Finals day, the culmination of summer-long knockout competitions involving a large proportion of members is always one to savour and this year was no exception, writes George Carr.

If we start at the very top with the Hall Scratch Trophy from the fifteen brave enough to enter we should find the club’s best golfer, for this competition, as its name implies, puts handicaps to one side and every match starts level with no shots given or received.

Mark Thomas has been in fine form all summer and in this final found himself head to head with an old adversary, namely, Neil Holland the former county captain, from whom he would normally receive a handful of shots.

However, golf is an uncertain business to say the least and it took a long birdie putt on the final hole to separate the two.

Neil Holland it was who watched that putt drop in for victory after a very close encounter; well played gentlemen.

There were Sixty-six entrants to the Challenge Cup and the final was contested between Martin White and club president Trevor Kerridge and it took a birdie on the nineteenth hole to separate them after a high quality encounter; Martin White it was triumphant after Trevor Kerridge had watched his own birdie putt go agonisingly close moments before on the first play-off hole; congratulations to both on thrilling match.

There were forty-four entrants for the Burgoyne Cup, a competition for players with handicaps of 15 or more on the date of entry and we find yet another final going to the 19th hole. Steve Milton won this fresh from an excellent performance the day before in the East Devon Trophy (of which more later). Milton must have thought his chance slipping away as he found himself four down to his fellow finalist, Barry Venn, with six only six to play, but a remarkable come-back found him sinking the winning putt after nineteen holes Thanks to both players for another great final.

In the senior’s knockout I am sorry to have report that John Anderson had to retire feeling unwell after five holes in his match against Peter Abrahams. It was an unfortunate ending for both players, having battled their way through 66 other seniors to reach the final. Congratulations nevertheless to Peter Abrahams and, also, commiserations and best wishes for a speedy recovery to John Anderson.

The Peggy Bell Foursomes is an annual competition for ladies that is always fiercely contested and this year was no exception.

As the players teed off - Sheila Thomson and Yvonne Anning versus Maria Clapp and Penny Ashby it would have taken a brave women (or man) to predict the outcome.

Certainly both pairs were well matched and so it proved. The match finished on the eighteenth with victors Sheila Thomson and Yvonne Anning one up after yet another close encounter ; well played indeed ladies!

The Rockey Foursomes was played earlier in the month because of holidays booked and perhaps no great expectations of progress by at least one participant. Veterans Ray Gunston and Doug Goodall won this one taking the notable scalps of Paddy Tallon and Dave Hoare; I have no details of the match itself, but congratulations and well done indeed, Ray and Douglas.