Winning Captains - Garry Millar (Titans - left) & Ansel Pottinger (CGS)
This year’s 3-Way Match was played at the Forest of Arden one of the longstanding gems of the West Midlands. The two day event would be played on the Arden and the Aylesford courses between the 12 men of the CGS, Bristol Titans and London’s ACGA. The event was played in good spirits as always with plenty of banter. This year organising the event as had its challenges especially trying to fill team allocations but in the end all teams were fully represented.

The format for the first day was better ball pairs played on the Arden course under match-play rules. The course was in top condition having hosted the club championship the same day, so the greens were quick and true with many a three putt made however being better ball reliance on a team mate only two putting would pay dividends. The first day as usually been a strong day for the ACGA and on this occasion it was no different, out of the nine points on offer the ACGA took four and the CGS and Titans both had two and half points each but the matches were closer than the overall score showed with many a match being decided on the par 3 18th. I’m sure the ACGA were now in confident mood thinking it’s all but over, if you go by previous years.   The CGS however were thinking we need to have a strong round tomorrow so all of us need to pull out all the stops and pull this back. The same could be said for the Titans who have usually come in third in this event so on this occasion were now looking to change things and put in a more respectable showing than on previous occasions.

The Marriot Hotel was excellent venue the evening meal was well received and the after meal beverages went down well. The evening was long and the banter was in full flow into the early hours.

Day two started with a hearty breakfast and some early warmup on the range. The second days play would be based on the spilt sixes format with each group represented by a member of each team. The split sixes format was well received and is a very enjoyable format. If you’ve never played this format it’s worth researching on google.

The second round was played on the Aylesford course, not in the same condition as the Arden but still a good test. The banter was still in full flow, to the first group teeing off until the last group coming in.

As each group came in and the scores were accumulated a patter started to form and the pattern did not include the ACGA. It was the CGS and Titans who were swapping the lead with the ACGA captain checking scores and seeing a lack of points coming from the London boys, it was a picture to see the look on their faces, one can only imagine, It was Titans then CGS, CGS then Titans it was close. After much checking and further checking, the CGS and Titans could not be separated with 15 half points each with ACGA on 14 points.

The moments before the final result given was a picture, with Titans and CGS debating with each other how they could win if only this man or that had won their match and dis they add the score correctly “are you sure you added it right”? – Even after the point’s totals were decided the debate was how an overall winner could be decided, should we have a playoff over the 18th.  In the end the right decision was made that CGS and Titans share the trophy.

The next step for the CGS is to win this thing outright and we are on the right track. On this occasion it’s congratulations to CGS and Titans and commiserations to the ACGA, can’t win them all. Looking forward to what’s now becoming a very entertaining weekend in the schedule of all three societies and what could possibly be four in 2016 with a society In Reading showing a very keen interest in attending. If we carry on these lines we may need full access to a venue to accommodate the numbers.