No brolly for Polly - but they're singin' in the rain at Cowdray Park

To a ‘choir’ singing ‘She who would valiant be’ orchestrated by vice-captain Pat Wallace, Polly (pictured right with the outgoing captain) was given a great start.

A total of 120 players competed in a Texas scramble and members raised £1,022 for the new captain’s charity, the Motor Neurone Disease Association (West Sussex South).

Results: 1 R Phillips, P Dudman, SP White, M Hall 59.1; 2 S White, T White, J Thorpe, A Poole 59.2; 3 T Vincent, S Hide, J Wadey, O Hide 59.3; 4 M Whitcomb, A Macfarlane, T Watson, N Anstey 61.6; Nearest the pin, 3rd hole for men – M Brine; 9th for ladies – A Pike; 11th for ladies – S Richardson; 17th for men – P Hallt.

Other section results: EWGA four-ball better-ball: 1 Angela Pike & Sally Williams 43pts; 2 Jill Parry & Julia Lloyd 40. November medal: Div 1: Gaynor Dudman 71, Janice Leath 73, Barbara Parker 75; Div 2: Marilyn Davis 75, Myrna Heustice 75, Anne Laver 78; Div 3: Margaret Tucker 81, Angie Edwards 85, Maureen Bailey 85.

Cowdray Park seniors’ vice-captain Bill Hummerston is proof that nothing succeeds like success. Having won the seniors’ championship four days earlier, he produced a round of near-faultless golf to score 39 points and take first prize in the first seniors’ turkey trot. His round included a birdie three on the 12th.

There are a series of three turkey trots, with three prizes awarded on the day and two awarded at the end for the two players with the two best cumulative scores from the three rounds.

In damp and dull conditions, scores were not as high as they have been recently, with no run on the ball. Hummerston’s nearest pursuer was Mike King with 37 points, while seniors’ captain Peter Burton claimed third with 35 points. His final nine holes produced 20 points, including a birdie two on the par-three 17th.

He won third place on countback from Gordon Kendall, Brian Carpenter, Ian Goodall and Mike Morling.

The finalists for the Cowdray Park seniors’ singles matchplay have been determined. Winter singles champion Phil Harrison overcame the stern challenge of veteran Irishman Pat Bonner to earn the right to face Sam Howes in the final.

Howes used his handicap allowance to good effect to see off former club and seniors’ captain Dave Tilley and set up the meeting with Harrison.

The seniors held their annual triple six competition, in which players are drawn in pairs. There are three formats involved, each over six holes: foursomes, greensomes and better-ball, with different handicap allowances for each. Dave Hirons burned the midnight oil to prepare the complicated cards.

The first group out provided the winners, with the section’s lowest-handicapped player, Dave Lucking, paired with consistent Roger Poat, who returned an excellent 37 points.

The third group out, including captain Peter Burton and partner John Newman, recorded 36 points to gain second place on countback. This was Burton’s second prize of the week as he finishes the final weeks of his captaincy in style.

BOGNOR

The Winter Four Ball Cup attracted a field of 66 men and had a shotgun start. Excellent playing conditions resulted in some great scores. Captain Derek Dady is pictured doing the presentation.

Results: 1 Dave Hicks & Jim Catt 44pts, 2 Alistair Murray & Ian Pettie 42 ocb, 3 John Sullivan & Gordon Catt 42. Nearest the pin: 2nd hole – Mick Martin; 5th – Mike Oates.

There were 27 entrants for the 2011 winners and runners-up competition at Bognor. JJ Stephenson was the winner with a nett score of 64 on countback from John Sullivan. Third was James Maclean on 65, fourth Andy Brown on 67.

Fifty-two members took part in the Daily Mail Foursomes medal. Winners were Russell Braham and Bob Wilson with a nett 67.5. In January they will learn who they will play in the next round.

Second were Brian Arnell and Robin Walker with a nett score of 68. Don McLeod and Trevor Ridgers were third on 71 on countback from Ollie Tinson and Jordan Vincent. A men’s Stableford off the white tees was won by Martin Seagrove with 44 points.