A couple of weeks ago, the Nuthurst Cricket Club Annual Golf Day was held at Mannings Heath Golf & Wine Estate. It was the twelfth such consecutive gathering of the great and the good from cricket grounds far and wide, and likewise golf courses across the land. Click this link for the programme.

NCC's lead sponsor is MHGC and wow what a day they had prepared for us.

Thirteen 4-balls began to muster from 10am for bacon rolls and coffee. It is worth noting here what scrummy coffee it was too - donated by Ben Cooper and The Barista Project. This wonderful local business roasts and sells the most delicious whole and ground bean coffee. This year, MHGC agreed to serve Ben's Viewpoint 78... everyone thought it was delicious. I digress... but thanks to Ben and team!

Will Morris ran registration like clockwork, Nick Sherliker cajoled the competitors to part with hard earned dough in exchange for a Mulligan, and the fearsome combo of Annette Keen and Heather Read charmed their way into wallets for the players to have a shot at the overflowing and high quality raffle table. Thank you to everyone for their generosity, as ever. This is primarily a fund raising day, with every little coin and note being much appreciated by the cricket club.

Simon Mantell, our host from MHGC, gathered the increasingly active sports folks (now on the greens and in the practice net) and introduced the form and timings for the day. Jonny Willis welcomed the golfers and asked for a round of applause for one of the Badgers players, Bob Scrivener, who is soon migrating to Australia... his last NCC Golf Day was about to begin! Thanks to Bob for all of his support over the years and everyone wishes him great happiness with his move.

Before you knew it, midday had arrived and Simon was fashioning an air horn from a compressed air machine to signify the 'shotgun start'... proceedings began in earnest!

Click this link and enjoy the photographs snapped by our intrepid photographers, Will and Darren... action shots throughout!

Did I mention the weather? Well, perhaps I didn't. We were blessed with walking fairways in bright and warm sun... what a change from the previous weeks, where the rain had led to buggies being cancelled. As one golfer put it, this day is always dry, warm and sunny... well, almost!

Despite the general dampness, the course played well. The Longest Drive (Men) was contested on the 13th, for the Lady (Julia Hoskins) on 16th and nearest the pin on the 5th. For the second year now, the Beat The Pro was contested on 14th... with Nick Scott's absence, club pro Dean Herbet stepped in to take on our enthusiastic crowd. When yours truly offered his fiver and stepped on to the tee to have a crack, Dean commented that he had 'just hit a regular, everyday 9 iron', to within about 10 foot. I wonder, is that a new brand of 9 iron and where, pray tell, do I get one. Mine seems to be an erratic, occasional 9 iron and I want it out of my bag! Thanks again to The Barista Project for providing the prizes for those successful golfers who beat Dean. Dean - thank you so much for your good humour, time and skill! All the best for the coming season on the circuit in South Africa!

With the golf completed around 4.30 / 4.45pm, all the golfers began the vital process of rehydration, cleansing and preparation for the evening's events.

At 6.15pm, the cheerful teams migrated to the Latilla Campbell Suite for the two course dinner (curry and crumble... just what the doctor ordered). Jonny welcomed everyone and invited the assembled gang to join the Heads & Tails... Mr Sherliker tossed up and eventually, Richard Martin, took half of the pot as his winnings! Richard very generously supplemented the takings for the day a little later in the evening - please accept our grateful thanks Richard!

Once supper had been enjoyed and super Benguela Wines quaffed, Jonny then stood to update the teams on Nuthurst's successes on the pitch during the 2024 season and progress more generally during the year.

And then... he moved to present the prizes to the following folk:

Team stableford competition - congratulations to:

Winners - 105 points - Bryson DeShambles, led by Ben Cooper and his merry band comprising Alex Feltham, Chris Horton and Luke Mitcham

Second place - 89 points - Herbie Tulip Beefy Badgers - Bene Wright, Kieran Murphy, Paul Bergin, Mike Cosham

Third place - 85 points - The Nutters - Nick Sherliker, Stuart Balfour, Rahul Jobanputra and (a very tired) Graham Prior

Individual stableford - Luke Mitcham with 44 points from Bryson DeShambles

Longest Drive (Men) - Alex Feltham

Longest Drive (Ladies) - Julia Hoskins

Nearest the Pin - Rahul Jobanputra

Click this link for the full set of team and individual results.

With prizes awarded, the Silent Auction was drawn - Franco D'Andrea was the highest bidder for the 4-ball on the Waterfall. Thank you Franco for your hugely generous bid!

On behalf of NCC, Jonny then thanked:

Mannings Heath Golf & Wine Estate - Simon Mantell, Harry Cox and team, Chef Kelly and team, Dean Herbet for the Beat the Pro, and the Greens Staff
John Gleaves - for organising all of the competition prizes (very much missed on the day)
The Hole Sponsors - all 15... individuals, families and businesses
The Raffle Ladies - Annette Keen and Heather Read
Will Morris - a great support to Jonny and for running registration brilliantly
The Photographers - Will Morris and Darren Williams
Nick Sherliker - for running the Mulligans
and... finally... and most importantly...
ALL OF THE GOLFERS - for their time, energy, fun and generosity.

We made £3,400 in proceeds for the cricket club from the event and this will contribute to our cricket net project which we hope to commence during 2025.

With proceedings then closed, Ben Cooper took the floor and offered a warm vote of thanks to Jonny for his energies in bringing this event together again.

Well, dearest gentle reader (sounds a bit like Bridgerton), we look forward to our 13th Annual Golf Day in 2025... get the date in the diary... Friday, 10th October 2025!

And with that, enjoy the rest of Autumn and look forward to whatever it is you have planned for the next 12 months.

Ciao for now!