On a fine but cool Sunday twenty seven pairs of players set out in their quest for victory in the the Forty Third playing of the O and S ALLOM BOWL. The “Bowl” is presented to the winners of the club’s Mixed Foursome Championship, with the winning pair having the best Gross Score over 18 Holes.

The Bowl was presented to the club in 1970 by OG and STELLA ALLOM who were founding members of the club and Life Members. The Perpetual Trophy was presented to the club in recognition of nearly 40 years of enjoyable membership.

This year’s event was sponsored by Veni Tang and Gary Hing, and we are most grateful for their generous support.

Carolyn Browne and Mackenzie Buck were looking to make it back to back championships but would have to overcome solid opposition from several other combinations including 10 time winners Cath Bellemore and Paul Baster and the 2020 champions Chris and Stewart Wharton.

Other fancied pairings appeared to be Karen Bond and Tim Tan, Rhonda Moore and Marty Morris, Patricia and Steven Noske, the sponsors Veni Tang and Gary Hing and perhaps Sue Kelly and Gavin Furness.

The defending Champions did not have a great day (90) and were unsuccessful in their quest to defend their title.

So could the ten time champions make it eleven? Or could we see the emergence of new champions?

Towards the end of the day four couples were in contention – Cath Bellemore and Paul Baster, Sue Kelly and Gavin Furness, Veni Tang and Gary Hing, Patricia and Steven Noske and Karen Bond and Tim Tan.

A brief overview –

Cath and Paul were +8 after 15 holes and finished +3 over the last 3 holes – which included an unfortunate Double Bogey on their third last hole – the 16th. Would 83 be good enough to make it number eleven?

Sue and Gavin finished strongly over the last seven holes (+3), but the damage was done over the first 11 holes (+11). They finished the day with 86.

The Noskes seemed to be cruising and after starting from the 8th, with 4 holes to play they were right in contention (+9).Then disaster struck on the 5th where a Quadruple Bogey probably cost them the title – also finishing with 86.

Karen and Tim’s front nine holes were their downfall (+9). They did rally over the next four holes but an untimely Double Bogey on the par 3 third thwarted their challenge.

It was left to the day’s sponsors – Veni and Gary –  to see if they could take home their first Allom Bowl. Helped by a Birdie on the 6th hole they were +5 after nine holes and continued with Pars on the next two holes. They dropped 4 shots in the next two holes, rallied with two pars and finished with two Bogeys. They matched Cath and Paul’s score – 83.

So it was down to a countback to decide who would be crowned champions and unfortunately there can be only one winner. On this occasion it was Veni Tang and Gary Hing whose back nine of 42 beat Cath Bellemore and Paul Baster by one shot.

So as we saw in 2020 and 2021 new champions were crowned with Veni Tang and Gary Hing making it a day to remember. The sponsors of the day had won the 2022 O and S Allom Bowl with a score of 83.

Last year’s runners up Cath Bellemore and Paul Baster were again runners up (on a countback) and will have to wait another year to see if they can make it “legs eleven”.

Three pairings came in with 86 – (in countback order) – Karen Bond and Tim Tan, Patricia and Steven Noske, Gavin Furness and Sue Kelly.

In addition to the Gross Event the Nett event was very competitively contested amongst the 27 pairs and this was won by Fiona and Bruce Palmer with a score of 69.0, an excellent score in the Foursomes format.

Apart from the Champions who had nett 69.5, other good nett scores came from Sue Kelly and Gavin Furness (71.0), Jane and Stuart Waters (71.5), Joan Brown and Stuart Gicquel (74.5), Mandy Sudlow – Brown and Phil Sedgman (74.5)

Special thanks to the sponsors, Veni Tang and Gary Hing for their support – a day they will cherish for ever.

The course staff, house staff and pro shop staff also contributed to a successful day on Sunday.

The next Sunday Mixed event on the calendar is The Players’ Challenge (sponsored by Mara Pritchard and Paul Jenkins) scheduled to be played on Sunday June 18 – Individual Stableford – with the defending champion Tony Cowan eager to make it two in a row.

Finally we salute our 2022 champions – Veni Tang and Gary Hing.

From – Greg Fitzhardinge