The winter season is now in full swing and on Saturday, the first round of the Streatham was played, writes John Barnard.

The Streatham is played on one Saturday in each of the winter months (weather allowing) and although each are individual competitions in their own right, they cumulate into an overall winner at the end of March, based on the total number of stableford points.

This winter, instead of the usual three quarters of handicap allowed in better ball, it has moved to 90 per cent in line with the new Royal and Ancient Club rules which comes into play on January 1.

As the cumulative competition spans 2015 and 2016, it was thought right to introduce the new rules immediately. This means a player on a handicap of 12 who would have had 9 shots off three quarters now has 11 shots using 90 per cent, so a significant change.

Winning easily this week, were Paddy Tallon and Colin Macklin who shot an excellent 45 points to win by three. They picked up four shots on the front nine, including birdying the fourth for 22 points. They were even better on the back nine. Colin birdied the tenth with a shot for a four pointer and overall, they scored 23 points.

There were four teams on 42 points, but only two places available in the prizes. Scoring 23 points on the back nine to take second were two past captains of the club, Nick Bater and Paul Hitchcock. Five three pointers on the back nine were the key to their success, including birdying the tenth and seventeenth. In third place were Guy Davis and Trevor Kerridge with 22 points on the back nine.

Losing out on 42 points were Duckworth and Hastie with 21 points on the back nine and Wenham and Cooper with 20.