On Sunday, as a prelude to the past captains putting out and the new captains driving in, there was a competition, a four person texas scramble with a shotgun start, writes John Barnard.

The course was packed, some tees had two teams starting and everyone was hoping to get around before the weather got too bad. As it happened, there was some rain, but everyone managed to get in before the ‘heavens opened’.

A packed clubhouse waited for the presentation with baited breath (delayed as apparently, the captain’s card had disappeared).

However, as each team keyed its score into the new, state of the art computer system, the scores and leader board were then displayed on the club TV so we were all able to judge how well (or not!) we had done .

Retiring club captain Ray Gunston, is now relieved of all his duties and his team including club president Roger Bawden, Mike Dommett and Stuart Pile won with a medal score of 47.2.

They managed a gross round of 63 less 20 per cent of combined handicaps (which gave them 14.8 shots) and meant they just held off Jeremy Holden, Steve Channing, Adrian Baldwin and Mark Bathard who scored 47.4 (62 gross less 14.6 handicap reduction). In third place were Pauline and Malcolm Coldwell, Ken Price and Chris Cave.

The ladies prize was won Jane Renken, Ros Eaton, Susan Hackett and Margaret Thompson.