The CGS season which cumulated with the crowning of our champion golfer had already been done and dusted by the time we reached Gaudet Luce for the Champion of Champions event.

Champion of Champions is pretty much what it says on the tin, it’s an event which decides out of all the past major winners who signed up to the event who can stake a claim to being deemed the best of the best!

This year’s event was well attended by a multitude of past major winners all vying to be crowned the champion of champions.

The Gaudet Luce course was in very good condition thanks to the recent late spell of fine weather. The greens although to be fair were a little soft were in great condition and a great putting surface considering the time of the year.

The 18-hole Phoenix course is challenging with many elevated teeing positions and elevated greens not to mention water hazards and wooded areas otherwise known as trees! With some rain a few days before the fairways were soft which made the course play a little longer than the previous years the CGS visited.

Along with all the past major winners several non-major winners were in attendance along with guest player James Douglas son of long-standing member Elford Douglas, if you saw them together, you’d swear they were twins, there is no mistaking James for anything other than a relation to Elford.

For all those taking part including guests and non-major winners the committee provided the usual nearest the prizes and one for longest drive.

The prizes were dotted around the course providing an opportunity for all to get something out of the day should the chance for glory diminish as they tackled what the course had to offer.

With the nice weather and soft course conditions it was game on, oh yes, I forgot to mention that this event is always played under “Stroke-play” format just to make matters even more challenging. It’s a format that evens out the high and the low handicap golfers. When you must count every shot, it soon focuses the mind!

After some chipping, putting and range work it was time to get the round underway.

With play started and scores being returned some were high and some low, the gross scores ranged between 100plus down to the high 70s.

Out on the course the prizes for nearest the pins and longest drives were being picked up by:

Ansel Pottinger for Nearest the Pin, Vassel Brown for Nearest the Pin in Two, Chris Powell for Nearest the Pin in Three and Andy Mac for Longest Drive.

Last year the Gaudet Luce course was the venue for the CGS Memorial Trophy and on that occasion, Julia Regis took the honours in the stableford format winning with a score of 38 points. This year’s winning medal score was net 68 with the winner playing off 12 handicap scoring 80 gross which would equate to 38 points in a stableford. The Phoenix course at Gaudet Luce is not an easy course to build a good round.

The winner this year it must be said that over the past five years he must go down as one of the most improved golfers in the society. I remember when this man was getting two shots on some holes and now his handicap is down to 11 after his success in winning this event. Dale Bromfield has the bug for golf and his improvement in the game is very impressive. Just goes to show there is no substitute for hard work. You got to put the time in if you want to improve there are no short cuts and, in this game, you will be exposed if you’re not putting in the time. “I always say if the pro’s practice and they are the best in the business then for me to not practice is an insult, and I don’t deserve any success or shouldn’t even complain if I don’t play or score well. So, congratulations to Dale on winning the Champion of Champions trophy and keep up the good work.

In the runner spot with a net 70 was Ludlow Stewart playing off an 11 handicap. It was the 9th Hole which would prove pivotal to his round, a 3 over 7 on the par 4 was the one that got away. Ludlow shouldn’t beat himself up too much as the ninth hole was on the day the hardest hole on the course for the CGS.

The 3rd spot went to Ansel Pottinger who grossed a score of 71 playing from a 15 handicap and of the six pars made on the 9th Ansel was one of those who parred that hole.

That wraps up another successful season for the CGS with an average attendance of 33 CGS members attending events, it’s less than in 2022 where we averaged 37 members per event. There are many circumstances that affect attendance but hopefully those who couldn’t attend an event this year we hope you can next year.

Thank you goes out to Gaudet Luce for allowing CGS to host another event at your course and to the Pro, bar staff and caterers. As a society we only play events on Sundays and sometimes, we don’t leave venues until after 7pm so your efforts are much appreciated.

Next CGS event will be our annual Presentation Dinner and Dance. This event will be next February so plenty of time to get that event in your diary’s. It will be held on the 10th of Feb 2024 at The Pavilion, Moor Lane, Birmingham. The last Presentation Dinner and Dance was held at this venue, and it was one of our best.