Sidmouth Golf Club welcomed the Royal Marines Golf Society last Wednesday, writes John Barnard.

This annual match is a very long standing affair and a prestigious trophy is the prize which always ensures a fiercely contested game. Club captain Ray Gunston and colour sergeant Mick Harding paired off their teams eager for battle.

Don Cooper and Brian Leach led off for Sidmouth and won convincingly five-and-four.

Ray Gunston played with Harrison Jones who needed to be playing at his best and they won a close game against fellow captain Mick Harding and Shaun Needham three-and-one.

Unfortunately, the next three Sidmouth pairs fell to strong opposition!

Colin Macklin and Bob Welsman are usually a very reliable partnership, but on this occasion they lost four-and-three.

Pat McCormack and Roger Bawden went down two-and-one and George Carr and Lester Wilmington were beaten three-and-two.

The overall result was determined by the final match.

Craig Melluish and Mark Pavey found themselves two up with three to play, but the Royal Marines pair battled back well to halve the game.

That all meant that the overall score was Royal Marines three-and-a-half, Sidmouth two-and-a-half – the first win for the military men in this contest for a number of years.

The trophy though, stays in Sidmouth’ s cabinet awaiting next year’s contest. Congratulations to the Royal Marines