A record number of golfers turned up at the annual golf competition at Orchardleigh on December 27.

Over 50 players turned up on one of the milder days over Christmas.

The event has been held for the last 20 years and is always well attended but this year it was also held for fundraising for a special personal reason.

The Texas Scramble format meant anyone could play with anyone, and a fairly simple mode of scoring made it easy to tally up the totals at the end, even though Dave Webb's team were mystified by the pen and paper, and made up their own scoring system which achieved them the grand prize of wooden spoons and safe in the knowledge they were all losers, and will be labelled with that for another year.

The outright winners were captained by Cricket St Thomas Golf Club professional Roy Holland, ably assisted by his team of Ant Hillman, James Herniman, Justin Chadburn and Mary Jane. He also won the Longest Drive and the Nearest to the Pin Comp, so we can safely assume that not only is he a very good golfer, but he will never be invited again.

The main purpose of the day though was to raise money for the family of one of the golf club's dear friends, Paul Stott, who lost his battle with cancer a few months before in 2019.

An auction and sit down meal and DJing Mids led the club to raise a total of £1,625.

Thanks to :

Millichamp & Hall

Orchardleigh Golf Club

Old Bath Arms

Merlin Theatre

Watsons Gym Equipment

Moo & Too Coffee Shop

Cheese and Grain (FAB Promotions)

Bridges Electrical

Ryan Hancock

Crossways, North Wooton

Nick Hiscox

Jason Morgan

Tim Westmacott

Andy Lambert

Alan Gregory

Richard Coles

There were also a lot more individual donations from people with too big an ego to name.

Lucy Stott wishes to thank everyone who was involved, and has confirmed she will be placing the money into savings accounts for the children who will be told when older how the money was raised from the love of the friends and family of their Dad. Lucy wanted to express how amazed she has been since the passing of Paul how supportive, kind and helpful members of the community have been and how grateful she is for the funds to be passed her way. It should be pointed out that Lucy has run countless Macmillan events in the past raising money for this wonderful charity, but this fundraiser was intended for Paul's family directly.