Having recently squelched their way across the foothills of Dartmoor at Teign Valley, Sidmouth seniors were relieved to descend to sea-level last week on the sandy, well-drained links of Dawlish Warren, in the Exe estuary, writes Charles Oram.

During the Second World War mines were laid there as a defence against invasion.

With British bulldog spirit, members continued to play golf, but sensibly declared the minefield to be out of bounds!

In his pre-match talk, Sidmouth’s captain told his players that they would encounter rabbits so they anticipated an easy victory over weak opponents.

But the course is a nature reserve and the rabbits are bunnies who have pockmarked the course with holes - something the enemy artillery failed to do in the war.

Doug Goodall and Colston Herbert traded blows with determined opposition in the first match, both sides birdying the par three 13th; and it was all square after 17 holes.

Sensing glory, Herbert launched himself at his approach shot to the eighteenth, only to see his ball clear the railway fence to catch the London-bound train: a win for Dawlish.

Next up, John Sanders played well as he and David Bromage won two-up.

Sanders is familiar with deserts, having worked in the oil industry, so he must have felt at home amidst the Warren sands,

Bob Skelly and Bruce Harcourt starred in the recent seniors’ Open, so great things were expected of them.

Unfortunately they succumbed four and three; perhaps they had not sufficiently recovered from their celebrations!

The fairways at Dawlish are much narrower than those at Sidmouth, so to lose by two and one is no disgrace; this was the fate of Dieter Ritz and his partner Mike Fisher, and of Brian Cole and Tony Willson.

Although Roger Freer and Roy Smith did well to win their game four and three.

Dawlish had succeeded in repelling the Sidmouth invasion, to record a victory by four matches to two.

last week we inadvertently promoted our correspondent Charles Oram to the role of club chairman! We are happy to put that one right. Charles is of course the assistant to the membership secretary and the position of chairman is held by the hard working Peter Mison.