52 and a third place tie between John Billingsley and Mark Laird on 53.

The enthusiasm showed by the seniors with the high turnout bodes well for the coming year, and the end of March sees the seniors starting their summer schedule with matches away to Cricket St Thomas and the Jurassic challenge at Lyme Regis.