|
Saturday 1 January 2011 |
Last night saw
nearly 100 revellers celebrate the start of the Club's 101st
year
Another
excellent New Year's Eve Party took place last night when the
theme was "red ties and tiaras". Nearly 100 members and guests
enjoyed some fabulous food from Clay Morris and his team
before dancing into the early hours to music from Mick Rose.
Special thanks go to Brian Murphy, Lynn Stoner and everybody
else who contributed to another successful social function.
Please click here for photos |
|
Friday 24 December
2010 |
Ken Holden retires after 24 years of dedicated service as a
Green-Keeper
It has become customary for the Club Captain to 'breakfast'
with the Green-keepers on Christmas Eve, but this year's event
was extra special as the numbers were enhanced to recognise
our long-serving green-keeper Ken Holden.
Ken joined us in
1986 and completed five years' service on the 'old' course
before it succumbed to the new A27 Brighton By-pass and link
road. He has since completed another nineteen years on the
'new' course and been instrumental in seeing it change from
barren tree-less downland to the maturing course we enjoy
today.
Today's 'breakfast club' was
joined by the Club's President and Board members, together
with Ken's wife Judith who was presented with a fine bouquet
of flowers. Ken Hopkins, a Board member and Chairman of the
Greens Working Party, presented Ken with a cheque in
recognition of his outstanding contribution to the Club over
nearly a quarter of a century.
Ken officially retires on 31 December 2010 and will no doubt
find good use of his retirement award. Ken is an exceptionally
good indoor bowler and has a passion in the summer for
air-shows. We wish him a long, well deserved, retirement.
Please
click here for photo |
|
Saturday 18
December 2010 |
The
Course and Clubhouse will be closed on Sunday 19 December
In the interest of safety, the Club has reluctantly decided to
close the Course and Clubhouse tomorrow, Sunday 19 December,
as the half mile access road is very icy and impassable in
places. This unfortunately means that the scheduled Christmas
Lunch has had to be postponed but the Social Committee plan to
organise another special lunch in the New Year - watch this
space.
Unlike the snow we all experienced earlier this month which
melted overnight, this time there is no sign of a rapid thaw
and it was considered prudent to make these decisions early
for the benefit of our Members.
Further updates will be posted on the 'Welcome' page over the
coming days to advise on the condition of the course.
Thank
you for your understanding. |
Road to the Clubhouse at noon on 18 Dec 2010
(Photo courtesy of Gary Salt) |
|
Saturday 11
December 2010 |
The Club's
Children's Christmas Party took place today
Like last year, fifty-four children attended this afternoon's
party in the Clubhouse. They were again entertained by 'Magic
Martin' and enjoyed games and some food before every child
received a present from Santa Claus - who, interestingly, bore
a striking resemblance to 'Popeye' or Club Captain Pete
Rodger. Thanks go to Grace Shepherd and Rita Hedderman (the
Ladies' Captain) for organising this popular event.
Please click here
for photos |
|
Friday 10 December
2010 |
Michael
Phillpot was awarded the Tony Jones Memorial Putter by the
SCGU yesterday
At yesterday's Sussex County Golf Union AGM at East
Brighton GC our new President, Michael Phillpot, was surprised
and honoured to be awarded this prestigious putter.
The putter was presented to the SCGU in 1996 by Mrs M Jones
and has been awarded annually thereafter to a golf club,
organisation or individual who the current SCGU President and
Secretary consider has contributed the most to Sussex Golf
over the year. This year our newly elected President, Michael
Phillpot, was chosen by John Bury (the SCGU President) and
Anup Vasant (the SCGU Secretary) "for services to golf in
the County of Sussex".
Many congratulations Michael. |
|
Wednesday 8
December 2010 |
The dates for
the Seniors' Texas Scramble and Christmas Lunch have changed
After very careful consideration, the Seniors' Captain, Andy
Page, and the Seniors' Competition Secretary, John Pheasey,
have today announced that these two events will now take place
next year, on Friday 14th January 2011 (not 17 December 2010
as provisionally announced).
The lunch is one of the Seniors' key functions as it includes
the annual prize-giving. It is hoped that everyone can still
attend, but to cater for changes the original attendance/entry
sheet has been re-posted on the Seniors' Notice Board so that
members may add or delete their name if their circumstances
have changed.
It is worth recording that these events should have been held
last Friday, but they had to be postponed because a foot of
snow over the course and road. Special thanks go to Duncan
Haste and his green-keepers who battled into work that day and
removed over 80 tons of snow from the half-mile entrance road. |
|
Sunday 5 December
2010 |
The draw for
the Children's Christmas Party raffle took place today....
and the winner was Mick Buss. He wins a dinner for two,
including a bottle of wine, at the Sussex Pad Restaurant - the
prize being kindly donated by Frank & Penny Shannon. |
|
Sunday 28 November 2010 |
Our new Club
Captain, Pete 'Popeye' Rodger, had his official 'drive-in'
today
Yet again the weather spoilt this morning's Captain’s Charity
Better-Ball competition, but the freezing conditions, and a
threat of snow, did not deter a large crowd attending this
very popular annual event. (Why do we do this in November?)
By the time Pete (of the bulging forearms) appeared, the sun
had broken through but with the wind getting-up the chill
factor had increased considerably. To great acclaim, but with
no real surprise to anyone, Pete arrived on the tee in a
dinghy kitted out as 'Popeye the Sailor'. Instead of knocking
back a can of fictional spinach, he was encouraged to down a
warming brandy. This did not have a beneficial effect as his
drive, and those of his fellow captains, did not come up to
Pete's
wayward drive 'zoomed' 195 yards, and
Andy
Page, the Seniors' Captain, achieved a creditable 176 yards 2
feet, but
Ryan
Stafford, our new Juniors' Captain, probably hit
his ball another 100 yards further but it was not immediately
found and so no measurement was available!
In accordance with custom Pete provided everyone present with
a complimentary drink and a splendid buffet - and this was in
addition to the 80 plus members and guests who decided to
enjoy one of Clay Morris' excellent lunches. Let's hope that
Pete is infused
with plenty of
spinach throughout his year so as to
replicate the feats of his comic strip character.
Once again,
Club Member Michael Hunt very kindly donated a magnificent
prize for the person whose ticket matched the length of Pete's
drive. This year's winner was Steve Thatcher - he will enjoy a
round of golf and dinner, bed and breakfast for four people at
the East Sussex National Golf Resort and Spa.
Please click here
for photos |
|
Thursday 25 November 2010 |
Tonight's Annual
General Meeting heralds West Hove Golf Club's 101st year
After a momentous centennial, tonight's AGM, in the Keith
Haste Suite, was significant on a number of fronts. The
meeting was opened by the Club's President, Don Thatcher, who
in his inimitable style announced his retirement after 18
years.
Michael Phillpot was then unanimously elected to succeed him.
Michael was West Hove's Club Captain in 1986/87 and has acted
as Junior Organiser on two separate occasions and served for
the past four years on the Centenary Committee. He has also
been both the Secretary and President of the Brighton &
District Golfing Society and has held posts in the Sussex
County Golf Union where he is currently a Committee Member.The retiring
Club Captain, Gordon Eaton, then addressed the meeting and
thanked everybody who had helped him throughout the Club's
centenary year. During his captaincy nearly £7,500 had been
raised for good causes with £7,000 of this being presented
tonight to Richard Lintott, Chairman of the charity Leo House.
Gordon announced that £300 had been donated to the Club's
Junior Section and over £160 was to be used to 'kick-start'
the fund-raising of John Manville for the Alzheimer's Society.
Septuagenarian John will be cycling from London to Paris next
year!
After the Club's first 100 years, Pete
Rodger was tonight elected as the Club's 83rd
Club Captain. To great
acclaim, he announced that his chosen charity would remain Leo
House at Home. Pete's first
function was to present the retiring Club Captain and President
with framed pictures of the Clubhouse and course.
click here for photos
Richard Daughtrey was elected
as Vice-Captain and Martin Emery and Stuart Rodger, the Club
Captain's brother, were elected to the Golf Committee.
The Club's General Manager,
Gary Salt, then provided a presentation about the proposed
fairway improvement programme scheduled for the Spring of
2011. This was first reported in July 2010 -
click here for details |
|
Sunday 21
November 2010 |
Please click here for photos from last
night's Centenary Captains' Farewell Party |
|
Saturday 20
November 2010 |
A
large party of 28 from West Hove GC attended last night's SCGU
Annual Dinner
The Sussex County Golf Union’s Annual Dinner
was held last night at the East Sussex
National Golf Resort & Spa near Uckfield. Over 150 members and
guests from the sixty-six affiliated Sussex golf clubs attended this
'black-tie' function, the only social event that the SCGU
organise.
After a splendid
dinner
a special presentation was made to West Hove GC. It is
customary for the English Golf Union (EGU) to present a
commemorative plate to all golf clubs in their centenary year
and the EGU very kindly allowed an informal presentation to be
made at our Gala Ball in July. However, last night saw the
formal ceremony.
On behalf of the EGU,
and in celebration of our centenary, Donald Steel a Past
President of the
EGU
presented the Club with a commemorative Royal Crown Derby
plate.
It was notable by virtue of being the first such plate to bear
the name of the recipient Club.
Donald Steel has a most
interesting golfing pedigree. Apart from being a good golfer
he was best known for his writing having been the Sunday
Telegraph's golf correspondent for nigh on 30 years from 1961
and having written ten golf books. He subsequently became a
golf architect and holds the unique distinction of being the
only
writer or
architect to have played in the Open as an amateur.
He was President of the EGU in 2006 and has now earned a
reputation as an excellent after-dinner speaker.
Club Captain Gordon Eaton
thanked both the EGU and SCGU representatives before the assembled mass were
entertained by
Roger De Courcey & Nookie Bear. They provided
some fun stories including one about an after-dinner speaker
who spoke for so long that they had to call the following
speaker through!
Click here for photos. |
|
Tuesday 16
November 2010 |
The Club's
popular Children's Christmas Party is to be held on 11
December 2010
Grace Shepherd and her colleagues resurrected this event last
year when fifty-four children attended. Early signs suggest
that this year's party could be over-subscribed so if you
would like to treat your young family please ensure you book
early. Once again there will be party games, face painting, entertainment by
'Magic Martin' and the statutory visit of Father Christmas who will
provide every child with a present. And the cost is a
fantastic £3 per child!
To help fund the event there is a raffle where the prize
(kindly donated by Frank and Penny Shannon) is dinner for two
with a bottle of wine at the Sussex Pad Restaurant.
Members wishing to support this event may purchase tickets
from the Clubhouse bar.
Full details of this year's Children's Christmas Party may be
found by
clicking here -
and you are also invited to
click here for photos of
last year's party. |
|
Monday 15
November 2010 |
Members are
reminded that the next "ROLL-UP" session with the Club's Head
Professional, Graeme Crompton, will take place next Sunday 21
November 2010 on the practice ground.
This is a fantastic opportunity to hone your game at a
fantastic price - just £10 to include balls. There's no need
to book, just turn up with your clubs for the one hour session
at 11.00am. |
|
Tuesday 9 November 2010 |
The new Ladies'
Captain Rita Hedderman drove-in today
The inclement weather meant that today's Ladies' 13-hole
competition had to be cancelled, but a gap in the weather
allowed for the usual colourful drive-in to proceed on time.
The new Ladies' Captain, Rita Hedderman, was ceremoniously
driven to the tee by her son Darren in a balloon festooned
golf-buggy. This was a far cry from 1981 when Rita became the
first Ladies' Captain to have a drive-in - those days were
very much male orientated. After knocking back a warming
brandy, Rita drove her tee shot 99 yards 1 foot.
After adjourning
to the refuge of the clubhouse, Rita thanked everyone present
for their support. She then invited them to join her for drinks and
an appetising buffet prepared by the Club's Catering
Manager Clay Morris. A total of £243 was raised for Rita's
chosen charity, the Martlets Hospice, who
provide end-of-life care services to adults with life limiting illness,
including cancer.
Please
click here for a selection of photos |
|
Sunday 7 November 2010 |
Two more 'aces'
have been recorded this weekend
This year has seen Phil Harris and Richard Simmons both record
their first 'hole-in-one' and Jay Stally achieving a remarkable
three 'aces' in just six days. It was no surprise therefore to
find that two further 'aces' were recorded this weekend.
Yesterday,
six-handicapper Mark Haggart gained his second 'ace' by holing
out with a 6-iron at the 191-yard 13th hole - his first
having been about 13 years ago. In today's Victory Gold Cup,
Bob Smith (who plays off 12) recorded his first hole-in-one
with an 8-iron at the 156-yard 7th hole. In accordance with
tradition he treated all in the bar to a celebratory drink.
Congratulations Mark and Bob. |
|
Tuesday 2 November
2010 |
West Hove has
been accepted as a Member of the Association of James Braid
Courses
The Club is delighted to announce another fabulous benefit for
its Members. We
have recently been accepted into this Association which allows
golfers within the member clubs the benefit of reduced-price
golf at the other courses within the Association.
The Association
currently comprises 51 clubs in the UK, four in Eire and even
one in the USA, all of whom have had one of their courses
designed or re-designed by James Braid.
There are strict rules regarding the booking of tee-times at
the other member clubs and these, together with
contact details and green-fee rates of the clubs within the
Association, may be inspected
by clicking here.
West Hove Members may take advantage of this new benefit with
immediate effect and must organise their game in accordance
with the booking rules. |
|
Monday 25 October 2010 |
The annual New
Members' Competition proves very successful once again
Yesterday, on a gloriously sunny but increasingly chilly
Sunday afternoon, forty members competed in this ever popular
event. It allows the Club's newer members to meet and play
with members from the Golf Committee, the Board or even
the odd past Club Captain or Catering Manager! The format, a
13-hole Texas Scramble, allowed ten teams of mixed ability to
have a good chance of winning.
Following coffee on arrival and the golf, all competitors
enjoyed a light meal before Club Captain Gordon Eaton
introduced the 'old school'. Prizes were then presented to the
top two teams:
Winners on 42.3:
Pete Rodger, John Godley, Mick Ruff & Amir Taheri -
click here for
photo
Second with 44.4: Gordon Eaton, Andy MacMillan, James Dacosta
& Andrew Macgregor-Boyle
Third place with 45.8: Terry McNeill, John Poland, Clay Morris
& Adam Bruce |
|
Monday 18 October 2010 |
West Hove
narrowly win the Downs Trophy
This annual team match, played home and away over two
legs, against Singing Hills GC was won by West Hove on
Saturday. In the first away leg in September the Singing Hills
team won by 212 points to our 210. Saturday's home leg saw
West Hove score 227 points but Singing Hills could only muster
202, giving West Hove an aggregate 437 to 414 win. The
better-ball of Damon Raikes and Gary Salt top scored with an
impressive 42 points (scoring a gross 65). |
|
Friday 15
October 2010 |
Captains'
Farewell Party 2010 on 20 November 2010
Full details of the Captains' Farewell Party on Saturday 20
November 2010 are available on our Notice Board page and in
the Clubhouse.
Please click here for details |
|
Thursday 14
October 2010 |
A West Hove
Ladies' team are runners-up in today's
Southdown Trophy
The Southdown Trophy, a long-standing medal competition
between Golf Clubs in the Brighton area, took place today at
Brighton & Hove GC. Each team comprises five ladies with the
best three scores counting. Our team of Jan Seabrook, Rita
Hedderman, Jackie Pinker, Stacey Rodger and Sophie Kennard
acquitted themselves very well to finish just two shots behind
the winners, Pyecombe GC. Sophie did exceptionally well to win
the individual prize with a very good net 69 and Stacey
Rodger, playing off scratch, shot 74.
|
|
Thursday 14
October 2010 |
Our Head
Professional Graeme Crompton
just misses out in an exciting matchplay final
The SPGU's Foxprint Matchplay pairs finals were played
yesterday at Sweetwoods Park GC. Head Professional, Graeme
Crompton, and his matchplay partner Richard Hill
(unattached) played in the morning semi-final against David
Mills (unattached) and Charles Giddens (Beauport Park). This
was a really close fought match and although Graeme and
Richard lead for most of the way, they were taken up the
19th which they fortunately won with yet another birdie
(apparently, the aggregate score for all 19 holes was -10).
In the afternoon final there was some further excellent golf
when they met Jason Partridge (Piltdown) and Lee Morris
(Lynx). Unfortunately this time Graeme and Richard lost 2
and 1, with a better-ball score of -4 to their
opponents -6. Graeme did particularly well to survive the 36
holes having only recently recovered from injury.
|
|
Tuesday 12
October 2010 |
The Juniors' AGM welcomes
Ryan Stafford as the new Juniors' Captain
Ken Stafford, the Juniors' Organiser, chaired the 2010
Juniors' AGM in the presence of Gordon Eaton (Club Captain),
Gary Salt (General Manager) and Junior members and parents on
Sunday 10 October. Ryan Stafford was installed as the new
Juniors' Captain and the annual prize-giving was performed by
Gordon Eaton. The minutes of the meeting, together with some
photographs, may be seen on the Juniors' page of this website.
Please click here
|
|
Monday 11
October 2010 |
Latest News from The West
Hove Golf Academy
Do you need a little help with your swing? If so, our Head
Professional, Graeme Crompton, will be holding a 'roll-up'
lesson on Saturday 30 October 2010 at a cost of JUST £10
including balls. You are invited to turn up at noon for the
one hour lesson. |
|
Tuesday 5 October 2010 |
The Ladies 'Away Day' this
year was at Dunwood Manor GC
Last Tuesday, 28 September, 23 lady members left West Hove
by coach for their annual 'Away Day' competition. This year
they chose one of our reciprocal Clubs, Dunwood Manor in
Hampshire. Rita Hedderman reports that they had a lovely day
and the winning competitors were:
Pat Tucker, 34 points
Delmor Abbott, 33 points
Rita Hedderman, 32 points (on count-back from Alex Wickett)
Please click here for
a photo |
|
Monday 27
September 2010 |
Members -
please note these competition date changes
Match & Handicap have
announced the following changes:
The 29 September Mid-Week
Stableford has been postponed - new date is 10 November
2010
The 29 September Seniors' Stableford has been postponed too -
new date is 6 October 2010
The October Monthly Medal will revert to the originally
scheduled date - that is 9 October 2010 |
Sunday 26 September 2010
The Centenary Cake
|
Joan Sherrington and House
Manager Lynn Stoner spring an Edwardian surprise
Tim Ingram and Gavin Curlett won yesterday's 'Hundred Year
Scramble' in chilly and windy conditions with a very
impressive 61.9 (67 gross), each
winning
a piece of commemorative bone-china and champagne kindly
donated by Brian Hazelgrove.
Robert Steel & Ivan
Parnell came second on 63.6 and
Tony Humphrey & Mark Haggart were third with 63.9.
All membership categories were
invited to compete in this free 2-ball Texas Scramble to
celebrate the end of the Club's centenary year. They were
encouraged to wear Edwardian dress and many of the mixed
pairs, in particular, did just that. The surprise winning
'couple' for the best Edwardian costumes, however, was Joan
Sherrington and the Club's House Manager Lynn Stoner.
It was fitting that for this
last centenary golf event over 100 members participated. After
their golf they all enjoyed a celebratory glass of 'fizz'
together with a piece of cake from a magnificent
creation donated (but not made!) by Club Captain Gordon Eaton.
Please click here for a selection of photos
|
|
Thursday 23 September
2010
 |
A
multi-millionaire poet arrived at West Hove by helicopter this
evening
There was a surprise
this evening for members of the Downlanders Golfing Society
who were finishing their normal Thursday evening competition,
and for users of our driving-range who had to suddenly stop practicing.
At about 6.35pm, a helicopter landed on the practice ground to
deliver the eccentric 62-year old multi-millionaire
entrepreneur and poet Felix Dennis. He had been given
permission to land there, by our General Manager Gary Salt, as
he was giving a poetry recital at the Komedia in Brighton. A
donation was made to the Club for this privilege.
On Tuesday, in Exeter, he had started a 21-day
poetry reading
tour of the country by helicopter to launch his
sixth book of verse, 'Tales From The Woods'. He will
be introducing and reciting his new collection of poems in an
exclusive preview ahead of the book’s launch on 28th
October.
Fans of his poems
include Mick Jagger, Stephen Fry, Tom Wolfe, Dawn French and
Jon Snow.
He was met at West Hove GC by his chauffeur, Lloyd, who
transported him into Brighton in a Maybach car (worth many
hundreds of thousand pounds!).
Please
click here for photos |
|
Wednesday 22
September 2010 |
A
picture has been commissioned and
presented to the Club to mark its centenary
The picture along with
a description is on display in the Clubhouse.
Please
click here for full details and photos |
Wednesday 22
September 2010
100 years old
today |
West Hove Golf Club is 100 years old today
It is a wonderful achievement for West Hove GC to
celebrate its 100th anniversary today. Founded by Alderman J J
Clark on 22 September 1910, the Club prospered for many years
but then suffered under the blight of the proposed A27
Brighton by-pass. This created many financial problems and the
need to build a new golf course and clubhouse from scratch.
Thanks to its members it survived and is now prospering.
The story of the
Club over these past 100 years is to be told in a hard-back
book which the Club hopes will be published by the end of this
year.
The
book, 'The
History of West Hove Golf Club 1910-2010', is full of very
interesting stories, anecdotes and photos, and will be a 'must
read' for every Member.
The Club currently has
an exhibition
of memorabilia on
display.
Please click here for photos |
|
Sunday 19 September
2010 |
Members and
their guests are cordially invited to attend our
RYDER CUP
LUNCH
On Sunday 3 October 2010 a large wide-screen TV is to be sited
in the dining area. Members are advised to book early to enjoy
one of Clay's fabulous carvery lunches whilst watching the
last day of this exciting event with your family and friends.
Please
click here for details |
|
Sunday 19 September
2010 |
Bob Thatcher
wins today's Leslie Green Committee Cup
This annual competition for present and past male Committee
Members attracted 27 entrants. Bob Thatcher, son of our
President Don, who plays off 9 won with a creditable 40 points
from Roy Colwell (39 points) and Nick O'Byrne (38 points). Bob
was a committee member back in the 1980s and is currently a
member at East Sussex National GC.
Please click here
for photos |
|
Saturday 18 September
2010
back to the top |
The George
Shepherd Memorial Bowl was won today by the 'Fred's Army Golf
Society'
This year marked the 30th anniversary of this annual
competition for Society teams of nine, with the best six Stableford scores counting. Nine societies entered today's
event which was won by one of the stalwart societies, 'Fred's
Army GS'. They are run by one of our most loyal supporters,
Akbar Fallah Moghadam, better known to us all as 'Fred'.
Brighton-based
Fred has been organising amateur golf tournaments for many
years and their Society scored an impressive 220 points today - an average of over 36
per player. Fred's Army has competed from year one and today's
win is their sixth. For the second year running the Earlybirds GS
were runners-up (on 215 points) and the Downlanders GS came in third (on
206) points.
The best individual score for the day was achieved by Ivan
Parnell with 41 points.
The Club is grateful for Mrs Marian Shepherd, George
Shepherd's widow, for attending and presenting the prizes
alongside Club Captain, Gordon Eaton. |
|
Friday 17 September 2010 |
This year's
South Downs Way walk raised £6,786 for the Captains' charities
Further
to the news reports dated 6 March, 25 April and 3 May 2010,
the Club is very pleased to announce that Michael Phillpot and
David Nealer raised this magnificent sum. This is to be split
three ways as follows:
£3,728 for Leo House at Home
£2,158 for the NSPCC, and
£900 for the SCGU Junior Development Fund.
Michael and David,
together with Club Captain Gordon Eaton and the Ladies'
Captain Jan Seabrook, would like to thank all sponsors for
their very generous support. A fuller report will be published
on the notice-boards in the Clubhouse within the next few
days.
|
|
Friday 10 September 2010 |
The
Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) recognises West Hove
Golf Club's centenary
Following yesterday's SPGU Open Championship at West Hove,
their Secretary Cliff Pluck remained behind to present the Club with a
beautiful cut-glass bowl on behalf of the PGA. In Club Captain
Gordon Eaton's absence, our General Manager Gary Salt was
delighted to accept the vase on behalf of the Club.
Please click here
for some photos |
|
Thursday 9
September 2010 |
The SPGU's Open
Championship was won today by Glyn Bateman at 7-under-par
In our Centenary Year, West Hove GC has been honoured to host
another of the Sussex Professional Golfers' Union's most
prestigious events, The Sussex Open Championship, This year's event attracted 40 professionals
and 25 amateur golfers and in yesterday's first round the
leader was Giles Velvick (Horam Park GC) with a splendid
5-under-par 65. Eleven of the field beat par and the cut for today's second and final round
came at 72 plus ties. This meant that 22 pros and 11 amateurs teed off
this morning.
Glyn Bateman, of Eastbourne Golf Parks, came through the field to
follow yesterday's 69 with a fabulous 6-under-par 64 to win by two
shots on 133 from the amateur Wayne Hawes of Littlehampton GC
who scored 135 (70 & 65). Dan Croucher of Cottesmore GC finished
third on 136 (69 & 67) whilst Giles Velvick slipped back with a 72
to finish fourth on 137.
The Club would like to thank Cliff Pluck, the SPGU Secretary, for
bringing this championship to West Hove and, of course, another of
their 'big five' events, the Professional Championship, last month.
Please click here
to view the familiar sight of their mobile "Tournament Office". |
|
Friday 3 September 2010
back to the top
|
Members! A new event
for your diary - "The Hundred Year Scramble"
Members are advised that this new 'fun' competition will take place
on Saturday 25th September in place of the planned event on 22
September (which is now cancelled).
The new event will be a two-man-team Texas Scramble competition,
open to ALL categories and although Juniors are very welcome they
must play with an adult partner. And the good news is that entry for
this new competition is FREE!
Refreshments will be served and Edwardian costume (or a rough
impersonation thereof!) would be great, but not compulsory. There
will be prizes for the best-dressed pair. Please make an
effort to 'dress-up' even if it is just wearing a hat or a jumper –
you don’t have to go to any expense!
Full details will be posted in the Clubhouse and on this website in
the next day or two. |
|
Thursday 2 September
2010 |
The 2010 Men's Dinner
details have been published today ...
please click here for
details
including the full menu and booking arrangements. |
Wednesday 1 September
2010
 |
Club President Don
Thatcher will be retiring in November - so it's up, up and away!
At our fabulous Centenary Gala Ball in July, John Bury, the
President of the Sussex County Golf Union, won a hot-air balloon
trip for two but very kindly donated his prize to Pauline Danes our
General Admin. Assistant. She invited our Club President, Don
Thatcher, to join her and at short notice today they were advised
that the flight was on.
So, the excited pair were met by the pilot Terry Pembrey (one of our
Senior Members) in the Clubhouse car-park at 6.30pm. After careful
consideration, Terry decided that it was not a good idea to fly from
West Hove and suggested a quick drive inland to Upper Beeding. The
wind, although light, was in the east and meant that any flight from
our Club would have gone towards Shoreham Airport and the English
Channel - neither recommended!
After arriving at a field near Upper Beeding, Terry and his wife,
together with family and friends, quickly got their balloon ready
before Pauline and Don clambered (that's a polite way of putting it)
into the basket. By 7.10pm they were airborne and drifting westwards
into the sunset.
Several hours later Don telephoned in to report a successful, but
"hard" landing. Well, they apparently landed on part of Worthing GC
before seeking assistance and being helped to creep over hedges to
finish their flight on Hill Barn GC. They were then met by some
incredulous golfers and all ended up in the bar at Hill Barn. Don
remarked about the eerie silence of the flight and Pauline suggested
they should now try white-water rafting! Don was speechless - and
another eerie period of silence followed.
please click here for
photos |
|
Saturday 28 August 2010
back to the top |
We wonder whether the
weather is improving
We have had a number of (mild) complaints that the weather forecasts
on this website are not very accurate. Obviously, we can't control
the weather we get on our course, but we can change our weather
forecast provider - so this is what we've done from today.
If you now click on the weather link on our Home (or Welcome) page,
you will be directed to a new 'weather page' giving a 24-hour
forecast AND a 4/5-day forecast. We very much hope that this
will provide a better service to our members and visitors.
Please click here for
the new 'Weather' page. |
|
Thursday 26 August 2010 |
Sixteen West Hove
Members enjoyed an eventful day at West Surrey GC today
A minibus and van were hired to transport, respectively, the 16
players and their golf-clubs to West Surrey for the last match in
the triangular tournament against Reading and West Surrey Golf
Clubs. Without a 'Sat-Nav' or map our driver (Club Captain, Gordon
Eaton) took the team on a tortuous journey through Sussex including
an unexpected tour of Petworth. Unfortunately, the van that
followed, driven by our Junior Organiser Ken Stafford, was prone to
breaking down and arrived (with the golf-clubs) nearly an hour after
the team arrived!
This trauma may have accounted for the team's below par performance,
although General Manager Gary Salt excelled with 37 points playing
off 1. Our team totalled 461 points to Reading's 497 and West
Surrey's 517. The overall totals for the three matches were Reading
GC 1,542 points, West Surrey GC 1,505 points and West Hove GC 1,475
points.
After a very enjoyable dinner, the team was exceedingly grateful to
Howard Coulson who had driven up from Brighton in another van to
transport our golf-clubs back home. The broken-down van remained at
West Surrey for collection tomorrow!
The three match tournament proved very successful and the West Hove
team was most grateful for the hospitality extended today by West
Surrey and, of course, by Reading on 3 August. It is hoped
that the three 'Centenary' Clubs can inaugurate an annual event in the future.
Please click here for photo |
|
Monday 23 August 2010 |
Lynne Henshaw and
Dave Bidwell win on their first 'Mixed Away' event
After a couple of years in Belek, Turkey the 'Mixed Away'
competition returned to one of their favourite stomping grounds, the
Chateau du Vaudichon at St. Saens in France. Seven couples arrived
home today having enjoyed four days at this lovely golf resort. This
year's winners, on their first trip away, were Lynne Henshaw and
Dave Bidwell.
Please click here for
a 'team photo'
West
Hove's 'Mixed Away' trip next year has been provisionally booked at
St. Saens again from 19 August for four nights. If you are
interested in joining the group please contact the organiser,
Michael Whitty, by telephone or email m.whitty@ntlworld.com |
|
Sunday 22 August 2010
back to the top |
Jay Stally's
remarkable progress continues...
Further to our reports (below) dated 6th and 13th August, Jay has
today recorded another notable achievement. He won his sixth
competition this year, the August Monthly Medal, with a gross 68
(net 61!) which means the Club must now send the statutory
notification to the Sussex County Golf Union to advise them that he
has become a Category 1 golfer (with a handicap of 5.2). Just 18
months ago his handicap was 24 and only eleven days ago it was 8.9 -
remarkable progress! |
|
Sunday 22 August 2010 |
The final Brighton &
District Golfing Society event was held at Brighton & Hove GC today
The last of the 2010 BDGS events, the Mixed Cup, took place today at
Brighton & Hove GC in very testing conditions. Our team did not fare
well, losing to The Dyke in the morning and East Brighton in the
afternoon. Congratulations, however, are due to Brighton & Hove GC
for winning the Mixed Cup and to The Dyke GC who won the Victor
Ludorum Trophy (for the best aggregate points score over the
season). |
|
Tuesday 17 August
2010 |
Notice for West Hove
Members - October's Monthly Medal has been re-scheduled
Our General Manager, Gary Salt, has today issued a statement on
behalf of Match & Handicap to say that this competition will now be
held on Saturday 2 October and NOT Saturday 9 October 2010 as
originally planned. Please note your diaries. |
|
Friday 13 August 2010
Jay Stally
back to the top |
The Jay Stally
phenomena continues
Just one week after this website announced that Jay had achieved
three 'holes-in-one' in just six days, news of his achievements has
spread world-wide. Not only that, his phenomenal golfing progress continues.
On Wednesday Jay won the Club's August Mid-Week Open Medal with an
8-under par 62, having earlier won the July Mid-Week Open Stableford
competition with a massive 44 points. He has now won FIVE Club
competitions this year and his handicap of 8.9 last week is now down
to 7.1.
News of his 'aces' has spread like wild-fire.
Locally, he has appeared on
both ITV's 'Meridian Tonight' and the BBC's 'South Today'
programmes together with our Club Captain Gordon Eaton. If you would
like to watch the ITV interview please
click here -
and for the BBC interview
please
click here.
In addition, on Wednesday 11 August his photo' appeared on the front page of Brighton's leading
newspaper 'The Argus'
and there was also a full report on page three. Jay, and Club Manager
Gary Salt, were also interviewed by Neil Pringle on BBC Radio Sussex on
Thursday 12 August and you can listen to that five minute interview
(for the next four weeks only) by
clicking here -
after clicking on
'play', drag the slider to 1 hour 26 minutes.
Nationally, reports of his achievements have appeared in
newspapers such as The Telegraph, the
Daily Mail, The Sun,
The
Mirror and
The Independent On Sunday. In addition, reports have been posted on
Teletext and the
Crown Golf and
GOLFmagic websites.
Internationally, websites in countries such as
Spain, the
USA,
Australia and even
Japan
and
India, have reported his achievements and
include comments such as "Jay Stally is Britain’s luckiest
golfer after defying odds of two billion to one".
This has led to an increasing number of visitors to our own
website from the following countries searching for more news on Jay:
Italy, Spain, Sweden, Japan, USA, Denmark, Canada, Cyprus and
France. We consider that this story will escalate further in due course. |
|
Thursday 12 August
2010 |
The Sussex
Professional Championship has once again been held at West Hove
The cream of Sussex professional golfers have competed over the past
two days in this 36-hole SPGU stroke-play event, with the top 30
players from yesterday battling it out today for the Bill Watts
Trophy and The Sussex Professional Golfers' Union Challenge Cup.
After yesterday's round the leading contenders were David Mills
(unattached) and
Alan Harrison (Royal Eastbourne) on 68, Alan Tyson (Battle) and Calum Callan
(Cottesmore) on 69 and Marcus
Groombridge (Burgess Hill), Lee Morris (Lynx) and our own Ronnie Clark all on level par
70.
In today's second round Giles Velvick (Horam Park), who was in 20th
position, scored an excellent
4-under par 66 to finish on level-par 140. This augured well for a
very close finish. The day-one leaders, David Mills and Alan
Harrison, faded with scores of 74 and 73 respectively, but Marcus Groombridge and Alan Tyson shot 65 and 66 respectively to finish
tied first on 135.
Marcus then won the championship title with a par up the first
play-off hole leaving Alan second and Giles in third spot. Dan
Croucher (Cottesmore) won the prize for the leading Sussex trainee
assistant professional with a score of 141 (72 & 69). Ronnie Clark
finished on 143. |
|
Tuesday 10 August
2010 |
The Club's website
today received its 150,000th visitor (and 102nd country -
Armenia).
It took nearly two years (100 weeks) to reach 50,000 visitors, a
further 45 weeks for the next 50,000 but only 30 weeks for the third
50,000. |
|
Sunday 8 August 2010
back to the top |
Our Juniors' Captain,
Adam Hatcher, wins the 2010 West Hove Junior Championship
Congratulations to Adam Hatcher who won the West Hove
Junior Championship with gross rounds of 78 & 70 for a total
of 148 after trailing by five shots to Ryan Stafford in the first
round. Ryan finished a creditable second on 153 (73 & 80) with Tyler
Hounsome third on 160. In fact, Tyler played some very good golf to
win the net competition with a very impressive total of 128 (66 +
62) which is 12 under-par!
For the record, it was Jay Stally (see the report below dated 6
August) who won the net competition in 2009. |
|
Friday 6 August 2010
Jay Stally -
photographed in 2009 after winning the net competition in the Club's
Junior Championship
back to the top |
UNBELIEVABLE! Jay
Stally achieves three 'holes-in-one' in just six days at West Hove
GC
The Club is very proud to report that one of its younger
Members, 19-year old Jay Stally, has achieved one of the most
amazing feats in golfing history! In the past six days he has had,
not one, not two, but THREE 'aces' over the West Hove course.
To achieve a hole-in-one requires great skill (and a lot of luck)
and is every golfer's ultimate dream. Indeed, most golfers never
achieve this. To achieve two in a lifetime
is unbelievably rare, so to get a third, and ALL IN SIX DAYS, is in
our view likely to create some form of world record. His three 'aces' were
achieved as follows:
Saturday 31st July
2010,
c.2.30pm - on the 163-yard, par 3, 7th hole with an 8-iron - playing
with Justin Lanigan,
Monday 2nd August 2010, c. 5.00pm - on the 337-yard 'blind' dog-leg, par
4, 8th hole with a 3-wood - playing this time with Jorge Osbourne &
Ryan Fergany,
and finally on
Thursday 5th August 2010, c.1.15pm - on the 193-yard, par 3, 3rd hole with
a 4-iron - playing again with Jorge Osbourne and Ryan Fergany and
also Tyler Hounsome who reported that Jay's tee shot hit the
flag-stick and dropped into the hole!
Amazingly, he has now had 5 'holes-in-one' in his short golfing
career. The first was on our 207-yard, par 3, 17th hole in April
2009 followed by his second, in Spain, on the 16th hole
of La Manga's North Course in June last year.
Jay only joined the Club last year and has made very rapid progress,
reducing his handicap from 24 in February 2009 to 8.9 today. He has
already won a number of competitions this year and everybody at the
Club is very proud of him - what a fantastic achievement!
For the record, we
believe the longest ever hole-in-one was by Robert Mitera on a
444-yard hole, the youngest player to achieve an 'ace' was
3-year-old Jake Paine, the oldest player was 101-year-old Harold
Stilson and the person with the most 'aces' is Norman Manley with
59!
Finally, we mustn't
forget that for many years one of West Hove's Past Presidents, S. R.
Walker CBE (affectionately known as Johnnie) was also a record
holder - aged 92,
he
was the oldest British golfer to record a hole-in-one and his feat
was recorded in the Guinness Book of Records at that time, as
follows:-
‘The British record was set by Samuel Richard Walker (b. 6 Jan 1892)
at the 156 yd (143m) 8th at West Hove GC, East Sussex at
the age of 92 yr 169 days on 23 June 1984.’
Can Jay make the record
books? |
|
Thursday 5 August
2010 |
Congratulations to
the winner of the July prize-draw for a free mid-week 2-ball
round of golf (worth £50) - he is Joe Setten. For well over a year
now, all Green-Fee payers have been invited to enter a free monthly prize-draw.
So, why not come and enjoy a round of golf at West Hove - you may be
the next lucky winner! In the meantime, many congratulations again
to our latest winner, Joe Setten. |
|
Monday 3 August 2010 |
The second
match against Reading GC and West Surrey GC took place
today
Reading GC today hosted the
second match against
West Surrey GC and West
Hove GC - all three Clubs celebrating their
centenary in 2010.
Sixteen West Hove members left the Clubhouse by minibus this morning
for the trip to Reading. They were led by our Club Captain, Gordon
Eaton, who returned the best score for West Hove with 36 points to
help our team total 484 points. West Surrey scored 491 but home
advantage favoured Reading who amassed 529 including a fabulous 43
points from their Club Captain, David Olive, who plays off 23.
The last match in this triangular tournament will take place on Thursday 26 August at West Surrey
GC. |
|
Friday 30 July 2010
back to the top |
Results from the
Brighton & District Golfing Society's penultimate 2010 competitions
The Captains' Putter, Professionals' Cup, Secretaries' Cup and
Presidents' Salver were all played for today at West Hove.
The Captains' Putter, for teams of six Past Captains with the best
five Stableford scores to count, was won narrowly by Brighton
& Hove GC.
click here for a photo
They tied with The Dyke GC on 167 points but were awarded the trophy
by having a better back-nine total - 88 to The Dyke's 87! East
Brighton GC were third with 153 and, disappointingly, West Hove GC
trailed in fourth with 151.
The Professional's Cup, together with a prize of £200, was won by
Adrian Milligan (East Brighton) with a 74. Phil Bonsall (Brighton &
Hove) scored 75, Mark Stuart-William (Dyke) shot 77 and our Graeme
Crompton, playing with an injured foot, scored 78.
Don Weston, the BDGS Secretary, won the Secretary's Cup with 37
points from Richard Deakin (Brighton & Hove) and West Hove's Gary
Salt who both scored 33 points.
The
Presidents' Salver was won by Tom Grogan, the BDGS President, with 36
points from Roy Bowerman (Dyke) and Michael Phillpot (West Hove).
After a fine dinner the prizes were presented by Tom Grogan and, in
celebration of West Hove's centenary, the winners also received
commemorative bone-china boxes from Club Captain Gordon Eaton. West
Hove are very grateful to Anup Vasant, the Sussex County Golf
Union's Secretary, who volunteered to act as starter.
The final B&DGS event, the Mixed Cup, will take place on 22 August
at Brighton & Hove GC. |
|
Thursday 29 July 2010 |
The first of 3
matches against other Clubs celebrating their centenary took place
today
West Hove GC today hosted the first of three matches against two
other southern area Golf Clubs who are also celebrating their
centenary in 2010. They are
Reading GC in Berkshire and
West Surrey GC in Godalming,
Surrey.
Sixteen players from each Club participated with all Stableford
scores counting towards the team's total. Each Club was represented
by their Club Captains, General Managers/Secretaries, Professionals,
Board & Committee members and representatives from other sections of
the Clubs.
With home advantage, West Hove narrowly won this first match with
530 points from Reading GC's 516 and West Surrey GC's 497.
Please click here for individual scores
After the match everyone enjoyed a dinner at which Club Captain,
Gordon Eaton, presented the other Clubs with a commemorative
bone-china plate.
The remaining two matches are scheduled for Tuesday 3 August (at
Reading) and Thursday 26 August (at West Surrey). |
|
Monday 26 July 2010 |
A New Fairway
Improvement Programme is scheduled for Spring 2011
As Members and visitors are aware, our greens are in superb
condition and many compliments have been received. However, the hot
and dry weather this year has meant that, like most Clubs in the
south, our fairways have suffered. It is therefore apt that our
General Manager, Gary Salt, released the following statement last
Friday:"West Hove GC
will be starting a long-term fairway improvement programme. As you
are aware, we have a poor soil structure on our fairways with a very
thin top-soil layer and this creates problems.
In the Spring of 2011 we will
be applying in the region of 375 tonnes of compost onto our
fairways. Compost contains slow release nitrogen plus other major
and minor nutrients and, unlike sand based dressings, compost can
retain nutrients and make them available to the grass for a longer
period. It will also increase the depth of our top soil layer.
Benefits
Using compost on our fairways as a soil-improver brings many
benefits:
Increased root growth
Faster turf establishment
Improved turf density and colour from slow-release nitrogen, iron
and magnesium
Plant disease suppression
Improved soil moisture retention
Application and appearance
Application will take place in the Spring to maximise the benefits
of the compost. After the compost is applied the fairways will
appear darker and slightly brown in colour. However, this will pass
with rainfall and fairway cutting. There is a possibility of very
small pieces of twig/leaf being seen, but these too will disappear
with regular cutting. It is also important to point out that compost
is not a quick fix and to be effective its application must be
staged at semi-regular intervals, forming part of a fairway
maintenance programme.
23 July 2010" |
Saturday 24 July 2010
back to the top |
Congratulations to
Club Chairman, Richard Simmons, for his first 'hole-in-one' today
Fourteen handicapper Richard Simmons, the Club's Chairman,
was proud to record his first ever "ace" at the 163 yard par 3
seventh hole in today's Captain's Plate competition. He achieved
this with a 7-iron to the delight of his playing partners David
Gillies and John Godley - AND to those who enjoyed the customary
drink in the bar afterwards. Well done. |
|
Wednesday 21 July
2010 |
 The
Club's website received a visit from someone in Belarus this
afternoon. This is significant as it is the 100th country to log
onto our site - and in our centenary year too.
P.S. - It's just like the buses, nothing for ages then two together
- we had country number 101 today (Thursday 22 July 2010) when
someone logged in from Barbados. |
|
Tuesday 20 July 2010
back to the top |
Stacey Rodger wins
her sixth Club Championship
On a glorious summer's day, 36 lady members competed in the Club's
Centenary Year Ladies Championship. Stacey Rodger retained her
title, and the Cumberlege Cup, with a very steady level-par total of
140 giving her a sixth win in the last seven years. As Centenary
Year Ladies' Club Champion she also won a splendid commemorative
bone-china bowl.
Click here for photos
In the evening the ladies returned to the Clubhouse for dinner and
the prize presentation.
The prize-winners and their scores are shown below:
|
Cumberlege Cup - Gross Score for 36 holes |
| 1st |
Stacey Rodger |
69 +
71 = 140 |
| 2nd |
Megan Bibby |
83 +
81 = 164 |
| |
|
|
| Millennium Cup -
Net Score for 36 holes |
| 1st |
Jill
Corbett (22) |
69 +
65 = 134 |
| 2nd |
Rita
Hedderman (17) |
69 +
70 = 139 |
| |
|
|
| 18-hole medal - AM |
| 1st |
Jo
Common (17) |
67 |
| 2nd |
Jan
Seabrook (21) |
68 |
| 3rd |
Stacey Rodger (0) |
69
(on count-back) |
| |
|
|
| 13-hole Vets Medal |
| 1st |
Jan
Seabrook (15.1) |
44.9 |
|
|
Tuesday 20 July 2010 |
Congratulations to
the winner of the June 2010 prize draw for a free mid-week 2-ball
round of golf (worth £50) - he is Michael Mueller. For over a year all
Green-Fee payers have been invited to enter a free monthly prize
draw and Michael is our latest winner - congratulations. |
|
Monday 19 July 2010 |
West Hove GC didn't
lose - but are out of the S.C.G.U.'s Gilbert Print Plate
Our 'seniors' drew 2-2 with Royal Ashdown Forest GC in the third
round of the Gilbert Print Plate today at West Hove. Although we
didn't 'lose' the match, we have been eliminated from the
competition by virtue of the new rules providing for the 'away' team
to go through when a match is tied. Royal Ashdown, who fielded a
strong team of low handicappers, are perfecting this rule having
drawn 2-2 away at Waterhall GC in the previous round! Our team and
their results are shown below:
|
Pete Rodger & Martin
Bodle |
lost 4&3
|
|
Don Shepherd & Michael Coombes |
won 3&2 |
|
Raoul Ellis & Alan
Hopping |
lost 2 down |
|
Gordon Eaton & Kevin
White |
won 4&3 |
|
|
Sunday 18 July 2010
back to the top |
Today's West Hove
GC Centenary Junior Open was won by Matt
Greenfield (Pyecombe)
This Sussex County Golf Union 'Junior County
Order of Merit' competition attracted 35 players today from golf
clubs around Sussex. It was won by Matt Greenfield (handicap 4) of
Pyecombe GC with a gross 73. The net prize-winner was George Ounsted
(22) of the Nevill GC with a splendid 62, just beating Tim Finnerty
(28) of Cottesmore GC on count-back.
Special thanks are due to Michael Phillpot and Ken Stafford for
organising this very successful competition.
click here for photos of the two winners
The full list of today's prize-winners is shown below:
|
The Don
Thatcher Cup - best gross score |
|
|
1st |
Matt Greenfield
(4) Pyecombe GC |
73 |
|
2nd |
Daisey Wakeling
(2) East Brighton GC |
74 |
|
3rd |
Terry Green (6)
Worthing GC |
75 |
| |
|
|
|
The Brian
Hazelgrove Salver - best net score |
|
|
1st |
George Ounsted (22) The Nevill GC |
62 |
|
2nd |
Tim Finnerty (28)
Cottesmore GC |
62 |
|
3rd |
Frankie Ingham
(11) West Hove GC |
65 |
| |
|
|
|
Nearest-the-pin
winners |
|
|
Jordan Baker |
at the 3rd hole |
|
(no winner)
|
at the 7th hole |
|
Jack Baeza-Wigzell |
at the 13th hole |
|
Daisey Wakeling |
at the 17th hole |
| |
|
|
Longest-Drive
winners |
|
|
Hope Beland |
girls - at the 5th
hole |
|
Adam Hatcher |
boys - at the 18th
hole |
|
|
Friday 16 July 2010 |
There was a three-way
tie in today's West Hove Centenary Pro-Am
Nineteen teams competed in the Club's Centenary Pro-Am today in,
what appears to have become the norm for this event, exceedingly
blustery conditions. It was also windy on the second day of The
Open, at St. Andrews, where play was suspended for an hour because
of the wind. But at West Hove the competitors had no choice but to
continue play, even though balls were oscillating on some of the
greens.
It was therefore quite remarkable that three of the professionals
tied for first place with a very creditable one-over-par score of
71. They were:
Marcus Groombridge (Burgess Hill), Jason Partridge (Piltdown) and
Mark Stuart-Williams (Dyke).
In the team event, where the best two scores count, the first three
teams were:
1st Alan Tyson (Battle), M Laing, I Parnell & R Steel on
-13
2nd Graeme Crompton (West Hove), G Eaton, P Rodger & D
Shepherd Jnr. on -11
3rd Marcus Groombridge (Burgess Hill), A Heath, S Heath
& T Buck on -11
Following the golf, the competitors enjoyed a dinner and the
customary auction. It is anticipated that the event raised about
£1,800 for Club Captain Gordon Eaton’s charity, Leo House at Home. |
|
Friday 16 July 2010 |
Two West Hove Members
have been selected to represent Sussex Colts
The Club is delighted to have heard from Anup Vasant, Secretary of
the Sussex County Golf Union, that two of our Members, Dan Milligan
and Jonny Ingram, have been selected to play for the Sussex Colts
Team. They will play in the eight-man team at Pyecombe GC on Sunday
25 July against the Kent Colts Team. We wish them, and their
team-mates, well. |
|
Wednesday 14 July 2010
back to the top |
A reminder to Members
that membership renewals must be completed by 1 September
Membership renewal notices are currently being issued and all
Members are reminded that Standing Order forms must be completed and
returned by 13 August. Alternatively, those wishing to pay the full
amount of their subscription must do so by 1 September 2010.
These renewals take place during our Centenary Year which ends on 22
September. On that day we will be holding an Edwardian Costume &
Hickory Club Competition, a report of which will be included in the
Club's commemorative book
"The History of West
Hove Golf Club 1910-2010". All Members will be given a copy of
this most interesting 'tome' towards the end of the year. |
|
Tuesday 13 July 2010 |
The number of
visitors to our website on a single day is smashed yet again
It was only a week ago today that we reported a record 706 visitors
to our website on a single day. Well, just seven days on, that
record has been smashed again. Yesterday, Monday 12 July, we
received 760 visits, probably to check on the reports of our Gala
Ball (which has been receiving rave reviews) and our Men's
Club Championship which took place on Sunday. |
|
Sunday 11 July 2010 |
Today's West Hove
Club Championship was won by in-form Jonny Ingram
Jonny maintained his sensational form of the past few months to play
two very steady rounds of 68 to win his first Club Championship
title. His 4-under par total of 136 meant he won by a comfortable
three shots from Mark Gully.
Jonny led by just one shot after the morning round, but whereas
Jonny maintained his consistency his two nearest rivals, Mark Gully
and Damon Raikes, failed to beat par in the afternoon; and this was
despite a purple patch for Damon when he birdied holes ten and
eleven before holing his 230 yard 3-iron on the 12th for an eagle
two.
please click here for photos
The top three places in the Club Championship (scratch) and the Nick
O'Byrne Trophy (net) were:
|
The Club Championship |
|
| 1st |
Jonny Ingram |
68 &
68 = 136 |
| 2nd |
Mark
Gully |
69 &
70 = 139 |
| 3rd |
Damon Raikes |
69 &
72 = 141 |
| |
|
|
|
The Nick O'Byrne Trophy |
|
| 1st |
Damon Raikes |
133 |
| 2nd |
Mark
Gully |
135 |
| 3rd |
Neville Hudson |
136
|
|
|
Friday 9 July 2010
back to the top |
...And today's Combination Crystals
event at Singing Hills GC was a day for our Captains
Singing Hills
GC's Combination Crystals annual competition is an annual fixture
that few Sussex clubs ignore. It is a 36-hole competition for
Captains and Vice-Captains of Sussex golf clubs.
On the hottest day of the year so far, our team had a most enjoyable
day playing with the East Brighton team. In the morning 4BBB
Stableford, Gordon Eaton & Pete Rodger scored 38 points and Jan
Seabrook & Rita Hedderman scored 43 points. In the afternoon mixed
foursomes Stableford event, Gordon and Jan scored 36 points and Pete
and Rita scored 29 points, for a team total of 146 – they were
therefore runners-up to Leatherhead GC who achieved an excellent
total of 153.
Please click here for a photograph of
our team. |
|
Friday 9 July 2010 |
Today's
Haydon Shield was a day for our
Presidents
Seventeen Past Captains competed in today's Haydon Shield which
was won by the Club's President, Don Thatcher, with 37 points on
count-back from Kevin Heanen. During the post- competition lunch,
the Past Captains' Secretary, Norman Milburn, formally announced his
resignation from that role as he is very proud to be the first West
Hove member to become captain of the 'Sussex Golf Captains' in April
of next year. The Past Captains' President, Carl Haydon, then
proposed that David Nealer should take over Norman's role at West
Hove in 2011.
Although already known by most of our members, Norman then announced
that the Club's President Don Thatcher would be retiring in November
after 19 excellent years in office. He went on to say that at the
Club's AGM in November, Don Thatcher would be proposing that Michael
Phillpot should succeed him as President of West Hove GC. Michael
thanked Don for his nomination and deemed it a great honour. This
does not, of course, preclude other members from proposing
other candidates in due course.
Following the presentation of the Carl Haydon Trophy (from one
President, Carl, to another, Don) the afternoon concluded with a
very special finale. Carl had brought along a bottle of 73% proof
Benedictine which he had won during his captaincy (1965/66) and
presented it to Don. It was probably as old as Carl (87) and they
agreed that it was about time for it to be opened, after all it is
our centenary year. It was superb, as was the whole day.
Please
click here for photos |
|
Friday 9 July 2010
back to the top |
News from the
Brighton & District Golfing Society
Don Weston, Secretary of the Brighton & District Golfing Society,
has kindly provided some photographs from last week's BDGS
Championships at West Hove
(please
click here)
and given an update on the current running points totals for the
Victor Ludorum Trophy - see below.
| East
Brighton GC |
40
points |
| The
Dyke GC |
38
points |
| West
Hove GC |
34
points |
|
Brighton & Hove GC |
17
points |
|
|
Tuesday 6 July 2010
|
The number of
visitors to our website on any one day is smashed
In January 2010 we reported that the Club's new website had received
its 100,000th visitor. We also reported that the site was becoming
increasingly popular with over 20,000 visitors in the first year and
over 33,000 in the second year. Now we have received nearly 61,000
in the third year. This trend is continuing with a daily record of
706 visitors yesterday, an amazing 55% higher than the previous
record of 455 on 10 May.
However, there is one significant record that eludes us. To date we
have had visits from 99 different countries and, as previously
reported, it would be quite appropriate to achieve 'our century' in
our Centenary Year. So if you are off to some far flung land, please
log on to our site. |
|
Sunday 4 July 2010
back to the top |
The Brighton &
District Golfing Society's Championships were held today at West
Hove
In today's B&DGS Championships at
West Hove, our team of Jonny Ingram, Tony
Humphrey, Rob McGrory Jnr. and Trevor Prodger finished second on 614
shots to East Brighton GC who had 604. The Dyke GC finished third on
625 and Brighton & Hove failed to score (as one of their team had a
'nil return').
In the Men's Championship it was a case of deja vu. For the second
year running Jonny Ingram was the runner-up to Jamie Chapman of
Brighton & Hove GC. It was however a very close thing after they
both finished on level par 140, very creditable scores bearing in
mind the windy conditions. They then had a sudden death play-off,
both getting birdies up the 14th hole before playing back to the
Clubhouse down the 13th where Jamie prevailed with a par to Jonny's
bogey.
In the other two Championships West Hove did very well. Lewis
Jackson retained the Junior scratch competition with a 146 (75 & 71)
whilst Stacey Rodger won the Ladies scratch competition for
the fifth time in the last six years with 149 (72 & 77). It would
appear that their time at university in the United States is paying
off.
The prizes were awarded by the B&DGS President Tom Grogan and
Secretary Don Weston in the presence of Club Captain Gordon Eaton. |
Sunday 4 July 2010
|
Last night's
Centenary Gala Ball was a
resounding success
Nearly 300 Members and guests attended last night's Centenary Gala
Ball in a 130' marquee on the Club's driving-range. On a beautiful
summer's evening, everyone participated in a champagne reception
before enjoying a gourmet dinner at beautifully decorated tables (in
the Club's colours). Brief speeches were made by the Mayor of
Brighton, Councillor Geoff Wells, Norman Forrest the Immediate Past
President of the English Golf Union (EGU) and our Club Captain
Gordon Eaton.
On behalf of the EGU, and in celebration of our centenary, Norman
presented the Club with a commemorative Royal Crown Derby plate (see
thumbnail photo on the left). After the superb dinner, music was
provided by 'Katchfraze'. They are an extremely versatile trio who
proved so popular that the dance-floor did not empty until the Ball
finished at 1am.
During the evening the Grand Centenary Prize Draw was made. The
winners were:
|
|
1st prize |
40"
LCD Flat-screen TV |
Michael Foreman |
| |
2nd
prize |
Balloon trip for two |
John
Bury ** |
| |
3rd
prize |
Golf
Bag and golf for 4 at two courses |
Hannah Kinchin |
|
** John Bury, President of the Sussex County Golf Union,
presumably doesn't have a head for heights as he kindly donated
this prize to Pauline Danes our General Admin. Assistant. |
Everybody present has
said that the Ball was a resounding success and this must be
attributed to the Centenary Committee and the Club's staff, with
particular thanks to Brian Murphy who project managed the whole
event.
If you would like to see some photographs of the preparations for
the Gala Ball, and the actual evening's celebrations,
please click here.
|
|
Sunday 4 July 2010
back to the top |
West Hove are beaten
by the smallest of margins in the PAV Plate
2010
In yesterday's second round match at East Brighton GC our scratch
team lost 6½ - 5½. The morning foursomes saw the teams come in for
lunch at 2 - 2 with our two points being gained by the pairings of
Jonny Ingram & Mark Gully and Lewis Jackson & Dan Milligan.
In the afternoon singles we had wins from Russell Shires, Jonny
Ingram and Lewis Jackson to make the score 6 - 5 in favour of East
Brighton with one game remaining. Our last player, Damon Raikes,
stood on the last tee one up so he needed a half down the par-5 18th
to achieve a draw (6-6) which under the rules would have meant a win
for us as the away side. Although Damon scored a par 5, his opponent
was on the green in two and completed his birdie to allow East
Brighton to squeeze into the last eight. Our other players were Luke
Giles and Carl Rodger. |
|
Friday 2 July 2010 |
The Club's main
celebratory Centenary event, our Gala Ball, will take place tomorrow
Please click here
to view some photos of the preparations and (from tomorrow) photos
of the activities on the night itself. |
|
Thursday 1 July 2010 |
West Hove will play
Royal Ashdown Forest GC in the S.C.G.U.'s Gilbert Print Plate
Further to the report below dated 28 June, our 'Seniors' have been
drawn to play at home against Royal Ashdown Forest GC on Monday 19
July. Royal Ashdown were awarded an 'away win' by virtue of their 2
- 2 draw away to Waterhall GC in the last round. |
|
Thursday 1 July 2010 |
The Captains' Farewell Party - please amend your diaries again!
On 14 April the Club reported that this function would change from
Saturday 20 November 2010 to Saturday 27 November. Please note that
it has now reverted to the originally scheduled date of 20 November
2010. The Club regrets any inconvenience caused. |
|
Monday 28 June 2010 |
West Hove GC reach the last 16 of the S.C.G.U.'s Gilbert Print Plate
Having lost 1-3 to Lewes GC in the Cyril Blake Cup earlier this
year, West Hove's 'seniors' were invited to play in the Gilbert
Print Plate. In today's second round match at a steamy Hillbarn GC,
Team Manager Maurice Grange was pleased to report that our fortunes
changed. Despite having to give away many strokes, our team won 3 -
1. It was nice to see Les Hale, the Club's Seniors' Captain in
1996/7, there to support the team. They were:
Pete Rodger & Martin Bodle, who won 2 up
Don Shepherd & Kevin White who halved their match
Raoul Ellis & Alan Hopping halved their match too, and
Michael Coombes & Richard Knight won 4 & 3
West Hove are now into the last 16 of this S.C.G.U. inter-club
matchplay event and will be playing the third round on Monday 19
July. Our opponents that day will be announced here soon. |
|
Sunday 27 June 2010
back to the top |
Congratulations to
Phil Harris for his achievements in today's Monthly Medal
Phil apparently achieved a couple of firsts today. He reported
that on the eighteenth hole he scored an 11, the first time he had
ever made such a mess of that hole. And as an aside, he was then
quick to report that on the short seventh he scored an 'ace' with a
6-iron - again a first for him. Many congratulations Phil. |
|
Thursday 24 June 2010 |
Important Notice for all users of the Clubhouse and Driving Range
The Club's Centenary Gala Ball will be held on Saturday 3 July 2010
and our General Manager, Gary Salt has issued the following
statement:
"Please note that all areas of the Clubhouse will
close at 6pm on Saturday July 3rd and reopen at the normal time on
Sunday 4th July. Please also be advised that the driving
range will be closed from the morning of Tuesday 29th June until the
morning of Monday 5th July. All areas of the range will
be closed except for the chipping area which will be open to the
teaching professionals only." |
|
Wednesday 23 June 2010 |
The Centenary Ladies'
Open beats watching the England v. Slovenia football match
Well, it did for fifty-two ladies from nineteen different Golf
Clubs around Sussex and Kent who chose to play in our Centenary
Ladies' Open today, instead of watching (in trepidation) England's
progress in the World Cup.
On a glorious summer's day, the ladies competed in pairs with the
front nine holes played as 'better-ball' and the back nine holes
played as Greensomes. The winning pair were Gail Hartland and Tessa
Ball, both from Brighton & Hove Golf Club, who amassed 41 Stableford
points. Congratulations ladies.
Please
click here for a photo |
|
Tuesday 22 June 2010 |
West Hove GC receive
a testimonial from Martyn Gibson, Club Captain of Waterhall GC
Following our match on 12 June in the 1st Round of the PAV Plate
we have received a lovely testimonial from Waterhall's Captain,
Martyn Gibson. He praised our "wonderful
hospitality" and stated that "the welcome we received was
second to none". He went on to state that "the way we were
treated in the bar afterwards was fantastic".
Our Club Captain, Gordon Eaton, thanked Martyn for taking the
trouble to actually write and tell us of their team's experience.
Please click here to read the full
correspondence. |
|
Sunday 20 June 2010
back to the top |
Today's Centenary
Men's Invitation was won by Mark Pollington & Tony Ryder (EBGC)
Thirty-six Members and their guests competed in this 27-hole
event today. There were shotgun starts for both the morning 9-hole
greensomes and the afternoon 18 hole better-ball competitions. The
winning pairs (member and guest) were as follows:
|
OVERALL WINNERS |
Mark Pollington & Tony Ryder (East Brighton GC) |
68
points |
Front 9 Greensomes
and 18-hole Better-ball |
Bob
Smith & Steve Conboy (Singing Hills GC) |
62
points |
Back
9 Greensomes
and 18-hole Better-ball |
Simon Friend & Adam Boon (Ham Manor GC) |
63
points |
|
18-hole Better-ball |
Damon Raikes & David Parker (Waterhall GC) |
45
points |
|
Front 9 Greensomes |
Mark
Haggart & David Wells (Littlehampton GC) |
19
points |
| Back
9 Greensomes |
Carl
Rodger & Simon Rodger (Wildwoods GC) |
21
points |
|
|
Saturday 19 June 2010 |
Joan Sherrington and
Tony Humphrey win the inaugural Mixed Centenary Trophy
This new annual mixed pairs competition was played this afternoon in
cool, breezy conditions. Joan and Tony's combined Stableford points
total of 71 enabled them to become the first winners of the Trophy.
This was achieved by Tony's incredible 4-under-par gross 66 and
perhaps, as it emerged later, the fact that they both had lessons
(albeit many years ago) from the Club's legendary professional
George Shepherd! Prizes were presented at an evening supper by Club
Captain Gordon Eaton and the Ladies' Captain Jan Seabrook. |
|
Tuesday 15 June 2010 |
Congratulations to
the winner of the May 2010 prize draw for a free mid-week 2-ball
round of golf (worth £50) - he is Jason Ward. For over a year all
Green-Fee payers have been invited to enter a free monthly prize
draw and Jason is our latest winner - congratulations. |
|
Monday 14 June 2010 |
Sunday the thirteenth
of June - not a successful day for West Hove GC
The Brighton, Hove & District Golfing Society's fourth event of the
year, the Wentworth Smith Trophy, was held yesterday at East
Brighton GC and the West Hove team did not do well. This is a team
event and the best five scores from each club determine the winners.
The East Brighton and Dyke teams tied with 189 points each so the
Trophy was decided in favour of The Dyke whose sixth player had more
points than the host's sixth player.
Yesterday also saw Jonny
Ingram's debut as a Sussex Colts player. He represented his County
at Stoneham GC in Hampshire and, although he won his morning
foursomes with Richie Farmer
2 & 1, he narrowly lost his afternoon singles at the 18th. Sussex
lost to Hampshire 5½ to 6½.
|
|
Saturday 12 June 2010
back to the top |
West Hove beat
Waterhall GC 12-0 in the 1st Round of the PAV Plate today
The 1st Round of the PAV Plate was held at West Hove today and our
team won comfortably. They will now play in the 2nd Round away to
East Brighton on Saturday 3 July 2010.
Today's team and results were as follows:
|
Foursomes |
Jonny Ingram & Mark Gully |
won
4 & 2 |
| |
Dan Milligan & Lewis Jackson |
won
8 & 6 |
| |
David Bristow & Simon Tiplady |
won
5 & 3 |
| |
Russell Shires & Damon Raikes |
won
2 up |
|
Singles |
Russell Shires |
won
1 up |
| |
Simon Tiplady |
won
3 & 2 |
| |
Jonny Ingram |
won
w/o |
| |
Mark Gully |
won
8 & 7 |
| |
Dan Milligan |
won
6 & 5 |
| |
Lewis Jackson |
won
5 & 3 |
| |
Damom Raikes |
won
3 & 2 |
| |
David Bristow |
won
4 & 3 |
|
|
Friday 11 June 2010 |
Jonny Ingram has been
selected to play for the Sussex Colts this weekend
Following Jonny's win in the Sussex Colts Championship and his
showing in the Sussex Amateur Championships last week, he has been
picked to represent the County in their match against the Hampshire
Colts at Stoneham GC on Sunday 13 June. Full details of the
eight-man Sussex team can be found on the S.C.G.U. website. |
|
Thursday 10 June 2010 |
A birdie at the 19th?
-
please click
here for details |
|
Thursday 10 June 2010 |
Ladies - Give golf a
try with our special trial lessons for lady beginners or novice
golfers
Are you one of those many ladies who would love to try to play
golf but are worried about your lack of ability. Well, our PGA Head
Professional, Graeme Crompton, has organised two 2-hour taster
sessions for people like you at the West Hove Golf Academy just
north of the Hangleton Interchange on the A27.
You do not have to be a member of West Hove GC and if you do not
have your own golf-clubs we can provide them for the session. You
can choose to attend either on Saturday 26 June between 1pm & 3pm or
on Sunday 27 June between 10am & noon. The cost is only £6 so you
can't afford to turn down such an opportunity!
Places will be limited so please book early by calling Graeme on
01273 413494. |
|
Wednesday 9 June 2010
back to the top
|
Club Captain Gordon
Eaton extends a warm welcome to our new Members
On behalf of everyone at the Club, Gordon Eaton would like to
welcome the following new members (listed alphabetically) to our
Club:
Mark Curram, Stephen Day, Christopher Daynes, Garry Fisk, Robin
Fisk, Robert Goldsmith, Shane Harmer, Steve Harris, Masahiko
Hasegawa, Richard Ives, Daniel Jutton, Robert Maltby-Griffiths, Ryan
Mill, Paul Northam, Jorge Osborne, Stephen Pilcher, Sam Rice, Derek
Smith, Rune Sorenson, Jane Smith, Paulina Stroud, Darren Webb, Rob
Webb and Sam Wood.
We hope that you all have a long and happy membership at West Hove. |
Tuesday 8 June 2010
 |
Last year's very
successful Junior Summer 'Golf Camps' return - so please book early
Our PGA qualified professionals, Graeme Crompton, Russell Cronin and
Ronnie Clark, are delighted to provide three 'golf camps' for
youngsters during the school summer holidays. Further details may be
found by clicking on the links to the 'Notice
Board' or 'Juniors'
pages of this website or by
clicking here. There are only
10 places available each day for these popular sessions so,
following last year's experience, early booking is advisable. |
|
Monday 7 June 2010 |
West Hove GC
currently leads the way in the B.&D.G.S.'s Victor Ludorum
Trophy
After 3 events in the Brighton & District Golfing Society's
programme (the Senior, Intermediate and Junior Cup competitions),
West Hove lead the way in the 2010 Victor Ludorum Trophy. The points
tally after these first three events is as follows:
West Hove 18, The Dyke 15, East Brighton 15 and Brighton & Hove 8.
Our team for the next event has been drawn and we wish them every
success in next Sunday's Wentworth Smith Trophy at East Brighton GC. |
|
Sunday 6 June 2010
back to the top |
Worthing's Jack
Bartlett retains his Sussex Amateur Championship title
Congratulations go to Jack Bartlett who retained his Sussex
Amateur Championship title today at West Hove when he beat Wayne
Hawes (Littlehampton) at the 19th hole of the final.
In the morning semi-finals Jack also had to go to the 19th hole to
beat Adam Galbraith of Haywards Heath. In the other semi-final Wayne
had a more comfortable win (4 & 2) against Jonathon Grey of East
Sussex National.
The afternoon final between Jack and Wayne was very exciting
with no more than one hole separating the players at any time. It
was, however, a bit of a scrappy match interspersed with some great
shot-making. This was typified at the first extra hole when Jack
appeared to have blown his chances by driving some 50 or more yards
right of the target over heavy rough. He was fortunate enough to
miss all the trouble and pitched from the side of the 8th green to
within a few feet before sinking his birdie putt for the
Championship.
West Hove's Club Captain, Gordon Eaton, thanked the Sussex County
Golf Union for allowing West Hove to host this prestigious event in
our centenary year. He also congratulated the SCGU Secretary Anup
Vasant and his assistant Nicky Reeves, and indeed the rest of
the SCGU team, for the professional way they ran the Championship.
Gordon echoed the views of everyone at West Hove by congratulating
Jack Bartlett - and also the West Hove youngsters Jonny Ingram and
Dan Milligan for acquitting themselves so well by reaching the
knock-out matchplay stages. |
|
Saturday 5 June 2010 |
Littlehampton's Wayne
Hawes proves too strong for Dan Milligan and Jonny Ingram
In the 1st round of the Sussex Amateur Championship matchplay
this morning at West Hove, Dan Milligan was drawn to play +3
handicapper Wayne Hawes from Littlehampton GC. Both players fought
long and hard before Wayne won at the 21st hole. In the meantime,
Jonny Ingram beat Richie Farmer (Pyecombe) 5 & 4 to set up a 2nd
round match against Wayne. Once again there was a ding-dong battle,
with no more than one hole separating the combatants, before Wayne
clinched the win with a birdie down the last hole. This meant that
the top six seeds from yesterday's stroke-play event had been
eliminated from the competition.
In the other half of the draw the defending champion Jack Bartlett
(Worthing) did well to beat two of his fellow club members, Scott
Nightingale and Toby Tree. Tomorrow's semi-finals at West Hove GC
are as follows:
9.00am - Adam Galbraith (Haywards Heath) v. Jack Bartlett
(Worthing), and
9.15am - Wayne Hawes (Littlehampton) v. Jonathon Grey (East Sussex
National)Full
details of today's results may be found on the S.C.G.U. website -
please click here |
|
Friday 4 June 2010
back to the top |
The S.C.G.U. Sussex
Amateur Championship started today at West Hove Golf Club
Seventy-two of the best amateur golfers in Sussex teed off today
in a 36-hole stroke-play event to find the top 16 to go forward to
the knock-out matchplay stages tomorrow and Sunday.
On a gloriously hot and sunny day the competitors found the course
difficult with only four players beating par in the morning. The
Competition Scratch Score went out a shot to 71.
Mark Hilton (Lewes) and James Doswell (Highwoods) shared the lead at
the halfway stage with a 3-under par total of 67. The West Hove
competitors' scores were: Jonny Ingram 70, Lewis Jackson 72, Dan
Milligan, Mark Gully and Steve Nielsen all on 74 and Chris Lind on
76.
In the afternoon James Doswell shot his second 67 of the day to
become the leading qualifier (on 134) and Jonny Ingram also shot 67
to become the second seed (with 137). Dan Milligan shot 69 (for a
143 total) to squeeze into the 16 qualifiers for the matchplay stage
which starts tomorrow.
West Hove's remaining competitors failed to make the cut - their
scores were Lewis Jackson 144, Mark Gully & Steve Nielsen both on
146, and Chris Lind on 152.
The Sussex Amateur
Championship also incorporates a Team Event. Three nominated members
from each Club comprise a team and their combined 36-hole total
determines which Club will represent Sussex in a national
competition.**
Worthing GC, with their depth of talent, usually do well and this
proved to be the case again. However, they were very narrow winners
this year, scoring 423 compared to West Hove's 424, Lewes' 427 and
Littlehampton's 428. Our team of Jonny Ingram, Dan Milligan and
Lewis Jackson were very unlucky to have missed the chance of
representing the County in this the Club's centenary year, but wish
the Worthing team every success in their future endeavours.
Further reports will
be published on this website over the next two days, so check out
here how the 16 finalists (and the West Hove pair of Jonny Ingram
and Dan Milligan) fare - but if you wish to see the full results
please visit the S.C.G.U.'s website here.
**
The English Champion Club Tournament at Woodbridge GC, Suffolk on 11
& 12 September 2010. |
|
Tuesday 1 June 2010 |
West Hove's Jonny
Ingram is the new Sussex Colts Champion
The Sussex County Golf Union's Colts Championship was held today
at Brighton & Hove GC. West Hove had three members competing - Dan
Milligan who shot 138 (68 & 70) to finish fifth, Lewis Jackson who
shot 144 (71 & 73) and Jonny Ingram who won the Championship with a
splendid one-under-par total of 135 (67 & 68).
It was not plain sailing for Jonny though as he was one shot adrift
of Bradley Turner (Highwoods) at the halfway stage, level with James
Sharp (Hollingbury Park) and only one shot ahead of Richard Lyons
(Brighton & Hove) and Dan Milligan. In the afternoon round Jonny
shot a level par 68 and was the 'leader in the clubhouse' for over
an hour before being joined on 135 by Bradley Turner who was last
year's SCGU Boys Champion of Champions.
This called for a sudden death play-off. Both players then missed
the fairway down the 436 yard first hole before Bradley pulled his
second shot left of the green. Jonny responded with a 7-iron to
within six feet of the pin. Bradley then made a superb third shot to
the green but inexplicably missed his par putt to allow Jonny to win
with a par.
This was a very proud moment for father Tim (who was the first to
congratulate him) and for everyone at West Hove. It was also a great
addition to Jonny's CV before he jets off to the USA in August to
start his golf scholarship at Linderwood University in St. Charles,
Missouri.
please click here for a photo
The top four placings
were as follows:
|
1st |
Jonny Ingram (West Hove GC) |
67 & 68 = 135 |
won at first extra hole |
|
2nd |
Bradley Turner (Highwoods GC) |
66 &
69 = 135 |
|
|
3rd |
Richard Lyons (Brighton & Hove GC) |
68 &
69 = 137 |
|
| |
James
Sharp (Hollingbury Park GC) |
67 &
70 = 137 |
|
|
|
Monday 31 May 2010
back to the top |
West Hove is honoured
to host the S.C.G.U. Sussex Amateur Championship 2010
The Sussex County Golf Union has agreed to West Hove GC hosting
this prestigious event in its centenary year. The competition starts
on Friday 4 June when 72 competitors will take part in a 36-hole
stroke-play event with the top 16 going forward to the knock-out
matchplay stages on Saturday 5 June and Sunday 6 June.
This competition attracts the cream of Sussex golfers and as usual
Worthing GC is strongly represented with 12 golfers. West Hove has
six competitors - Dan Milligan, Lewis Jackson, Jonny Ingram, Mark
Gully, Steve Nielsen and Chris Lind - and we wish them well over
their home track.
Watch this website next weekend for the results. Better still, come
up to West Hove next Friday, Saturday or Sunday and watch the best
amateur golfers in Sussex - everyone is welcome. |
|
Wednesday 26 May 2010 |
The Past Captains'
Centenary Cup was won today by Kevin Heanen
In the inaugural year for this new competition, 20 Past Captains
from West Hove and other Sussex Clubs competed in a singles
Stableford competition off full handicap over 18 holes. Carl Hayden,
West Hove's Club Captain in 1965/66 and the current President of the
West Hove Past Captains, kindly donated the prizes. The cup was won
by Kevin Heanen with 35 points on count-back from Mike Whitty. The
guests' prize was won by Alan Hood (East Brighton GC) with 36 points
on count-back from Malcolm Sharp (Ifield GC).
please click here for photo
After a hearty dinner during which many 'stories' were recalled the
Past Captains' secretary, Norman Milburn, reminded everyone that in
future years the competition would be an invitation pairs event (but
with the new cup still being awarded to the best West Hove
individual). |
|
Sunday 23 May 2010 |
West Hove are
trounced by The Dyke GC but go on to win the B&DGS Junior Cup Plate
The Brighton & District Golfing Society's Junior Cup was held at The
Dyke Golf Club today on a gloriously hot and sunny day.
Unfortunately, our team's performance did not mirror the weather as
we were easily beaten by the hosts 5 - 0. However, the team fared
better in the afternoon 'Plate' competition and were declared the
winners over East Brighton GC on count-back (6 to 2) after drawing
2½ - 2½. The team's afternoon results were as follows:
| Vic
Craker & Jimmy Jones |
lost
1 down |
|
Howard Coulson & Dean Bibby |
halved |
|
Steve Chipp & Kris Field |
won
4 & 2 |
| Jez
White & Don Shepherd Snr. |
won
2 & 1 |
| Luke
Longcroft & Paul Chipp |
lost
1 down |
The Dyke GC won the
Junior Cup by beating Brighton & Hove GC 3 -2 in the final.
Please click here for a photo
of West Hove's Club
Captain, Gordon Eaton, together with team manager Gary Chamberlain
with the Plate. |
|
Saturday 22 May 2010
back to the top |
Pyecombe GC prove too
strong in the second round of the PAV i.t. Trophy today
The West Hove scratch team, managed by Graham Marchant, could not
hold off the all-round strength of the Pyecombe team in today's
match, going down 3½ - 8½ in hot and sunny conditions. West Hove
could only muster two halves in the morning foursomes and two wins
in the afternoon singles. Jonny Ingram, who will be going to
university in the USA later this year won comfortably 7 & 6 with
four birdies on the front nine holes. Our other winner was Lewis
Jackson who, interestingly, has just returned home from the USA. He
was 3 under-par when he won his match by 3 & 2.
Matchplay results, of course, do not tell the whole story. All of
our team played well, but the Pyecombe squad were simply better on
the day. This was no better illustrated than Dan Milligan's 4 & 2
defeat as he was actually 3 under-par when he lost. His opponent
'Barney' simply had the round of his life.
West Hove will now play at home to Waterhall GC on Saturday 12 June
2010 in the first round of the PAV Plate. Today's results were as
follows:
|
Foursomes: |
Raoul Ellis &
Neville Hudson |
halved |
| |
Dan Milligan &
Lewis Jackson |
halved |
| |
Jonny Ingram &
Mark Gully |
lost 3 & 2 |
| |
Steve Nielsen &
Tony Humphrey |
lost 2 & 1 |
|
Singles: |
Jonny Ingram |
won 7 & 6 |
| |
Dan Milligan |
lost 4 & 2 |
| |
Lewis Jackson |
won 3 & 2 |
| |
Neville Hudson |
lost 7 & 6 |
| |
Raoul Ellis |
lost 6 & 5 |
| |
Mark Gully |
lost 5 & 4 |
| |
Tony Humphrey |
lost 2 & 1 |
| |
Steve Nielsen |
halved |
|
|
Monday 10 May 2010 |
West Hove lose in the
final of the Brighton & District Golfing Society's Intermediate Cup
In the second BDGS competition of the year at a chilly East
Brighton Golf Club yesterday, our intermediate team beat The Dyke in
the morning to reach the final against the host team. In a dramatic
final the match was halved but East Brighton were awarded the Cup on
count-back of holes won. Our team's results in the final were as
follows:
|
Simon Friend & Tim
Silsby
|
halved their match |
|
Gary Cissell & Kevin
Woolley |
won 3 & 2 |
|
Brian Murphy & Gary
Chamberlain |
won 2 & 1 |
|
Gordon Eaton & Tim
Ingram |
lost 3 & 1 |
|
Keith Fender & Philip
Stempt |
lost 6 & 4 |
Congratulations to the
hosts - and to Brighton & Hove who beat The Dyke in the Plate event. |
|
Sunday 9 May 2010
back to the top
|
The second West Hove
Mixed Open was won today by John & Cathy Sidhom
40 competitors took part in this year's event which was run by
Maurice Grange and Gary Salt. Maurice reports that it was played in
tricky, bouncy conditions - there being an unseasonal cold northerly
wind blowing. The top three pairs were:
1st on 44 pts. - John
& Cathy Sidhom (both of Lingfield Park GC) -
click here for photo
2nd on 41 pts. - Nigel Chatfield (Beauport Park GC) & Vivien
Chatfield (Tenterden GC)
3rd on 41 pts. - Nick O'Byrne (West Hove & Moor Park GC) & Fiona
Coull (Thorndon Park GC) |
|
Saturday 8 May 2010 |
West Hove GC beat Hill Barn GC 9½ - 2½ in the first round of the PAV
i.t. Trophy 2010
During the morning foursomes a youthful Hill Barn team were 'up' in
three of the four matches but by the lunch interval West Hove had
fought back to lead 2½ - 1½. The most notable achievement was by Dan
Milligan and Damon Raikes who were three down with four to play but
ended by halving their match. This was helped on the 617 yard 18th
hole when Dan drove 359 yards, Damon hit the second shot with a
three wood over 250 yards to the green enabling Dan to roll in his
putt for an eagle three.
In the afternoon singles West Hove won seven of the eight singles
with pride of place going to Dan Milligan who won 8 & 6 and Neville
Hudson who won 1 up after losing the first three holes! The overall
score of 9½ - 2½ was rather flattering as the Hill Barn youngsters
put up a spirited performance. West Hove will now play away to
either Pyecombe GC or Brighton & Hove GC in the second round on 22
May when Lewis Jackson, who returns from America tomorrow, will be
eligible to play. The full scores were as follows:
|
Foursomes: |
Jonny Ingram & Mark
Gully |
won 6 & 4 |
| |
Dan Milligan & Damon
Raikes |
halved |
| |
Raoul Ellis & Neville
Hudson |
won 2 up |
| |
Steve Nielsen & Tony
Humphrey |
lost 4 & 6 |
|
Singles: |
Jonny Ingram |
won 6 & 5 |
| |
Dan Milligan |
won 8 & 6 |
| |
Mark Gully |
won 2 & 1 |
| |
Neville Hudson |
won 1 up |
| |
Tony Humphrey |
won 3 & 2 |
| |
Damon Raikes |
lost 2 & 1 |
| |
Raoul Ellis |
won 4 & 3 |
| |
Steve Nielsen |
won 1 up |
|
|
Thursday 6 May 2010 |
Congratulations to
the winner of the April prize draw for a free mid-week 2-ball
round of golf (worth £50) - he is Darryle Bundock. For the past year
all Green-Fee payers have been invited to enter a free monthly prize
draw and Darryle is our latest winner - congratulations. |
|
Wednesday 5 May 2010 |
The Club has launched
a Grand Centenary Prize Draw with fantastic prizes to be won.
Tickets can be purchased from behind the bar and the draw will be
made at our Centenary Gala Ball on Saturday 3 July 2010. Click on
our 'Notice
Board' page for further details. |
|
Tuesday 4 May 2010
back to the top |
Bring your family and
friends to West Hove Golf Club for a fabulous Sunday lunch
Clay Morris, who was appointed as our new Catering Manager from 19
January 2010, has announced that he will be providing regular Sunday
lunches for Members at competitive prices. Why not invite your
family and/or friends to join you for a very enjoyable lunch after
your Sunday round of golf - or, if you don't play on Sunday, simply
book a table. We think you will be very pleased with what you find -
simply contact Clay or his staff to make your reservation. |
|
Monday 3 May 2010 |
The Club's Centenary Charity Walk.
They think it's all over......
In torrential rain and cold conditions, Michael Phillpot and David
Nealer yesterday completed their epic 108 mile walk along the South
Downs Way. Unfortunately for them it's not all over - for now they
must start collecting the rest of the pledges made in favour of our
Captains' charities and the SCGU Junior Fund. When that is done,
they hope to have raised over £5,000 but the final tally will not be
known for some weeks yet.
In the meantime, if you have not yet pledged to make a donation, our
Captains Gordon and Jan urge you to do so. Every donation, whether
large or small, is very gratefully accepted and is treated in strict
confidence. Check out the
Centenary page on this website
to see how easy it is to donate to these very worthy causes -
alternatively, speak to Mick or Dave. Photos from the walk
can be seen here. |
|
Saturday 1 May 2010 |
West Hove win the Jubilee Cup
Nine
clubs from around Sussex competed today in West Hove’s Jubilee
Cup. The format for this annual team competition is particularly
tough as every one of the 6-man teams’ net medal scores count
towards the team total – so anybody submitting a 'nil-return'
precludes their club from any chance of winning.
West Hove today regained the Jubilee Cup from the holders Peacehaven
GC who this year finished second. Today's team scores were:
West Hove
GC
East Brighton GC
Waterhall GC |
436
456
487 |
Peacehaven GC
The Dyke GC
Hollingbury Park GC |
445
460
n/r |
Brighton & Hove GC
Rustington GC
Singing Hills GC |
450
474
n/r |
The
West Hove team members, with their handicaps and net scores, were:
Gary Cissell (6) 68, John Godley (16) 72, Neville Hudson (4) 73,
Brian Murphy (8) 73, Luke Longcroft (15) 73 and Dave Friend (6) 77.
N. Leonard of Brighton & Hove won the prize for the best gross score
and our own Gary Cissell won the best net score prize. |
|
Monday 26 April 2010
back to the top |
West Hove GC are knocked out of the Cyril Blake Cup 2010
West Hove travelled to Lewes GC for their 1st round match today,
unfortunately we lost the match 3-1. Individual results are as
follows:
Pete Rodger & Alan Hopping lost 5 & 4
Gordon Eaton & Kevin White won 2 & 1
Andy Page & Don Shepherd lost 4 & 2
Michael Coombes & Richard Knight lost 3 & 1 |
|
Sunday 25 April 2010
|
The Club's Centenary Charity
Walk started today (what London Marathon?)
Further to our report on 6 March, the Club's South Downs Way Charity
Walk got under way today. Club Captain Gordon Eaton bade farewell to
Mick Phillpot and Dave Nealer on the first tee, immediately after
the start of the BDGS Senior Cup event. Mick and Dave will be
walking the 100-mile South Downs Way in aid of the captains'
(children's) charities and the SCGU Juniors. Today they braved rain
and cool winds to reach Storrington, some 16 miles away.
Members are reminded that they can sponsor Mick and Dave for these
very worthy causes by visiting the on-line JustGiving pages
that have already been set up, or by pledging a donation on the
forms provided.
please click here for details
IF YOU HAVEN'T DONATED YET, PLEASE DO SO NOW - THANK YOU. |
|
Sunday 25 April 2010
back to the top |
West Hove GC wins the Brighton & District Golfing Society's Senior
Cup today
In its Centenary Year, the Club hosted the BDGS Senior Cup, the
first of a series of annual team foursomes matchplay events. These
competitions are competed for by The Dyke GC, East Brighton GC,
Brighton & Hove GC and ourselves and usually comprise five foursomes
matches.
Today's competition saw us drawn against East Brighton in the
morning (which we won 3-2) and then against The Dyke in the
afternoon final - which we won by 4½ to ½ to be the proud winners of
the BDGS Senior Cup. The full results were as follows:
Morning match v. East Brighton GC
Mark Gully & Jonny Ingram won 2 up
Dan Milligan & Damon Raikes lost 2 down
Neville Hudson & Simon Tiplady won 3 & 2
Tim Marshallsay & Raoul Ellis won 3 & 1
Steve Nielsen & Tony Humphrey lost 4 & 2
Afternoon Final v.
The Dyke GC
Mark Gully & Jonny Ingram won 2 & 1
Dan Milligan & Damon Raikes halved their match
Neville Hudson & Simon Tiplady won 3 & 1
Tim Marshallsay & Raoul Ellis won 3 & 1 (again)
Steve Nielsen & Tony Humphrey won 6 & 4
please click here for photo
Special congratulations go to Jason Fowler of East Brighton GC for
holing his tee shot in the morning at the short par-3 seventh hole. |
|
Wednesday 21 April 2010 |
Club Captain Gordon
Eaton has today issued the following Notice:
"Many of you will now be aware that, following his recent health
problems, Richard Daughtrey will not be resuming his Vice-Captaincy
duties this year.
I am delighted to announce that Pete Rodger, who was Vice-Captain
Elect, is prepared to step into the breach and take up the
Vice-Captaincy with immediate effect, becoming Captain in November
this year.
As a long-standing member of the Golf Club, Pete is of course known
to most of the Members. He is also well known for his starter duties
on a Sunday!
Richard Daughtrey wishes to defer his Captaincy by a year and will
therefore be Vice-Captain for Pete and subsequently Captain in
2011/12.
I am sure you will all join with me in wishing Pete every success
and in wishing Richard well with his continuing convalescence." |
|
Saturday 17 April 2010
back to the top |
Dan Milligan wins the British Colleges Sport National Golf
Championship
The 32nd British Colleges' Sport National Golf Championships
took place over the past two days at Park Hill Golf Club in Seagrave,
Leicestershire. The event was organised by Loughborough University
and 32 qualifiers played yesterday with the top 12 competing today.
Dan Milligan, representing Chichester College, won the individual
title with rounds of 71 and 74 (one under par) over the long par 73
course. Many congratulations Dan. |
|
Friday 16 April 2010 |
The third West Hove President’s Dinner was held this evening in the
clubhouse.
The dinner, organised by Norman Milburn, is hosted by the West Hove
Past Captains and the guest of honour is the Club’s President, Don
Thatcher. This year's dinner was attended by 20 past Club Captains
from West Hove together with Derrick Kirkham (President of The Dyke
GC), Richard Simmons (Club Chairman) and our current Club Captain,
Gordon Eaton.
This was a momentous occasion as Don has announced that he will be
retiring at the Club's AGM in November after 18 years in office.
Past Captain Geoff Bishop paid tribute to his sterling work,
particularly as a hands-on President, over a long and difficult
period in the Club's history.
please click here for photos
Carl Haydon,
Club Captain in 1965 (yes, 45 years ago!) penned the following
tribute:
West Hove Golf Club is 100 years old, some facts and figures can
now be told,
owned so long by the Clark family Trust, eventually a change became
a necessary must,
the new course developed, thanks to past captain Frank,
overcoming many problems before there was money in the bank.
Now owned by the Members and a joy to behold, the Club has truly
come in from the cold.
This course has now settled in so well, the players upon it think it
really is swell.
Game changes have taken place with bogey becoming par, and the ball
size increased to make it go far.
Seven presidents during the whole of the time, with 85 men's
captains, a really fine line,
Only 59 lady past captains since 1946, as previously they were not
in the mix.
We now have 6 directors on the scene, to ensure that the Club
doesn't lose a bean,
1910 Members would be envious of us today, as West Hove is up for
the future come what may.
Our very active President, now finishing his term, his successor
will certainly have much to learn.
Such a 'hands-on' president, Donald is known to us all, now aged 81
he still hits quite a long ball.
In future his office will be someone else's call, whist the Don we
thank and respect will always walk tall.
So God bless him, the Club and all Members too, as we approach the
next century with energy anew. |
|
Wednesday 14 April
2010 |
West Hove Members
are asked to note the following diary
changes for November 2010
The Club will be receiving a Special Centenary Gift, the first of
its kind, from the Sussex County Golf Union at their Annual Dinner
on 19 November 2010. Therefore, the Club's Annual General Meeting,
and associated functions, will be postponed as shown below:
The Club's AGM (in the Keith Haste Suite) will now take place on
Thursday 25 November;
The Captains' Farewell Party will now take place on Saturday
27 November;
Addendum 1/7/10 - this function has reverted to the
originally scheduled date of 20 November.
and
The Captains' Drive-In will now take place on
Sunday 28 November. |
|
Wednesday 14 April
2010 |
West Hove's run of match wins continues...
Following the reports of the successful matches against
Hollingbury GC on 6 April and Golf du Sart on 11 April, the Club's
General Manager Gary Salt reports that the Men's Section has won a
further two matches - firstly we beat East Brighton GC 4½ to 1½ and
on 10 April we beat Chichester GC 5 -1. Can we maintain this streak? |
|
Wednesday 14 April 2010
back to the top |
Winter Rules OK! - Club Captain Gordon Eaton has today issued
the following statement:
"Due
to the recent lack of rain, coupled with the continuation of the
cold winds etc., the fairway grass growth has fallen far short of
expectations. Course maintenance is also taking place this week as
planned.
In order
to protect the golf course, winter rules will therefore be
resumed with immediate effect.
It is the Club's intention that this temporary local rule will be
dropped by the end of the month at which time all the main teeing
areas will also come back into play.
I thank Members for their understanding and patience – I am sure you
will appreciate that this measure has been taken with the best
interests of the golf course in mind." |
|
Tuesday 13 April 2010 |
Congratulations to
the winner of the March prize draw for a free mid-week 2-ball
round of golf (worth £50) - he is Robin Laidlaw. Since May 2009 all
Green-Fee payers have been invited to enter a free monthly prize
draw and Robin is the latest winner. |
|
Sunday 11 April 2010 |
West Hove GC beat
Golf du Sart 5½ - 2½ in Lille, France today
Sixteen Members travelled to France last Friday to play Golf du Sart
GC in the first of the Club's 2010 centenary matches. As happened
last year, a practice round took place in the afternoon before the
team travelled into old Lille for a lovely dinner at 'La
Cave aux Fioles', an atmospheric restaurant in
a 17th Century building owned by Golf du Sart member Eric Chevalier.
On the Saturday, and in recognition of our centenary year, our hosts
had organised a special Stableford competition called "God Save the
Green". Each West Hove Member played with two Golf du Sart Members,
but nobody from this side of the English Channel played well enough
to feature in the prizes. However, after the golf some of our
Members did win prizes in a special draw where typically English
fayre was up for grabs! In the evening our hosts invited their wives
and partners to join both teams in a casual dinner in the Clubhouse.
Magnifique!
The
main 'business' however was the match against the French side. The
series stood at 1-1 so there was everything to play for. On a dry,
but chilly, Sunday morning the team's green fleece jumpers proved
beneficial, helping our pairings to perform as follows:
Gordon Eaton and Keith Fender won 5&4
John Godley and Maurice Grange won 7&5
Brian Hazelgrove & Bernard Barker won 1 up
Kevin White and Bob Smith lost 1 down
Andrew Macgregor-Boyle and Dave Southon won 3&2
Pete Rodger and Damon Raikes lost 1 down
Steve Nielsen and Neville Hudson halved their match
Jeff Rhodes and Dave Nealer won 1 up West
Hove won the match 5½ - 2½
Following a splendid lunch in the Clubhouse, Club Captain Gordon
Eaton spoke to the assembled mass in French. Amongst other things,
he thanked our hosts for their fantastic hospitality and friendship.
He endorsed the view of all West Hove Members that it had been a
wonderful weekend and it was good to see that the 'entente cordiale'
had been maintained. He then arranged for Brian Hazelgrove to
present a 'Clock with a Coq' and a bone-china centenary plate to
Golf du Sart. Their President, Jean-François Toulemonde, replied in
his typically humorous manner.
We
would like to thank everybody at
Golf du Sart for a
wonderful weekend, particularly those Committee Members who played
in the match - namely Jean-François Toulemonde, Pierre-Marie Flipo
(Vice- President), Thierry Dujardin (Communications Manager),
Philippe Rogeau (Sports Committee) and Didier Renard (Responsible
for Interior). We very much look forward to welcoming our French
friends when they visit us in April or May next year.
please
click here for photos |
|
Thursday 8 April 2010
back to the top |
Bognor GC win the SCLGA Inter Club Scratch Knockout Foursomes today
at West Hove
In our Centenary Year, West Hove was honoured to host the 2010
Sussex County Ladies Golf Association's Inter Club Scratch Knockout
Foursomes. Twenty-two Clubs competed over the past 3 days and Bognor
GC won by defeating Worthing GC in today's final. There was some
excellent golf played and Bognor, who won by 3 & 2, were 2-under par
when the match finished on the sixteenth hole. Highwoods GC finished
third and Chichester GC were fourth. |
|
Sunday 4 April 2010 |
West Hove hosted the annual match against Hollingbury Park today
and came out resounding 6-0 winners. The individual results are as
below:
Tim Ingram (Capt)
Gordon Eaton |
won 2 up |
v |
Steve Stone (Capt)
Sam Bean |
Wayne Hatcher
Gary Chamberlain |
won 6/4 |
v |
Gary Hazelgrove
Terry Barnes |
Damon Raikes
Mick Coombes |
won 7/6 |
v |
Dave Parsons
Jake Williams |
Kevin White
Keith Fender |
won 2 up |
v |
Mike Day
Martin Manvill |
Howard Coulson
Luke Longcroft |
won 1 up |
v |
Tony Garrett
Jordan Woodford |
Ken Stafford
Angus Barrett |
won 5/4 |
v |
David Nevill
Graham Chapman |
|
|
Friday 2 April 2010 |
Latest news of Stacey Rodger and Lewis Jackson in the USA
The Club has heard from both Stacey and Lewis in the past few days.
Stacey recently played for Missouri State University in Las Vegas
shooting 76,73 and 75 to finish 8th out of a field of 93. This
helped her team to finish 2nd out of 16 teams. Whilst there she
apparently visited the famous 'Strip' and ate in 'Treasure Island'.
In the previous week she had been to Arizona and visited the Ping
Factory. She received VIP treatment and was able to visit the room
where they store gold putters - and she was particularly excited to
be given the opportunity to hold Tiger Woods putter from 1994.
Stacey's next tournament starts next week in Indiana.
Like Stacey, Lewis has been playing all over America and reports
that he has played "some awesome courses" and that he has "no
regrets about coming to America". He started his college golf career
last year with a level par tournament (shooting 74 and 70) to finish
tied 9th. In the last week however he has climbed to new heights.
Playing for the Bisons (Harding University) he shot a level par 72
in the second round of the Lyon College Scots Invitational to lead
his team to victory over the other three teams. More importantly for
Lewis, it enabled him to tie the individual lead before he went on
to win the event with a birdie on the first play-off hole. The
competition was played over 'The Course', a 6,607 yard track at
Eagle Mountain, Batesville.
Their fathers, West Hove Members Stuart Rodger and Steve Jackson are
both very proud of what Stacey and Lewis have achieved - as of
course are the rest of us at West Hove.
click here for photos of Stacey & Lewis in the
USA |
|
Wednesday 31 March 2010 |
Tee reservations - 6th, 7th and 8th
April 2010
"In our centenary year the club is proud to host the Sussex
County Ladies Golf Association scratch foursomes event on the above
dates. This is one of the major events in the ladies golfing
calendar.
Tee times on these days will therefore be restricted. For details of
reserved tee times please check in the professional shop. Your
co-operation will be greatly appreciated."
Gary Salt, General Manager |
|
Wednesday 31 March 2010 |
The new South Downs National Park was officially designated this
morning
At a minute past midnight today the South Downs National Park came
into being. It covers over 1600 square kilometres and is the tenth
National Park to be designated in England and in the midst of it
sits our Golf Club.
Apart from offering an area of protected countryside it is 'home'
to the famous South Downs Way, loved by walkers, cyclists and horse
riders, stretching 160 km from Winchester in the west to the white
chalk cliffs of Beachy Head in the east.
Members are reminded that two past Club Captains will be walking
the 'Way' from 25 April for the Captains' charities Leo House at
Home and the NSPCC. Please make every effort to support these worthy
children's charities. For information on their walk,
please see here. |
|
Sunday 28 March 2010
back to the top |
The Club apologises for the recent website breakdown
The Club would like to apologise for this website being unobtainable
for the past few days. We were first made aware of a problem on
Friday 26 March. This was immediately reported to our website host
and was due to circumstances beyond our control. We hope the problem
has now been resolved. |
|
Saturday 27 March 2010 |
West Hove GC has been drawn to play Hill Barn GC in the PAV i.t.
Trophy 2010.
The draw for the first and second rounds of the Sussex
Inter-Club Matchplay Championships took place yesterday at Worthing
GC. West Hove will be at home to Hill Barn in the first round on
Saturday 8 May and the winners will then play away against either
Pyecombe GC or Brighton & Hove GC in the second round on Saturday 22
May. Steve Nielsen will captain West Hove's team this year and
Graham Marchant will act as the non-playing Manager. The full draw
for the first and second rounds can be seen on the Sussex County
Golf Union's website.
http://www.sussexgolf.org
|
|
Monday 22 March 2010 |
A
last opportunity for you and 3 friends to play a superb course at a
fantastic price
As part of the fund-raising process for the Centenary Gala Ball
and the Captains' charities, the Club has been running a 'Silent
Auction' for Members to enable the successful bidders to obtain a
'4-ball voucher' at one or more of 14 fabulous golf courses situated
in the south-east of the country.
Bids should be entered onto the Centenary Notice-board which is
situated just to the right of the bar in the Clubhouse. Bids will
ONLY be accepted up to 5pm on 31 March 2010.
The highest bidders will then be invited to submit their payment to
the Club's office and payment must be made by Saturday 10 April.
Failure to do so will mean the bid is forfeited and the voucher will
be offered to the next highest bidder.
please
click here for full details |
|
Friday 19 March 2010 |
General Manager, Gary
Salt, reports the creation of a new Catering Serving Area.
On Monday 29 and Tuesday 30 March the Club plans to install a new
catering serving area which will enhance our main lounge and help
Clay’s team with the operation of the catering department. There may
be some inconvenience during the work but the catering service will
operate as normal during this installation. Thank you in advance for
your co-operation. |
|
Thursday 18 March 2010
back to the top |
Club Chairman, Richard
Simmons, writes:
"Graeme Crompton, our new Head Professional, will be joining
the Club on Monday 22 March.
During the next few days, we will be redecorating and making
alterations to the shop’s fittings to accommodate the new stock of
clothing and equipment that will be arriving next week.
Members who have a credit balance with Darren will be able to choose
items from Graeme’s shop.
We hope to have a computerised tee-booking system in operation soon.
This will not be accessible via the internet, but will be located in
the shop.
We wish Darren well and we are glad that he has accepted the Board’s
invitation to become a member of the Club. We hope to see him at the
Club as often as his new job allows.
I am sure that all Members will want to introduce themselves to
Graeme and patronise his shop. Many will also want to take out a
course of lessons, but all will wish him a successful future with
our Club."
please click here
for photo |
|
Tuesday 16 March 2010 |
Tickets for the Centenary Gala Ball are selling like 'hot-cakes'
On 6 March it was announced on this website that 'booking forms' for
the Club's Centenary Gala Ball were available from the General
Office or the Bar. Just 10 days later, an amazing 159 tickets have
been allocated and sold. Members are again advised to collect
booking forms and order their tickets as soon as possible to avoid
potential disappointment. |
|
Monday 8 March 2010 |
Graeme Crompton is to
become the new Head Professional at West Hove GC
Club Chairman, Richard Simmons, writes as follows:
"Following interviews carried out last week, I am delighted to
announce that Graeme Crompton will be our new Head Professional.
Graeme was one of many candidates who applied for the vacancy.
Graeme has been the Head Professional at Hollingbury Park Golf Club
for 13 years and he is well known in Sussex as a top golf coach,
particularly for coaching ladies and juniors. He has worked in the
Brighton area as a golf pro' for nearly 25 years.
The Directors are confident that Graeme will operate and stock our
pro' shop to the highest standards and will help us to drive our
Club forward in our centenary year and beyond.
Graeme is looking forward to working with Ronnie, Russell and
Graham, re-fitting and changing the layout of the shop and
introducing a Mizuno custom-fitting centre and computerised
tee-booking system.
I am sure that you will join the Directors in congratulating Graeme
on his appointment and in wishing him a successful future with our
Club". |
|
Sunday 7 March 2010 |
Ladies Daily Mail and
Mail on Sunday team results - you win some and you lose some
A team of five West Hove Ladies made the short trip to The Dyke GC
yesterday to play in the second round of the Mail on Sunday team
matchplay event. Playing in their new raspberry and white team
colours, partly sponsored by Tony Seabrook and Globalnet telecom,
they won by 3½ to 1½ to reach the third round.
Today, in the Daily Mail pairs' competition at a cold and blustery
Hill Barn GC, our team of Rita Hedderman and Angie Whitty lost
narrowly 2 & 3.
please
click here for photos |
|
Sunday 7 March 2010
back to the top
|
West Hove's Juniors donate £300 to 'Rockinghorse'
In keeping with the theme set by Club Captain Gordon Eaton and
Ladies' Captain Jan Seabrook, our Juniors have chosen to support a
children's charity by donating their Dockerill's
Junior Brighton League winner's
prize of £300 to Rockinghorse. This charity, that makes life better
for sick children in Sussex, is best known for its work
with the Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital in Brighton.
In a letter to Ken Stafford, West Hove's Junior Organiser, the
Rockinghorse's Community Fundraiser, Analiese Doctrove wrote "I
would like to say a special thank you to Jonny Ingram who chose to
donate the money to Rockinghorse, and also Malcolm Dockerill who
kindly provides a fund for the top three teams in the Brighton
Junior Golf League". |
|
Saturday 6 March 2010 |
The Latest Centenary Year News
-
Booking forms for the Club's spectacular Centenary Gala Ball, to be
held on Saturday 3 July 2010, are now available from the General
Office or the Bar. Members are advised to book early to avoid
disappointment.
-
The
draw for the team to represent the Club in the inaugural centenary
year match against Golf du Sart has been made. The16-man squad, led
by Club Captain Gordon Eaton, will travel to France on 9 April. Our
hosts will then be visiting us during our Gala Weekend in August.
-
Plans
for the Club's South Downs Way Charity Walk are well advanced.
Members will be receiving full details with their AGM Notice papers
later this month. In the meantime, sponsorship forms will shortly be
available on the table beneath the Centenary Notice-Board and the
on-line JustGiving pages have already been set up.
please click here for details
-
Now
that the threat of snow has disappeared (?), Members might like to
consider booking a free round of golf on another golf course. During
our Centenary Year, the Club has organised reciprocal arrangements
with no less than 23 different Clubs!
please click here for details
|
|
Thursday 4 March 2010 |
Congratulations to
the winner of February's prize draw for a free mid-week 2-ball
round of golf (worth £50) - he is Rick Maughan. Since May 2009 all
Green-Fee payers have been invited to enter a free monthly prize
draw and Rick is last month's winner. |
|
Saturday 20 February 2010 |
This year's Mixed
Easter competition on Easter Monday becomes even more mixed!
The Club is conscious that there is a growing number of members who
have left the Club, or lost their partners, who very much miss the
fabulous social side of 'Mixed Golf'. It has therefore been agreed
that at this year's Easter Monday competition, past members will be
invited to play but subject, of course, to the payment of a
green-fee. If you would like to be involved in this year's Texas
Scramble event please get in touch with the office, Maurice Grange
or Jeanie Bailey. Don't be shy. |
|
Friday 19 February 2010 |
Brian Holmes was unanimously elected as the new Seniors' Captain
today
Following the sudden sad death of John Lane on Boxing Day 2009, the
Senior's today held an Extraordinary General Meeting where Brian
Holmes was unanimously elected as the new Centenary Year Seniors'
Captain. Brian, who was the Seniors' Captain in 2006/7 takes up his
responsibilities immediately and joins the Golf Committee. Andy Page
continues in his role as Seniors' Vice-Captain.
The meeting also agreed that
the
recently purchased silver salver, to be competed for as an 18-hole
Par (or Bogey) competition, should be renamed. In memory of John, it
is now known as the John Lane Seniors' Centenary Salver. |
|
Tuesday 16 February 2010
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A message for all
Members - Come and play a round of golf with the Captain!
Having returned bronzed from his
winter holiday, Centenary Club Captain Gordon Eaton writes:
"During my captaincy year, I would like to play with, and get to
know, as many members as possible. Some of you may have noticed that
my captain’s tee times (9.30) on the Saturday and Sunday start
sheets are now marked as just “Captain” with three blank spaces
after. If you are looking for a game, please feel free to fill in
your name if there is a space available - all welcome, particularly
new members. I look forward to seeing you." |
|
Monday 8 February
2010 |
Congratulations to the
winner of January's prize draw for a free mid-week 2-ball round of
golf (worth £50) - he is Tim Reynolds. |
|
Thursday 28 January 2010 |
The Club has today issued the following statement about Darren Cook:
"Darren has given notice that he will be resigning as our Golf
Professional when his contract expires on 26 April 2010 as he has
accepted a job opportunity at Gatwick Airport, completely unrelated
to golf.
Darren has been associated with West Hove Golf Club for 17 years and
has brought great credit to the Club, particularly with his work
developing junior golfers that was a major contribution to our
successful achievement of the Golfmark Award.
Everyone at the Club thanks Darren for his help and commitment
during that time and wishes him great success in his new role.
The Board will be instigating a formal process for a new Golf
Professional during the next few weeks." |
|
Thursday 28 January
2010 |
Three late news items:
1.
The winner of the raffle which helped fund
last year's Children's Christmas Party was
Tony Tilbury. His prize? A large cuddly
toy.
2.
The winner of December's
prize draw for a free mid-week 2-ball round of golf (worth £50)
is Owen Voice - congratulations.
3. The
entry in the Club's diary for 11 December should read "Children's
Christmas Party". |
|
Tuesday 26 January 2010 |
The dates for the September 2010 Course Maintenance work have
changed
Would Members please note their diaries that the Course Maintenance
scheduled for 20-24 September inclusive has now been postponed by
one week and will now take place between Monday 27 September and
Friday 1 October 2010. |
|
Sunday 24 January 2010
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Today's Centenary Welcome Lunch was attended by over 100 Members and
guests
This was the Club's first formal event in our Centenary Year and the
first large function for our new Catering Manager Clay Morris. It
proved to be a resounding success with everyone enjoying the full
waiter/waitress service and some excellent food. Brief presentations
were made by the Club Captain, Gordon Eaton, the Ladies' Captain Jan
Seabrook and the Centenary Committee Chairman, Brian Hazelgrove,
before the postponed 2009 Christmas Raffle draw was made. A full
list of the winners is now displayed in the Clubhouse. Thanks go to
Brian Murphy and Lynn Stoner, and everyone else involved, in making
this event a success. |
|
Saturday 23 January 2010
 |
How is my annual fee to the English Golf Union used?
The English Golf Union (EGU) is the governing body of men's amateur
golf in England. Every male Club Member pays the sum of £5.00 (as of
January 2010) to the EGU as part of his annual Club subscription.
So, if you want to know how your 'fiver' is used, please click on
the image of the EGU's recently published 'e-brochure' (on the
left) which outlines their role and future plans.
Note: Lady Members subscribe a different amount to the English
Women's Golf Association (EWGA). |
|
Tuesday 19 January 2010 |
Our new Catering Manager (and old
friend), Clayton Morris, takes over from today
As announced on 20 November 2009, the Club's catering franchise has
been awarded to Clay Morris. He will be known to many of the longer
serving Members as he had worked at the Club in the past
as an assistant professional, but his
background was not well known.
Clay's parents became the steward and stewardess of Enmore Park GC
in Somerset when he was 11 years old. This is where he had his first
golf lesson and when he decided that he would like to be a Golf
Professional. His parents went on to run bars and restaurants at
another 5 golf clubs over the next 25 years, the last of which was
locally at Pyecombe GC. In those early days Clay gained a lot of
experience by working in the kitchens, dining rooms and bars(!)
before leaving for the USA (California) in 1980 to pursue his
golfing ambitions.
Whilst there, he would play golf every day and work in as many as 3
different restaurants to make ends meet. This went on until 1988
when he returned to England, joining Pyecombe GC, where he achieved
a low enough handicap to join the PGA in order to become a qualified
Professional Golfer.
He
trained under Chris White, who at that time was the Professional at
both Pyecombe and West Hove, and he worked for him at our old
clubhouse in Old Shoreham Road. When the Club moved to its new
location in Badgers Way, David Mills became the Head Pro' and Clay
joined him. Clay went on to pass his final exams with flying
colours
and received the 'Titleist Trainee of the Year' award and a (small)
cheque
to go with it.
He
left West Hove shortly after to pursue his ambitions, eventually
becoming the Head Pro' at West Chiltington GC. From there, he went
to Seaford (Blatchington) GC to work alongside David Mills again,
taking over the day-to-day role of Head Professional whilst David
pursued his playing career 'on the circuit'.
After 7 years Clay felt that the Golf Pro' business was on a
downward trend, so decided to make a big change before it was too
late. He found a small catering business for sale and, having regard
to his past experiences, decided to buy it. The business,
'The Upper Crust' in Richardson Road,
Hove
has grown from strength to strength and continues to prosper.
Now, almost 3 years later to the day, he is delighted to have been
awarded the catering contract at West Hove
and says that he is
looking forward to being back at the Club. He hopes to be able to
offer the Members, and visitors, some good food, good service and a
clean environment in which to enjoy it. |
|
Monday 18 January 2010
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Catering Service Notice
The Catering
Service Transfer has now been completed. Clay Morris looks forward
to offering you a warm welcome from mid-morning tomorrow, Tuesday
19th January. There will be no catering service until then and we
apologise for any inconvenience.
Gary Salt,
General Manager |
|
Saturday 16 January
2010 |
After recent heavy snowfalls the
course re-opens tomorrow, Sunday 17 January 2010
Notwithstanding today's heavy rain, the Club's Head
Greenkeeper, Duncan Haste, has authorised the re-opening of the
course on Sunday 17 January. Play will be from a mix of normal and
winter tees and our normal greens will be in play (except possibly
at the 8th and12th holes where there are still large snow-drifts).
Members will be allowed the use of trolleys but NOT buggies. |
|
Friday 15 January
2010 |
Match & Handicap
announce changes to this weekend's Monthly Medal - and the
Four-Ball KO
As it is not known whether the course will be open for play on
Sunday 17 January, the postponed December Monthly Medal rearranged
for that day has been further postponed. The new date is Sunday
14 February 2010.
In addition, Andrew Macgregor-Boyle, Chairman of M&H, has extended
the deadlines for playing the first two rounds of the Winter
Four-Ball KO competition – the closing
dates are now 14 February for the 1st round and 7 March
for the 2nd round. |
|
Friday 15 January 2010
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A
further update on the condition of the course:
There is still a lot of snow on the course even though it has
cleared from many urban areas, particularly near the coast. The
Club's General Manager, Gary Salt, has issued this update:
"Present indications are that it is highly unlikely that the
course will be fit for play this weekend unless we experience an
exceptional thaw. The position will continue to be monitored daily
and we hope the course will be open again for play at some stage
early next week. For today (15 January) the Pro-Shop (tel.
01273 413494 ) will only be providing a limited service between
9:00am and 1:00pm for the purpose of making tee reservations for
future dates, and for this Saturday & Sunday this limited
service will be extended to 7.30am to 1.00pm."
see here for photos
NB - THE RE-OPENING OF THE COURSE WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON THIS WEBSITE |
|
Friday 15 January
2010 |
An exciting new Men's competition
has been introduced (The Palmer Order of Merit) and M&H has released
the following statement:
"Match & Handicap are pleased to announce details of a new trophy
being introduced from 2010 – the Palmer Order of Merit. Open to
seven day male members points will be awarded to the top ten for
each of the weekend qualifying competitions (except the Club
Championship) - 12 for 1st, 10 for 2nd,
8 for 3rd and then from 7 down to 1 . Where
there are separate competitions for handicap categories eg. Sir
George Dance and Leigh Wainwright points will be awarded in the same
way to each category. However, for a monthly medal, which is the
same competition split into two categories where there is one
overall winner points will be awarded on the best 10 net scores
across the two divisions. In open competitions points will be
awarded to the top 10 qualifying members. The competition will run
during the calendar year commencing with the January monthly medal
scheduled for 30th January. There is no entry fee and the
player with the most points at the end of the year wins the trophy.
Thanks go to Kevin Palmer for kindly donating the trophy." |
|
Tuesday 12 January 2010
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The Team Captains for the 2010
external club competitions have been named
The Club Captain,
Gordon Eaton, has today announced the 2010 captains of our PAV it
Trophy team, the Cyril Blake Cup team and the Club's Brighton &
District Golfing Society's teams. They are:
Steve Nielsen for our two scratch teams -
they are the
Sussex Inter-Club Matchplay Championship
team (the PAV i.t. Trophy) and the B&DGS Senior Cup team.
Graham Marchant, from our Pro-shop, will act as the
non-playing Manager.
Damon Raikes for
the Brighton & District Golfing Society's Intermediate Cup team.
Gary Chamberlain for the Brighton & District Golfing
Society's Junior Cup team.
Maurice Grange for The Cyril Blake Cup team - an inter-club
foursomes knockout competition, played on handicap over 18 holes by
four pairs, for players who are aged 55 years or more and members of
the Sussex County Golf Union.
Gordon wishes them all
good luck and looks forward to assisting and supporting the teams
wherever possible throughout the season.
|
|
Monday 11 January
2010 |
Gary
Salt provides an update on the condition of our course for
Members and visitors
Following last week's heavy snowfalls (and there being no early
signs of a thaw), the Club's General Manager, Gary Salt, states
that:
"Present indications are that it is highly unlikely that the course
will be fit for play for the remainder of this week, including next
Saturday and Sunday. The position is being monitored daily and
further information will be posted on this site as appropriate. For
the remainder of this week the Pro-Shop (tel. 01273 413494 ) will
only be providing a limited service between 9:00am and 1:00pm for
the purpose of making tee reservations for future dates." |
|
Monday 11 January 2010 |
The Club is pleased
to report two significant events today
Firstly, the Board welcomes our new General Manager, Gary Salt, who
starts his tenure today. His name is rather apt as without salt (and
the considerable efforts of all our green-keepers), he would not
have been able to negotiate the half mile entrance drive to our
Clubhouse following the recent heavy snowfalls.
Secondly, at the beginning of our Centenary Year, our new website
has received its 100,000th visitor this morning. The site is
becoming increasingly popular with over 20,000 visitors in the first
year, over 33,000 in the second year and now over 46,000 in the
third year (with over two-and-a-half months still to go!). We have
also had visits from 91 different countries to date and it would be
quite appropriate to achieve 'our century' in our Centenary Year -
watch this space. |
|
Friday 1 January 2010 |
A New Year's Day message from our
Club Captain Gordon Eaton. Gordon writes:-
"Dear Fellow Golfers,
Welcome to 2010 - our Club’s centenary year! The year ahead is
packed with many additional golfing and social events, along with
all the familiar ones. We are also honoured to be hosting several
external events, both professional and amateur.
The exciting highlight of the social calendar will be the Centenary
Gala Ball which is to be held on Saturday 3 July 2010. This promises
to be a truly memorable occasion so I urge everyone to book early! I
particularly look forward to seeing all members of the Golf Club
participating in and enjoying our centenary year – have fun."
In fact, the fun started last night at the Club's New Year's Eve
Party.
Click here for photographs |
|
Monday 28 December 2009 |
The 4 January 2010
Lynx Professional Golf Tour Event at WHGC has been postponed
Our current Club Champion Tom Coulson, who turned professional in
August 2009, has been instrumental in organising a new tour event
for professional golfers and category 1 amateur golfers. The
inaugural event of this new tour was to be held at West Hove
in a week's time but this has now been postponed to Thursday 1
April 2010.
Further details can be found on the Lynx Tour website by
clicking here. |
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