Centenary’s retro feel

A fortnight of Chestfield Golf Club festivities started at the weekend as the club kicked off their centenary year celebrations.

A centenary plaque was unveiled by the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Canterbury with local MP Rosie Duffield and parish councillors in attendance at a 1920s-themed cocktail evening last Friday. The 1920s theme continued with a Texas Scramble competition, played over 12 holes, using golf clubs made from hickory shafts. Golfers also wore 1920s attire on Saturday.

Denise and Roy Starkey, alongside James Snell, won with a fine net 36.

The next day, a junior Stableford competition was won by Max Purnell with 34 points, beating Bertie Steward by one.

The first men's medal of the season for the Robin Young Cup - named after a former captain of the golf club - was won by Mark Richardson with a net 68, just pipping Declen Kirkham on countback. This competition raised money for Canterbury’s Pilgrims Hospice, with all competitors making a donation.

During the week, there was also a women's Stableford and a women's pairs competition. The Stableford competition was won by Lesley Timewell with 28 points while Val Hales and Sandra Griggs came out on top in the pairs with 39 points.

For the Mitrebeens section, who played their President's Prize Stableford competition last Wednesday, Michael Richardson was crowned the winner with 33 points in a close finish, just pipping both Steve Foster and Chris Barnard on countback.

John Chilcott was presented with the Ted Gladdish Cup. Gladdish was a former club captain and the trophy was donated in his memory to be played for on an annual basis and to be presented to the winner of the “5” club challenge.

Although Dru Sait and Mark Kelk put up fine displays, both scoring 40 points, they couldn’t better Chilcott’s 41 points.

Chestfield have received their accreditation for their “Women in Golf” Charter Commitments from England Golf. The women's team completed their Pearson Trophy campaign, ending fourth - actually winning more individual matches than the team which finished third in the group. The women's cancer relief Stableford competition was won by Christine Dunlop with 34 points from second-placed Mo Fentiman with 33 while the women's Stableford was won by Kathy Lloyd with 36 points, three points clear of her nearest rival.

The women's medal was won by Val Hales with a net 72. She was one shot clear of Penny Entwistle, Elizabeth Wakefield and Sandra Griggs.

The East Kent League team went down 4.5-0.5 away against Canterbury but managed a fine win by the same scoreline at home to Sene Valley.

The first trophy competition of the season for the Mitrebeens’ section was the Bertie Bush Trophy and also was played for last month.

David Steward, Peter Barnard and Michael Cox all managed net 69. But Cox prevailed on countback, taking four less than his handicap on the last nine holes.

April saw four junior Stablefords take place with three different winners - Jenson Barber, Hayden Rainsbury and Josh Barnard.