Goodwood sees Revival of golfing traditions

The annual event has become one of the highlights of the Golf at Goodwood calendar with many competitors returning year on year.

The players left their distance-measuring devices, graphite shafts and belly putters at home in favour of carrying stick-thin bags filled with brassies, spoons and niblicks with whippy shafts and small persimmon heads.

Being far less forgiving than the modern day equivalents, the Hickory golf clubs provided by the South of England Hickory Golf Society proved a real challenge, especially for those using them for the first time.

On a stunning morning on the Sussex Downs, more than 60 golfers arrived in a range of costumes to take part in the 18-hole event on the glorious James Braid-designed Downs course.

The idea behind starting the competition eight years ago was as a tribute to the renowned golf course architect who was an icon of the game during his ten-year career in winning five Open Championships. Braid was famed for his panache, Norfolk jacket and idiosyncratic tweed cap that were always accompanied with a collar and tie.

Revival golfers embraced the fashion of the Edwardian era, with waist-coats, bow-ties and flat caps out in full force.

Despite the old-fashioned clubs and handicaps being three-quartered for an even greater challenge, the standard was remarkably high.

Playing together, Golf At Goodwood general manager Stuart Gillett and the UK’s highest-ranked amateur, Golf At Goodwood ambassador Marco Penge, managed a highly-respectable 37 points. However the pair were beaten by Geoff Bleasby from Westhampnett, and Boris Lietzow from Germany, who finished with 42 points to win the event for the second consecutive year.

Gillett, said: “Revival Golf is such a unique and nostalgic day. To witness golfers in such authentic outfits at Goodwood makes us all very proud.

“The history of the game is very important to Goodwood so to be able to hold such an intimate and unspoilt competition bringing golf back to its roots is truly inspirational. The event continues to redefine golf year on year.”

CHICHESTER

In recognition of the country’s longest-reigning monarch, Chichester veterans played a Stableford with additional prizes of suitably-engraved tankards for the winners of each division.

This enlivened the competition for the 53 players and on a lovely day the scoring was good with one card with 40 points and three with 39 from just the first three playing groups.

The overall winner and recipient of the division-two tankard was Andrew Grant with a magnificent 42 points, two clear of his nearest rival. The quest for the division-one tankard was even closer with three players tied on 39.

With back nines of 22, 21 and 20 points there was little in it and the eventual winner Roy Harding was extremely grateful for his birdie on the 13th which earned him five points.

Result: Overall winner & Div 2 Tankard - Andrew Grant 42pts; 2 John Paul 40; 3 Mike Arthur 39; Div 1 Tankard - Roy Harding 39; 2 Norman Moore 39; 3 Brendan Sharpe 39.

Chichester veterans continued their fine home form with a good victory over West Chiltington. A blustery day with a few showers did not spoil an enjoyable hard-fought contest with just one game being very one-sided. Chichester won 6-2.

Scores: B Shrives-Wrist & B Martin halved; M Hunter & J Paul won 3&2; D Matthey & J Styles won 4&3; P Collyer & R Holden won 3&2; G Williams & J Fox won 4&3; C Page & C Duthie lost 3&1; B Santer & E Root halved; K Dowinton & R Chandler won 8&7.

COWDRAY PARK

Cowdray Park members raised the roof recently when one of their oldest and most respected players returned to the clubhouse having recorded a score less than his age.

The player in question was 87-year-old Denis Stillwell, a member since 1983, who returned with a gross score of 82 off his handicap of 19, which gave him a Stableford score of 43 points and left his younger opponents trailing in his wake.

Denis is an all-round sportsman, having played football for Worthing, Horsham and Petworth, while he was also a top-class cricketer, having played for Sussex.

Having just lost their 100 per cent home record, Cowdray Park seniors bounced back immediately with an excellent away win at near neighbours West Sussex GC.

The 4½-1½ victory was all the more creditable as this is the only time in the year when Cowdray play the foursomes format. As tee-off time approached, the heavens opened and the players remained in the clubhouse deciding whether to start the match or not. After a vote they agreed to carry on, although four players from each side dropped out, resulting in only six matches going ahead.

Match manager David Tilley and Chris Hoare set a fine example for their team, winning by 3&1, before seniors’ vice-captain Derek Smith and John Newman followed up with a narrow one-hole victory.

Bill Hummerston and John Smith beat a strong home pair 3&2 to put the visitors three up. The hosts recorded their first win but any hopes they had of staging a recovery were quashed by Ken Marjoram and Peter Hallt who fought doggedly for a one-up win.