David Gaitley won the Southwick Spring Bank Holiday Tournament

[<<] [>>] by David Gaitley at Southwick
2-4 May 2009 (AC)

This tournament, changed to B-Class, welcomed a field of 18 entrants with handicaps ranging from 0 to 10, and was held over the long weekend of 2nd-4th May in somewhat unsettled but generally dry weather. It was played as a Hands' Egyptian.

Some noteworthy results were recorded, particularly Neil Coote's (8) bravura performance to beat Alan Cottle(0), and Mark Hamilton's spectacular feat in snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, when needing to peg out his ball to win the game after running rover when time was called, accidentally cut rushed his opponent's rover ball on to the peg.

The start of play on Monday morning showed Barry Gould in the lead, followed by David Gillett, matched against David Gaitley lying third, who had crawled out from behind the bar to compete. David Gaitley (7)won his match, and after lunch faced Barry Gould (4.5) to decide the winner. This was rather like the Battle of Balaclava, where the Light Brigade found themselves facing heavy guns, although it's perhaps debatable whether David Gaitley could be considered lightweight. Anyway, he won by +20 to win the competition, with joint runners up Daphne Gaitley and Lawrence Whittaker.

On award of the trophy, David held it aloft for photographs and dropped the top on to the floor. It was thought that he misheard the information that it was called the Reckitt Bowl as an instruction to "wreck it"

Many thanks are due to Christine Constable for her able management of the event, to the catering crew and to the bar for its selection of fine Dark Star ales.