There are a number of Honours Boards competitions at Abridge Golf Club. Also know as Gold Letter (although ours are black). For club members getting your name on one or more of the clubhouse boards is a chance to become part of Abridge club history and consequently elevate their golfing status, a very proud achievement if you’ve managed to do it.

The history of the club dates back to September 1963. The original club competitions were named after and in honour of the first board of directors.

The format of these competitions have remained virtually the same since that time. The names of all previous winners have been recorded on the honour boards in the clubhouse. Competition golf brings its own unique pressures. However, in order to create your own ‘gold letter’ place in Abridge history, then you’ll need to be in it to win it. Our handy guide on how do I enter club competitions

The current gold letter Club competitions that are held over the spring and summer months are listed below :

GOLD MEDAL – White Tees

All monthly medal winners from each of the 3 handicap divisions qualify to play in the final round. This is played towards the end of the summer to crown the Champion of Champions.

The result is based on the best Net score playing off full handicaps.

PRESIDENTS TROPHY – White Tees

This is presented to the overall Gross Winner of the Club Championships.

MERIT CUP

Format: Based on accumulative competition scores over the year.

The winner is calculated on the total of the best 6 scores of any medal/stroke play competition.

This includes monthly medals, Committee Vase, Sponsors Trophy and a maximum of 2 Club Competitions. 

SCRATCH MATCH – White Tees

A knockout match play competition played over the summer – There are no handicaps and therefore it will be for the low handicappers.

SPONSORS TROPHY – White Tees

This is a medal competition played over 2 weekends.

After the 1st round the top 20 qualify to play in the final round.

The result is based on the best Net score off full handicaps

JACK STONE – White Tees

This a knock out match play competition played off full handicaps.

Prior to the 1st round draw, there is a preliminary qualifying stableford round. The top scoring 32 players go into the draw for the knockout matchplay competition. 

The final is also match play and played over 36 holes.

Note: named after an original founder member

COMMITTEE VASE – White Tees

Format: A medal competition played of full handicaps 

It is run over a weekend and can be played on either Saturday or Sunday. This is a major competition that qualifies for the Merit Cup.

FOUNDERS BOWL – White Tees

Format: A better ball pairs stableford competition played off the white tees.

Qualification takes place over 1 weekend and the top 32 pairs are entered into a knock out match play competition

The number of shots are calculated as 90% of the difference from the lowest handicap.

JOHN RUEBEN – White Tees

Format: Pairs greensomes stableford competition 

Both players take their own tee shot and then take alternative shots.

3/8 of combined full handicaps

Note: named after a former president of the club.

CAPTAINS PRIZE DAY – Blue Tees

Every year there is a Captains prize day at Abridge.

This is a stableford competition played off full handicaps.

There are prizes for the overall best score and the 3 handicap divisions.

ALEC BOURNE – White Tees

Format: Stableford Competition off full handicaps

It is run over a weekend and can be played on either Saturday or Sunday

Note: named after an original founder member

AUCTION TROPHY – White Tees

Format: This is a knock out match play competition

£10 entry and a prize pot of £100 for the winner.

SOCIETY CUP – White Tees

Format : A bogey match play competition played against the course off full handicaps. The players score on each hole will be based on the net par score after handicaps.

LIONEL ACTON TROPHY – Blue Tees

Format: Stableford Competition off full handicaps

It is run over a weekend and can be played on either Saturday or Sunday

Note: named after an original founder member

GERALD GOLDSTEIN – Blue Tees

Format : Full handicap stableford competition 

Played on a Sunday and open to all 7 day members.

Note: named after a former board member that ran the club competitions.

LOU FAGELSON CUP – Yellow Tees

Format: A match play knock out competition for high handicap 22+ members 

Each match is played off full handicaps.

Note: named after a former member.

VETERANS CUP – Yellow Tees

Format : A Stapleford competition for those members over 65 off full handicaps.

FOURSOMES CUP – White Tees

Format: A pairs stableford competition played off the white tees.

Alternate shots. The team handicap is calculated as the average of both players full handicaps.

FAMILY FOURSOMES – (Yellow and Red Tees)

Format: A family relation pairs stableford competition.

Men play off yellow tees and Women from the red tees.

Alternate shots. The team handicap is calculated as the average of both players full handicaps.

Notes:

1. These competitions are always played over the weekend on Saturday and/or Sunday.
2. Members will require an active club handicap to enter any competition.

Please contact the club office for more information about any of these competitions or to speak to a member of the club’s competition committee.

The Abridge Club Championships for 2019 were played on the last weekend in June. The 78 strong field were split into 3 divisions:

Division One : Handicaps 0 – 6

Division Two : Handicaps 7 – 14

Division Three : Handicaps 15-24

Divisions One and Two started their rounds from the 1st tee. Division 3 started their round from the 10th followed by the ladies.

Nothing could be won on Day 1 but those who scored well would put themselves in pole position for Day 2.

On Sunday morning the field played in reverse order after the Day 1 gross score results. The leaders went out in the last groups of their respect divisions.

Mens Champion: Lee Oliver

Congratulations to Lee Oliver (pictured above) who shot a brilliant 2 under par gross 70 on Saturday and then a very steady 76 on Sunday.

Lee ending up winning by 3 shots to become the 2019 Abridge Champion Golfer.

Ladies Club Champion: Fredricka Sebardt

Congratulations also goes to Fredricka Sebardt who held her nerve on Sunday to become our 2019 Abridge Ladies Champion.

The course was in perfect condition and set up to test the field.

A special thank you to our green staff for getting the course into such excellent condition. We had the traditional diamond fairways and greens that were true and really quick.

We would also like to thank Lol Green for all his hard work to organise the event. Lol strategically placing the pins in equally difficult but different positions on both days .

He also made sure that most holes played to their full length from the white tees. Occasionally he pushed them forward (7th hole) to tempt the big hitters to attack the green from the tee.

A final thank you must go to all of the kitchen/bar staff, marshalls and the countless other volunteers that helped over the weekend.

Awards and Pro Shop voucher prizes

The overall club champion would be the player with lowest gross score over the 2 rounds. This was always going to come from Division One.

Prizes were awarded for places 1st – 4th in each of the 3 divisions for the lowest gross score over the 2 days.

There were also prizes for places 1st – 4th for the lowest net score on Day 2. This meant that those players that had a bad first round could still end up with honours on the Sunday.

The final leaderboard board :

Member’s Monthly Club Competitions

Members are invited to enter as many club competitions as possible. Friendly swindle or society golf is fun where you can relax and just play. However the game of golf is completely different when you have a scorecard in your hand and ever shot counts.

Playing competition golf also helps golfers who wants to improve their overall game. There is nothing more valuable than experience both ‘good and bad’ and this will grow after each monthly competition that you enter.

Playing in the monthly competitions and handing in marked scorecards will also keep your playing handicap current and up to date. You will also have a much better indication of where your game is positioned at that time with an active handicap.

MONTHLY MEDALS  – WHITE TEES

There is no room for error in medal competition golf and it is a real test of both a players golfing ability and their mental strength. It makes you focus more on ever drive, approach shot, chip and puts. It also highlights the importance of on-course management which can save you valuable shots when executed correctly.

In medal competitions everything has to be putted out to finish each hole. Missed puts are extremely costly when every single shot counts especially as the winning margin of the competition is normally only 1 or 2 shots better that the rest of the field.

There is at least one medal competition every month at Abridge .

The medals competitions are played over the whole weekend. Members should note that you can only enter once on either Saturday or Sunday. The medal is always played off white tees and there will be no changes to the tee or the pin positions over the 2 days which should make all things equal.

The only thing we cannot control is the weather so it’s worth checking the conditions for that weekend to ensure you play on the better day and give yourself the best opportunity to score well.

The result of the monthly medal is based on the Net Score ie Gross score less full handicap.

There are 3 divisional winners for low, mid and high handicaps. There are pro shop voucher for places 1, 2 and 3 depending on number of entries on each day. All divisional winners are guaranteed a place in the Gold medal competition.

CLUB STAPLEFORD COMPETITIONS – YELLOW OR BLUE TEES

A monthly stapleford competition gives all members the chance to play competition golf with a scorecard in their hand that will add that extra bit of pressure on each shot.

However Club stableford competitions overall results will normally allow for 1 or 2 bad holes. There may be that pulled or sliced drive which will leave you playing 3 off the tee or that duffed ‘fat’ shot that runs a meter of yards from where you are standing.

In the worst case scenario you end up with a ‘blob’ on your scorecard but this will certainly not damage your chances of getting a winning score as much as a 10 on the medal scorecard.

The rules of the competition mean that players can choose to pick their ball up if they can’t score on that hole but they do have to complete the hole by putting everything out if they want to score any points. Very often these would be straight forward ‘gimme’ puts but they are rarely practiced and certainly become much harder under pressure.

There is always one stableford competition each month and they will often alternate between yellow or blue tee boxes so make sure you know the rules and your ‘non bandito’ current club handicap before you get to the 1st tee.

The medals are played on both Saturday and Sundays. Members can enter once or on both days so a bad Saturday score can be erased with a good round on Sunday.

As with the medals there will be no changes to the selected tees or the pin positions over each day but remember to check the weather.

The 2 days are separate competitions and the result is based on the best stableford score on the Saturday and then again on the Sunday. There are pro shop voucher for places 1, 2 and 3 depending on number of entries on each day.

The main benefits of twilight golf is that it is played at the end of the day before it gets dark when you have the course to yourself. The aim is to play as many holes as possible before you can’t see the ball anymore. 

Most golf clubs will offer Twilight Golf tee times with discounted green fees throughout the year. A buggy would normally be included in the green fees (weather permitting) to speed up play.

Sometimes it’s a quick 9 holes, it might stretch to 13 or 14. Very rarely will it be more than 18 holes.

The 2019 golf season is almost upon us and traditionally golf club members will book morning tee times. This means that many clubs will have restrictions for non-members at these times.  

The clocks go forward at the end of March and therefore the days will get increasingly longer. As a result, the golf courses will then get busier in the early afternoon with members, visitors and societies.

These weekday morning/mid-afternoon tee times are probably not feasible for most golfers. The majority will need to go to work or have families and other commitments taking place during the day.

But what about arranging you game later in the day when it’s time for Twilight golf   

Benefits of Twilight Golf

• The courses are quieter 
• The weather is warmer 
• The green fees are cheaper
• The pace of the game will be quicker 
• The better golfers will be practising on the course.

Twilight golf is therefore not just great value but offers the opportunity to play some quality golf before the end of the day.

Here are a few helpful hints to make the most out of your Twilight Golf round

• It’s might be a rush to get to the course but ensure you are ready at least 5 minutes ahead of the scheduled tee time.
  
• Use the yellow (forward) tees to shorten the length of the course.
  
• Book a buggy and have some fun – you will get around the course much quicker.
  
• Utilise the new 2019 Rules of Golf to help speed up the game especially regarding lost balls and take a penalty drop – If in doubt, always play a provisional ball.
• Consider extending the lengths of the ‘gimme’ puts and allow holes to be halved when both players are in and around the pin.
  
• If the course is quiet then you may be able to skip from hole to hole or miss out some holes altogether to play through any slower groups.

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Twilight Golf Membership

Golf Membership

New Rules for 2019 and the truth about provisional balls!

Mens Golf Membership