Sussex glory for Cooden Beach

Each team comprised four pairings, and Cooden’s Peter Bradshaw and Bernie Dyer led from the front by running out 2&1 winners against Peter Danton and John Baker.

Martin Dix and Martin Thompson then won in the second match against Ray Brown and Phil Miles. Chartham captain Paul Wilkin and John Zelkowicz hit back 3&1 against Len Arnot-Perrett and Steve Bedwell.

David Relf and Colin Springett required a half to take the match overall but Dave Foster and Guy Zaire hung on resolutely. With the match all-square at the 16th, Foster sunk a 25 foot putt to put his team 1 up.

The last two holes were halved which meant the destination of the trophy would be decided by a sudden death play-off.

Cooden’s non-playing captain Peter Barford had no hesitation in choosing Bradshaw and Dyer to contest the decider having won two similar play-offs earlier in the competition.

Zelkowicz pulled Chartham’s second shot into bushes on the left in front of the green. Wilkin elected to play a provisional ball but sliced it out of bounds to the right.

Bradshaw had played Cooden’s second shot safely to the right just in front of the green and, after searching long and hard for their ball without success, the Chartham pairing had to concede defeat.

After the traditional post-match dinner, Sussex County president Dave Richardson presented the trophy to Barford, who said this was the first time that Cooden had won the event, providing a fitting and delightful end to the club’s very special centenary year.