County Championship 2024

County Championship Friday 31 May - 2 June 2024, Willingdon Golf Club

Competition Entry Details Here

2023 Championship Report

Day 1

The start of the 2023 Championship & Langridge Salver commenced with a full field and a waiting list, which was wonderful to see. While Cooden Beach GM Adrian Wratting and his team went above and beyond to look after us they couldn’t get rid of the North wind blowing. It was a cold NE wind which changed some players’ minds about their clothing choice for the morning.

This wind made play challenging. However, throughout the day we saw 74 birdies and 1 eagle. The eagle of the day came from Mandy Hilton from Crowborough Beacon Golf Club.

Dyke was the winning club of the Sussex Scratch Trophy – the best 3 scores from a club, with Maddy Harris, Holly Crompton and Alison Vans Agnew representing their club.

The Langridge Salver was won by Aileen Greenfield of Pyecombe Golf Club, with a Gross 157, whose name has appeared on it quite a few times already.

Maddy Harris from Dyke Golf Club was an outstanding winner taking home both the Nett and Scratch trophies. She played to level par in the Nett trophy – very hard to beat with the wind as it was. A 156 Gross score secured her the Scratch trophy. Aileen took home the runners up Scratch prize, with Rebecca Dawson of Piltdown taking the Nett Runners Up prize.

The top 16 qualifying ladies that are available to play tomorrow commence another day of 36 holes. Tomorrow, Saturday is match play – a different game altogether. Let’s hope the wind is different too – or not there at all.

Day 2

Day 2 of the Championship weekend commenced with the windy conditions continuing from the day before.  Whilst the wind remained, the sun came out and with it the suntan lotion. The mornings matches saw some hard-fought games with two matches going to the 18th hole. The winners of the morning started the quarter finals this afternoon playing for the Championship Trophy, those not so fortunate played on for the Championship Plate. A second 36 holes in two days for all, with all hoping they would be around for the third 36 holes in 3 days!

The afternoon saw more keen matches, with supporters around the course to spur the players on.

There was a great camaraderie amongst the players which is always wonderful to witness from those staying for the finals day as well as those going home for a lie in  tomorrow. Some will be back, perhaps not quite so early to support their friends. Commiserations to the competitors that went home tonight, and good luck to all.

Finals

A fabulous morning for the penultimate round of the Championship, the semi-finals. The sun was shining, and the course was looking spectacular, as it has been each day. The wind was still present but not as fierce as previous days. Thanks must go to Cooden Beach for hosting us this weekend. Adrian Wratting, his catering staff, his greens team were faultless. A huge thank you from the Sussex County team, and the players. We must mention Jane Court, the Lady Captain who was there at the crack of dawn each day, leaving as we did in the evening. Her support was tremendous, and we must thank her and wish her well for the remainder of her year as Lady Captain.

The semi-finals went smoothly – with all players trying their best to win through to the finals. Those that didn’t stayed on to support those that won through. There were many other supporters there to see their club mates and friends.

After a short lunch the finalists Rebecca Dawson and Elodie Yates for the Plate, and Maddy Harris and Chloe Briance went back out into the sunshine and the tough wind that has been a challenge for all players. The matches were close – all playing their best golf, knowing too that the County Captain Jane Covey, was watching from the side-lines, who was making her selection that evening for the Sussex team for County Match Week. The players were coming off the course – so complimentary of each other, it was hard to decipher the winners.

Sussex Ladies Champion for 2023 - Chloe Briance, Bognor Regis GC
Runner-up to Champion & winner of Fleming Salver: Maddy Harris, Dyke GC

Winner of Plate: Elodie Yates, Ham Manor
Plate Runner-up & winner of Jackson Trophy: Rebecca Dawson, Piltdown GC

County Champion 2023 – Chloe Briance