Acting captain Nigel Sharp was feeling pleased that all members of the Sidmouth seniors team arrived at the right place and the right location for their away tie against Crediton last Wednesday, writes Charles Oram.

The pre-match period is always fraught with some anxiety, since team members have been known to travel to the wrong course or to fail to arrive at the appointed hour because they did not set their watches to the correct time zone!

A slight hitch occurred, however, because one of the team had forgotten some equipment - his golf clubs!

The local pro obligingly hired out a set in the circumstances.

Last year the fixture at Crediton started in the rain, but was mostly played in warm sunshine; this time the rain did not relent.

The course was, however, deemed playable - at least it was playable by the Crediton players, since most of the Sidmouth side lost by some margin!

Amongst the casualties were some players who have distinguished themselves in competitions and matches on home turf this year, but who were undone by the dreadful conditions and some difficult closing holes. The sole Sidmouth pair to record a win were Bob Winstone and Brian Cole, who led the whole way and held on to win their match one up.

The ‘nearest the pin’ competition on the fifteenth hole was won by Nigel Sharp. A measuring tape was not needed, since Sharp was the only one to land his tee shot on the green, which is guarded by a duck pond.

Some players may have lost a ball in the water - but they fared better than the Sidmouth captain did in the 2007 fixture here. He experienced a sinking feeling as his electric trolley, with a full set of clubs, trundled into the pond!

Sidmouth may have lost five matches to one, but at least they went home this time with all their equipment!