Forrester Park Golf Club Veterans Section have had a busy and successful week.

They played two home friendly matches against Rochford, won by five and a half matches to two and a half, and Burnham, won by five matches to three.

Sandwiched between these matches, Forrester Park hosted the competition for the Ridleys Shield, an annual event with eight local clubs taking part, sponsored by Ridleys brewery.

On a day when the weather was kind and the course in excellent condition, the participating clubs, in teams of 12, all over 55 years old, played a better ball stableford event with the total score of the six pairs in each team determining the winners.

In a close and competitive event Forrester Park won the shield for the third time in eight years with a combined score of 245 points, followed by Gosfield Lake with 244 points and Saffron Walden close behind with 243 points.

The Warren, Nazeing, Colne Valley, Channels and Stapleford Abbotts were the unsuccessful teams on this occasion.

Ridleys were excellent sponsors for the event providing on-course refreshments, the winners shields and other prizes for "nearest the pin" on a number of holes.

The raffle, for which prizes were donated by each of the participating clubs and Ridleys, raised £480 for Cancer Research and the Broomfield Hospital Cardiac Unit.

Next year's event, which will be held at Colne Valley, who joined the competition for the first time this year.

By contrast, the men's team was heavily defeated by a strong home team at Orsett in the Thornton Cup third round. Although the team did not win a game, two games, involving Steve Austwick and Phil Ashenden went to the last hole.

The ladies competed for the Century Trophy, a major annual competition sponsored by Ken and Doris Bays of Century Office Supplies, Tiptree.

The winner was sprightly veteran Gill Smith who scored a net 70, beating Jean Perrot on countback, with Isobel Crawford in third place with net 72.

The event raised £102.50 for the club's charity fund. Alison Doherty won the over 40 handicap stableford competition with 41 points.

Kevin Royan romped away with the men's July medal, winning the gold division with a gross score of 72 (net 62).

Dale Whitnell was second with net 66. Dale now has a handicap of 12, which matches his age.

Robert Goodwin won the silver division with net 69 by one shot from John Stevens, John Northwood net 68 and Dick Jowers net 71 took the prizes in the bronze division.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.