2007 Season Summary

30th March 2007 – Champion of Champions Chiltern Forest GC

Browned off Again

Where will it all end they ask? The curtain raiser for the season is The Champion of Champion competition where all the past major winners of the last 5 years along with the Singles winner and the Order of Merit champion pit their wits against each other in a stroke play event.

This year the event was held at Chiltern Forest Golf Club.  The course was a challenge to the body mind and soul and not a course for the unfit, as you rarely play with your feet level and the undulations were to take its toll later in the round.

 Cassius Browne did ask “what is all the fuss about?” and played his game accordingly, Cass (as he is known to his friend) returned a score of a net 71 which won the day by 2 shots from Winston Johnson and Leo Faure who both carded a net 73 with Winston claiming the runner up spot on a count back.

13th April 2007 – Major 1 London Hatfield GC

Unbelievably the weather was fantastic. A definitive spring day in April with hardly a cloud in the sky, greeted the first full ACGA 2007 major. The pristine car park at the Hatfield Golf club was a testimony to the meticulous maintenance policy the club had obviously set for itself. The walk down the sloping roadway to the historic club house gave one a feeling of historic presence and anticipation of  possible a good round on good facilities. Since our last visit there had been  (and still ongoing) some major re-work. The old pro shop had gone and was being replaced with what looked like a very expensive residential complex. Certainly if I was holding spare coinage I’d think about putting a deposit down. They had the look of impending opulence and obvious quality.

As per usual in was not difficult to find exactly where the boys were. From a 1000 yards, one only has to cock the head, listen for and then follow raucous noise. Noise levels, as usual were equivalent to a young conservative Christmas Party event, where everyone is worse for where with alcohol and emitting Johnny Walker  lubricated guffaws of laughter.

From 200 yards it was clear that a handful of our more extrovert members had arrived early. Del’s big grin and new “peel ‘ed” was one of the first sights to greet me. Having just, for an exceptional cause, vacated himself of his “locks” the replacement bonnet was not what I expected.

18th May 2007 – Major 2 Merrist Wood GC

The Name is Woodstock……………… Mike Woody Woodstock 

Just a reminder of what Mike preached at the beginning of the year. “I’ll take a bet that I will win a major in 2007” He followed this up with, “I’ll pay anyone who takes up this bet £10 if I don’t will a major, BUT if I do, you will pay me £20. This was a bold statement from someone who joined the ACGA in 1996 he Has been captain, and is currently the news editor and has given generously to other members on other major days. Word had gone out that you could almost guarantee to offset any lost with a Woody £5 & £5.

 Listen Mike has been in contention before but never been able to hold on, could he hang on this time. Let’s see….

For those who attended last year, you know what I mean. This year at Merrist Wood we had electricity; the greens are in good nic, not like the beach at Margate. We can buy a drink at the bar. The weather although windy it’s warm. We again have a full house of 48 golfers. Milton Marsh is in attendance trying to win back to back majors. Also in the field is Cassius Browne looking for his second win in 2007. We also try out our new format of 27 holes. 9 in the morning followed by 18 in the afternoon, all the usual bets are in and the first group are about to tee off.

Steve Garner

Winner at

Benton Hall GC

8th June 2007 – Major 3 Benton Hall GC

18th May 2007 – Pyrford Lakes GC

Chris Crushes The Course with Creditable 85 pts

As the race for the 2007 Order of Merit title really starts to take shape a solid performance at Pyrford Golf Club would be paramount to keeping alive any title aspirations you had at the start of the year. With just 28 points separating the Top 5 (Ray McGinley 228, Henry Laville 226, Chris Thomas 210, Andy Ferdinand 206, Steve Garner 200) the competition is still very much within anyone’s grasp.

The venue for what proved to be a record breaking day for the ACGA was Pyrford Golf Club near Woking in Surrey. Part of the Crown Golf collection of Golf Clubs I am sure it will become a regular feature on The ACGA roster over the next few years. With the tees positioned slightly forward the course was set-up slightly shorter then we would have liked. Nonetheless it still proved to be a good stern test of golf, with lush fairways, superb greens and many water hazards.  Competing amongst the 47 players the ACGA was proud to welcome two new members, Clayton Dean and Alistair Phillips and two guests Fez Newell and Cora Edwards. Fez has now completed his two events as a guest and we look forward to welcoming him as a member at the next outing.

17th August 2007 – Cottesmore GC

Colin’s Consistency Captures Cottesmore 

After all the recent rain we had been suffering it was a relief to arrive at Cottesmore to clear skies and a warm smile from the staff serving the coffee & bacon rolls. With the August ACGA event notorious for a low turn out it was one of the ‘easier’ chances to win a coveted ACGA major. Just 28 other members and 36 holes of glorious West Sussex parkland golf standing between immortality and mediocrity. Unfortunately for me it was another case of mediocrity. For Colin Parson it was a 2nd Major in 2 years as he headed a top 3 of ACGA newcomers. 

It was a pleasure to have Tyrone Carter back in the field after an absence of over a year. Luckily for the rest of us he played as a guest or he would certainly have added to his collection of golfing trophies. Cora Edwards has now completed her two events as a guest and I look forward to welcoming her as a fully paid up ACGA Member when we next get together at Meon Valley. 

15-16th September 2007 – Meon Valley GCC

Who Said He Was Too Old?

Well the title says it all, when I spoke to James just before he rode off into the sunset with his normal bag full of swag ( ACGA Trophies ) I had to ask him "How do you feel now you have won your 1st major?" He said 25; I got fed up of turning over Ossie, Caswell, CJ and Ray in the seniors so I thought I'd go for the big boys. 

James Noel at the tender age of 55+ won the Weekend fixture at Meon Valley to claim his 1st major.  Meon Valley can be a brute of a course over 2 days, and this weekend was no different.

This was a 1st class performance shooting a total of 67 points over 36 holes.  His nearest rival was Bose Sreedharan who finished 2nd 4 shots back on 63.  This was also the1st time that Bose has collected some silverware so a big well done to you too sir.  In 3rd place was Randy Ploughwright also with a score of 63, just missing out on count back, and the same would apply for the 4th and 5th positions with 4th place going to that old war horse, with a never say die attitude Tony Irish and 5th place was taken by Leo Faure.

4th October 2007 – Major 7 Brookmans Park GC

MARK HENRY MARKS ALL CARDS AT BROOKMANS PARK!

A foggy start to the day had everybody on edge in the clubhouse, pro shop and putting green at the ACGA's final major of the year – The Captains Day at Brookmans Park

 As Tony Johnson our Captain was busy greeting the members, the four horsemen of the apocalypse (otherwise known as the contenders for this years Order of Merit) Steve Garner, Chris Thomas, Henry Laville and Andy Ferdinand; jockeyed for position on the first tee. Woof! There it is! As Henry “boomed” one down the left hand side, Steve curled one to the left, leaving Chris and Andy to manoeuvre carefully down the right hand side of the fairway. The all marched down with military precision, expectations high.

Meanwhile back at the ranch with the spotlight focused elsewhere the rest of the field looked forward to a carefree golfing day, full of beautiful shots, beautiful putts and plenty of beautiful bets!