Last week started with the annual popular Courtesy Cup between the ladies and the seniors, writes Dave Bruce.

It is played in pairs as a combined handicap matchplay off the ladies card.

Being gentlemen we give them extra courtesy shots on top of the handicap differences. This year they had eight extra shots but that will go down to seven next year as the ladies won three-and-a-half to two-and-a-half.

Mind you, only one game finished in atrocious weather, that being the captains, who went out first.

The cup was presented to this year's captain, Jill Wellington, by Pat Aysford. Pat actually gave the cup to the club in 1998 when she was lady captain and played in this year's event and beat Messrs Bruce & Hughes by one hole with her playing partner Janet Dack. Pat, not a lot of people know, was the first person to get a hole-in-one, in 1999, on the then new par three 11th hole.

There has been quite a number since then but it is still a difficult hole with strategic bunkers on either side of the green.

The ladies had a Children in Need stableford on Wednesday where teams of three were drawn and given a yellow ball for each team.

Two scores were counted on each hole and, if the yellow ball scored, its score was doubled unless it was lost. Somehow no-one lost it but it was nervy playing with it.

The weather was dry to start and not too windy on the front nine until they got to the back nine, along the coast, when it was difficult keeping your ball still on the green, putting from 15th hole onwards. Despite that it was a close competition and raised over £70 in donations for such an excellent cause.

The winners were the favourites of Helen Kenworthy, Margaret Kenchington and Jo Hopgood with a grand 92 points but only just beating Jill Wellington, Barbara Cummings and Alison Cooke by one point.