It was Molyneaux Financial Planning Monthly medal time again at Sidmouth last week, writes George Carr.

This is an event where every shot is recorded, be it a long accurate drive down the fairway or horrid hook into the woods and back in the clubhouse the computer reveals to all the standard of golf produced by every player and handicaps go up or down accordingly.

The holding of a medal card in the hand at the start of the round usually has a profound affect on the golf played and not always for the better it must be said and so the odd card may be found torn to shreds in the changing room waste bin afterwards; but, as we shall see, when the going gets tough the tough get going !

Played in three divisions by handicap we find Division One winner, with a gross sixty-eight (net sixty-one) former club captain and six-handicapper Paul Hitchcock in fine form with four birdies and a rare eagle on the 18th hole which was to prove critical in keeping the ever-present David Pepperell at bay two shots behind with the same gross score for a net sixty-three.

Kevin Legg was a shot behind - despite his eagle on the 13th - with a net 64. The result of this division might have been so different had the club-captain John Rockey not registered eight (sounds agricultural!) shots on the par-four 17th for a net 65 to leave him in joint fifth place.

You might have thought that this would have spared his handicap further attention from the powers that be, but he was cut two shots nevertheless and is not a happy bunny playing off six.

At the start of his year in office in January captain John was playing off a handicap of twelve - at his present rate of progress he will be a scratch player when he returns to the ranks after Christmas !

Winner of the second division on the day was Brian Margison who used only twelve shots of his seventeen handicap, his gross seventy-nine leaving him two shots clear with a net sixty-two from Jan Kazimierowicz (had to see that one through the spell-check) whose gross 80 included three birdies for a net sixty-five.

In third place came veteran Jim Shearer a shot behind keeping Messrs Davies Game and Sheehan at bay on count-back, the latters row of double bogies on the last three holes proving very costly indeed.

The Third division saw another veteran, Peter Abrahams, taking the medal with a net sixty-eight and Jeremy Russell in second spot on count back while Mark Davis produced some steady golf off a long handicap for a net 69 and third place - well played gentlemen all.