Old Chigwellian's

2020 Update

Obviously Coronavirus decimated our golfing fixture list this year.

We, at least, got to play as OCs twice this year. We had our annual match against the Old Foresters at Chigwell Golf Club, brilliantly organised by Adam Tomkins. He managed to get a team of 20 together and mostly all were youngsters, relatively. Just what the OCGS needs. We narrowly lost, but it was enjoyed by all with much banter with the Old Foresters, as normal, with a BBQ after.

Let's hope we can persuade the youngers to keep playing with the OCGS. It was great to see and made me feel very old. Just think how Mickey Wood must have felt!

Autumn Fixture

We also managed to play our Autumn Fixture at Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club at Deal on 5th September, as always fantastically organised by Antony Robson. What’s normally a 2 day event was reduced to just the one day due to the Covid restrictions. We had great weather, the course was in the best condition anyone could remember. I think, because we hadn’t had any OC golf everyone was looking forward to it more than ever. 24 of us had a great day. Richard Gull won the Scratch Salver, Tom Galvin the President’s Cup and Tom also triumphed in the Foursomes Cup partnering ( Deal newcomer ) Tom Gibbs. I feel I ought to point out that Tom Galvin drove the 17th at RCPGC which is about 370 yards long, with huge mounds and bunkers requiring at minimum a 300 yard carry to clear the huge ( Howard’s ) Bunkers. Plus the wind was against if anything. Sam Oxley won nearest the pin and, guess what Tom Galvin the longest drive on the 12th hole. He must have been doing a bit of Bryson Dechambeau bulking up during lockdown!

Looking Ahead

That was the end of OC golf for this year. Due to the latest Covid restrictions we have had to cancel the Yuletide meeting for 2020. The whole Society and especially myself, would like to thank Martin Brett for faultlessly running the Yuletide Meeting for the last 12 years. He has decided to stand down as organiser, as he is moving south of the river (and getting a bit doddery), but will still be playing with us. That means we are looking for a new Yuletide organiser for 2021.

Chippie Carpenter will be Captain again for 2021 and let’s hope he will get to have a proper year as Captain.

We are always looking for new members and keen to get more OCs playing golf with us. It's always good fun meeting back up with other OCs especially if they are from your era.

There are some serious golf competitions and some much more relaxed fixtures against the other Essex Public Schools Old Boy's golf teams, but mostly just good fun days where all can play, of all standards.

If you join us, I'm sure there are already members from you era who you will know.

Please just contact me at milestaylor@btinternet.com and I’ll add your email address to my OCGS list and whenever I send anything out, you'll receive it. You can decide whether to join us for anything at the time, at least you’ll know what’s going on.

Let’s hope that we can get back to normal in 2021.