My third year of having the privilege of looking after handicaps.  We had 38 different people (39 in 2016) join us this year on our monthly meets – a good number but we can always do with a few more.

The highest scoring event during the year was again Seaford where the average score was a massive 37.60 (2016: Seaford 36.94 ; 2015: Seaford 37.18).  The lowest scoring event was at Hever Castle with an average score of just 23.32 (2016: Lamberhurst 28.79; 2015: Piltdown 26.19).  The overall average stableford points score for the season was 30.51 (2016: 30.02 ; 2015: 31.17).  It was again pleasing to see that the silverware for the year was distributed reasonably evenly across the membership (although Ken Wapling won three times, Brian Day and Pat Layen twice and Barry Browning winning two of the four competitions he attended!!).  This probably suggest the handicap system is about right despite its many faults and grumbles at times from the membership, in particular from those who are cut following a big score and/or victory.  Indeed, the handicaps for most players are very near to their club handicaps.

Thanks to Hon Sec David, Captain Jerry and my predecessor Tim Gorringe for helping and supporting me throughout the year with the cards etc.  Also worthy of mention is our excellent website orchestrated by Mr Watkiss which keeps members abreast of events and gives advance notice of tee times and publishes the very latest results.

MGS SILVERWARE WINNERS 2017

Trophy Winner(s)
Golfer of the Year Ken Wapling
Society Strokeplay Championship Alan Bigley
Society Stableford Competition Ken Wapling
Captain’s Day Trophy Pat Layen
Anniversary Trophy Carl Valentine
Autumn Cup Not contested in 2017
Spring Cup Clive Butler
Mad March Jugs Kelvin Paterson & Chris Buck
GBH Trophy Carl Valentine & Dereck Coppard
Last Chance Trophy Alan Bond

Individual MONTHLY Winners 2017

Month Course Individual Winner Score Runner Up Score
Jan-17 Pyecombe Ken Wapling 37 David Howroyd 34
Feb-17 Lewes Barry Browning 48 Kelvin Paterson 39
Mar-17 Nevill Brian Day 36 Kelvin Paterson 35
Apr-17 Westerham Ken Wapling 41 Alan Bond 39
May-17 East Sussex National (Anniversary Cup) Carl Valentine 35 Paul Hillman 35
Jun-17 Dale Hill Woosnam – (Captain's Day) Pat Layen 41 Mark Hughes 39
Jul-17 Cooden Brian Day 41 Carl Valentine 41
Aug-17 Lamberhurst (Strokeplay Cup) Alan Bigley 75+ Jerry Watkiss 75+
Lamberhurst (Stableford Shield) Ken Wapling 38 Peter Cudmore 35
Sep-17 Seaford Head Barry Browning 50 Clive Butler 49
Oct-17 Hever Castle GC Alan Bigley 33 Carl Valentine 31
Nov-17  Crowborough Beacon  Pat Layen  37  Micky Mann  33
Dec-17 Dewlands Manor Alan Bond 24 David Howroyd 21
+ all scores are stableford points off full society handicaps with the exception of this score which is Nett strokes taken

At our monthly meets we had 7 different winners from the 12 competitions played – Wapling, Browning, Layen, Bigley & Day were the form players each topping the rostrum on two or more occasions!

TEAM Winners 2017

Month Course Team Winners Score Team Runners Up Score
Jan-17 Pyecombe No Team Competition
Feb-17 Lewes Barry Browning, Andy Tippett, Tim Gorringe 92++ Brian Day. Clive Butler. Kelvin Paterson 84++
Mar-17 Nevill (Mad March Jugs) Kelvin Paterson & Chris Buck 76+ Ken Wapling & Dereck Coppard 75+
Apr-17 Westerham Alan Bond, Brian Day & Chris Buck 84++ David Howroyd, Tim Gorringe & Fred Ablitt 81++
May-17 East Sussex National (Anniversary Cup) Dereck Coppard, Pat Layen & Paul Hillman 78++ Jerry Watkiss, Carl Valentine & Andy Bishop 76++
Jun-17 Dale Hill Woosnam - Captain's Day Mark Hughes, Pat Layen, Tom Bennett & Tim Gorringe 104+++ Chris Buck, Alan Bond, David Howroyd & Peter Cudmore 98 +++
Jul-17 Cooden Carl Valentine, Pat Layen & Kelvin Paterson 88++ Alan Bigley, David Howroyd & Tony Batchelder 83++
Aug -17 Lamberhurst No Team Competition
Sep-17 Seaford Head (Texas Scrabble) Carl Valentine, Tim Gorringe & Andy Bishop -3++++ Alan Bigley, James Gallifant & Tom Bennett also Mark Hughes, Andy Tippett & Barry Browning -2++++
Sep-17 Seaford Head Andy Tippett, Barry Browning, Paul Hillman & Clive Butler 148+++ Jerry Watkiss, Ken Wapling, Dereck Coppard & Mark Hughes 135+++
Oct-17 Hever Castle GC Carl Valentine & Dereck Coppard 40+ Chris Buck & Alan Bigley 38+
Nov-17 Crowborough Beacon  Pat Layen, David Howroyd & Alan Bond  74++ Carl Valentine, Micky Mann & Tim Gorringe 71++
Dec-17 Dewlands Manor Micky Mann, Alan Bond & James Gallifant L ++++ Alan Bigley, David Howroyd, Ray Hamilton & Keith Wapling, Paul Hillman & John Collingwood +1++++

+ Pairs Comp

++ Best 2 from teams of 3

+++ Best 3 from teams of 4

++++ Texas Scramble teams of 3

Pat Layen was the best team player being on the winning team four times with Carl Valentine & Tim Gorringe being part of a winning team on three occasions.  Overall an excellent mix of winners this year with 18 players being part of a winning team. Always good fun.

SOCIETY TOURS 2017

SPRING TOUR WINNERS 2017

Golf Course Winner score Runner-up score Third Score
Apr-17 - Spring Tour Golfclub Oostburg (Netherlands) Jerry Watkiss 29 Andy Bishop 27 Kelvin Paterson 26
Damme Golf & Country Club (Belgium) Andy Bishop 32 Jerry Watkiss 29 Andy Tippett 28
The Royal Zoute Golf Club (Belgium) Barry Browning 34 Andy Tippett 31 Clive Butler 31
 Overall Winner Clive Butler 83 Andy Tippett 82 Andy Bishop 81

 

Well done to Clive Butler for his maiden tour win – consistency being key across the three days. A big thank you goes to Tim Gorringe and his batman Andy Tippett for organising the whole shooting match. The feedback from the membership was excellent – a good well organised trip.

We are off to Northern France Montreuil sur Mer for the annual MGS Spring Tour 2018. We have three top courses lined up and a super hotel on offer to tempt the MGS members.

Autumn TOUR WINNERS 2017

It was agreed not to run an Autumn Tour in 2017 but it is expected to return in 2018.

Including the tour matches we had 8 different winners during the year from 14 rounds of golf.

MGS Apperances

Player Monthly Spring Tour Total
WATKISS, Jerry 11 3 14
MANN, Michael 11 3 14
HOWROYD, David 10 3 13
WAPLING, Ken 12 12
GALLIFANT, James 9 3 12
PATERSON, Kelvin 8 3 11
CHEESMUR, Brian 8 3 11
DAY,  Brian 11 11
TIPPETT, Andy 8 3 11
GORRINGE, Tim 7 3 10
BUTLER, Clive 6 3 9
HUGHES, Mark 9 9
LAYEN, Pat 9 9
BUCK, Chris 6 3 9
COPPARD, Derek 8 8
VALENTINE, Carl 7 7
BROWNING, Barry 4 3 7
BIGLEY, Alan 7 7
BOND, Alan 7 7
HILLMAN, Paul 6 6
BISHOP, Andy 3 3 6
BATCHELDER, Tony 5 5
BENNETT, Tom 4 4
CUDMORE, Peter 4 4
TODD, Roger 4 4
GOULDING, Frank 4 4
ABLITT, Fred 3 3
HOOLAHAN, Sandy 2 2
COLLINGWOOD, John 2 2
CUDMORE, Margaret 1 1
BRISTOW, Guy 1 1
HAMILTON, Ray 1 1
WAPLING, Keith 1 1
BARBER, Paul (guest) 1 1
RIDDALL, Graham (guest) 1 1
PLANT Charles (guest) 1 1
HEAD, Ash (guest) 1 1
COLE,  Tim (guest) 1 1

 

Overall attendance has been very good with the average monthly meeting attendance being 17.  The highest was 21 at Cooden in July and at Seaford in September with the lowest being a hardcore 8 at Pyecombe in darkest cold January!

Ken Wapling was ever present at the monthly events which is real credit and achievement – well done Ken

MGS PLayer of the Year 2017 (BEST FOUR ROUNDS)

Player App Best 4 stableford scores combined Average
1 WAPLING, Ken 11 154 38.50
=2 WATKISS, Jerry 10 153 38.25
=2 PATERSON, Kelvin 8 153 38.25
=2 GORRINGE, Tim 6 153 38.25
5 BROWNING, Barry 4 151 37.75
6 LAYEN, Pat 8 149 37.25
7 DAY, Brian 10 147 36.75
=8 MANN, Michael 10 146 36.50
=8 BUTLER, Clive 6 146 36.50
10 VALENTINE, Carl 7 145 36.25
11 TIPPETT, Andy 7 141 35.25
=12 COPPARD, Derek 8 140 35.00
=12 HUGHES, Mark 8 140 35.00
=12 HILLMAN, Paul 5 140 35.00
15 HOWROYD, David 9 139 34.75
16 BIGLEY, Alan 6 134 33.50
=17 BOND, Alan 6 131 32.75
=17 BUCK, Chris 5 131 32.75
19 BATCHELDER, Tony 5 130 32.50
20 CUDMORE, Peter 4 124 31.00
21 CHEESMUR, Brian 8 122 30.50
22 GALLIFANT, Jim 8 121 30.25
23 BENNETT, Tom 4 96 24.00
24 TODD, Roger 4 86 21.50

Congratulations to Ken Wapling - key to his success was to be able to perm four good scores from a possible eleven. You could throw a blanket over the top 5 who all ended the year within a point of each other - that wayward drive or the one putt in the middle of summer that lipped out making all the difference – very fine margins.  A really good competition this year – well done to everyone.

MGS OVERALL AVERAGES (TOTAL SCOREs DIVIDED BY TOTAL APPEARANCES) – excludes Dewlands aS 9 Holes

Player App Overall
1 BROWNING, Barry 4 37.75
2 GORRINGE, Tim 6 35.33
3 GOULDING, Frank 3 34.33
4 HILLMAN, Paul 5 33.60
5 BUTLER, Clive 6 33.00
6 LAYEN, Pat 8 33.00
7 PATERSON, Kelvin 8 32.75
8 TIPPETT, Andy 7 32.57
9 VALENTINE, Carl 7 32.57
10 BATCHELDER, Tony 5 32.00
11 BISHOP, Andy 2 32.00
12 BIGLEY, Alan 6 31.83
13 MANN, Michael 10 31.70
14 WATKISS, Jerry 10 31.70
15 BUCK, Chris 5 31.40
16 COPPARD, Derek 8 31.38
17 WAPLING, Ken 11 31.36
18 BOND, Alan 6 31.33
19 CUDMORE, Peter 4 31.00
20 DAY,  Brian 10 30.10
21 HUGHES, Mark 8 29.75
22 HOWROYD, David 9 29.44
23 CUDMORE, Margaret 1 28.00
24 GALLIFANT, Jim 8 27.63
25 CHEESMUR, Brian 8 27.38
26 BENNETT, Tom 4 24.00
27 ABLITT, Fred 3 22.67
28 TODD, Roger 4 21.50
29 HOOLAHAN, Sandy 2 19.00
30 COLLINGWOOD, John 1 15.00

Congratulations to Barry Browning who tops the table with 20 players averaging 30+ points across the ups and downs of the season which is very good indeed.

 

40 POINT plus club 2017

Player Points Course
BROWNING, Barry 50 Seaford Head
BUTLER, Clive 49 Seaford Head
BROWNING, Barry 48 Lewis
GORRINGE, Tim 48 Seaford Head
WATKISS, Jerry 44 Seaford Head
MANN, Michael 43 Seaford Head
GOULDING, Frank 43 Seaford Head
COPPARD, Derek 42 Seaford Head
WAPLING, Ken 41 Westerham
LAYEN, Pat 41 Dale Hill
VALENTINE, Carl 41 Cooden
DAY,  Brian 41 Cooden
PATERSON, Kelvin 40 Seaford Head
TIPPETT, Andy 40 Seaford Head

Congratulations to Barry Browning who posted the best score of the season at Seaford Head – a really fantastic score

Nearest the PIN 2017

Month Course Nearest the Pin
Jan-17 Pyecombe Clive Butler
Feb-17 Lewes Dereck Coppard
Mar-17 Nevill Micky Mann
Apr-17 Westerham Carl Valentine
Apr-17 Damme Golf & Country Club (Belgium) Andy Bishop
May-17 East Sussex National (Anniversary Cup) Jerry Watkiss
Jun-17 Dale Hill Woosnam – HCPs 0-19 Mark Hughes
Jun-17 Dale Hill Woosnam – HCPs 20+ Peter Cudmore
Jul-17 Cooden Pat Layen
Aug-17 Lamberhurst Jerry Watkiss
Sep-17 Seaford Head Micky Mann
Oct-17 Hever Castle GC Clive Butler
Nov-17  Crowborough Beacon Chris Buck
Dec-17  Dewlands Manor Ash Head (guest)

 

The Society hotshots this year with two wins each were Clive Butler, Micky Mann & Jerry Watkiss.

LONGEST DRIVE 2017

Month Course Longest Drive
Jan-17 Pyecombe Clive Butler
Feb-17 Lewes Mark Hughes
Mar-17 Nevill (Mad March Jugs) Mark Hughes
Apr-17 Westerham James Gallifant
Apr-17 Damme Golf & Country Club (Belgium) Jerry Watkiss
Apr-17 The Royal Zoute Golf Club (Belgium) Tim Gorringe
May-17 East Sussex National (Anniversary Cup) Micky Mann
Jun -17 Dale Hill Woosnam - Captain's Day HCPs 0-19 Carl Valentine  **
Jun-17 Dale Hill Woosnam - Captain's Day HCPs 20+ James Gallifant  **
Jul-17 Cooden Beach GC Carl Valentine
Aug-17 Lamberhurst GC Alan Bond #
Sep-17 Seaford Head (Individual & Team) Alan Bigley
Oct-17 Hever Castle GC Micky Mann
Nov-17  Crowborough Beacon Alan Bigley
Dec-17  Dewlands Manor Jerry Watkiss
** Nearest the Pin in Two Competition

# Nearest the Line Competition

Again, this has been shared around this year – with Mark Hughes, Alan Bigley, Carl Valentine and Micky Mann eating the most spinach during the year.

 

MGS SOCIETY MEMBER HANDICAPS @ NOVEMBER 2017 (pre DEWLANDS)

Player HCP
1 VALENTINE, Carl 8
2 BIGLEY, Alan 10
3 WATKISS, Jerry 13
4 MANN, Michael 13
5 BROWNING, Barry 14
6 HUGHES, Mark 15
7 HOOLAHAN, Sandy 15
8 LAYEN, Pat 15
9 GORRINGE, Tim 16
10 COPPARD, Dereck 17
11 BUTLER, Clive 18
12 HILLMAN, Paul 18
13 CUDMORE, Margaret 20
14 BUCK, Chris 20
15 ABLITT, Fred 21
16 BOND, Alan 21
17 PATERSON, Kelvin 22
18 HOWROYD, David 22
19 BENNETT, Tom 22
20 GOULDING, Frank 22
21 WAPLING, Ken 22
22 DAY,  Brian 23
23 TIPPETT, Andy 24
24 CUDMORE, Peter 24
25 BISHOP, Andy 25
26 BATCHELDER, Tony 27
27 CHEESMUR, Brian 28
28 COLLINGWOOD, John 28
29 GALLIFANT, James 28
30 TODD, Roger 28

Really nice to see the quality of golf played this year by our low handicap players who have also been winning trophies – great to see.

For 2018 the bookies are already looking at the likes of Hughes, Coppard, Gallifant, Buck, Tippett, Butler, Cudmore and Holroyd to be silverware contenders.