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.