Simon Royce has got used to keeping the opposition at bay on the soccer pitch, but has now achieved the feat on the golf course.

Royce, formerly with Southend United, has recently established himself as number one goalkeeper with Premiership Charlton.

However, he found time to take the honours in the midweek Stableford at Hanover's Georgian Course.

Royce, who plays off nine, scored 42 points to win by two from Tim Cowper (20) and Steve Weidner (6).

Cowper was more successful in the midweek medal. A two under par net 71 put him one stroke ahead of John Day and Tony Tisi with day second on countback.

In the Georgian version of the Calcutta Cup, a team singles matchplay event, Vince McMay's Scots avenged the rugby result by trouncing the old enemy 19-7.

On the Regency course, 14-year-old Peter Saul had the round of his short golfing life when taking the latest cadet medal by a staggering 20 strokes!

Saul has only been playing for 18 months and was playing off 32, but put together a superb gross 78 for net 46. Adam Barber took runners-up spot with 66, two strokes clear of Brett Lincoln.

Star allrounder - former Southend United FC keeper, turned winning golfer, Simon Royce Carol's on song for Boyce title

Boyce Hill Ladies' 11-hole Stableford went to Carol Hammond (20 points) from Jo Wilson (19).

Terri Dennis beat Jan Hubbard for third after both finished on 17. Of those on 14, countback saw Lynn Martin home ahead of Kate Lincoln and Andrea Boyce.

The club's bogey was won by Lin Shepherd on 2 down. Carol Hammond beat Terri Dennis and Ann Craig on countback after all three finished 4 down. Medal win lifts James

An unusually small field of 18 competed for the Thorpe Hall midweek medal with Mike James winning on net 67 from John Newman (70).

The first mixed competition of the year, the St David's day competition, was played in strengthening winds and was won by Chris and Barbara Ridgwell with a very good score of 37 points.

Everyone is hoping that this will be the start of an outstanding year of lady captaincy for Barbara.

Runners-up were Peter and Betty Austin with John and Renata Jarvis third. Chris and Wendy Jones were fourth.

After a Welsh dinner with leek and potato soup and lamb, Captain Roy Warrington introduced Mrs Phyllis Williams, wife of the late Trevor Williams, past Captain and inaugurator of the St David's Day competition, who traditionally presents the prizes, which include traditional Welsh dolls, made by Phyllis herself. Ladies' bid to match men

Basildon Ladies are back in action . . . and life just couldn't be better.

Due to the bad weather and the course often being closed, members of the new town club have been learning to play whist! At last, however, they're back in action.

For the first time this year they are on an equal par with the men. They now have full voting rights and an input into the day to day running of the club.

While they consider this is not before time in the modern world, they realise it is not easy to change things which have been in effect since the start of the club and appreciate the support they have been given by the men in order that the changes could be made.

The club has around 50 members with handicaps ranging from 11-39 but are always looking for newcomers who should ring 01268 728396.

March medal winner was Eileen Prendergast with a net 71 with Denise Woolley second on 75 and Margaret O'Leary third on 77.

The Rose Bowl won by Vi Maple with a better back nine from Margaret O'Leary. Sue Cable was third.

Shirley Clayton won the Winter Eclectic on net 61.5 from Daphne Saitch (62) and Eileen Morgan (64).

Captain Judy Long had a very tough draw against an eight-handicapper County player in the first round of the Lady captains' challenge tournament and was beaten.

The Basildon team in the Mail on Sunday qualifier also suffered first round defeat, the four losing 3 and 1.

Daphne Saitch and Michell Luckin both won first round matches in the London evening newspaper competition against players from Essex Golf and Forester Park respectively.

Basildon are looking forward to their bronze team matches, which start in April and conclude in mid-May. John's Golden day

Southend's Golden Day Trophy was won by John Enfield (22) with a net 65.

He had three pars on the front nine and four on the way back. He was closely followed by Darren Lee, also with a net 65 (6). He had eight pars on the front and six on his return plus two birdies, but lost on countback to the higher handicap player.

Alan Wood (12) held third place on 66. Then came a batch of players on 68 - Mick Bush (10), Stan Ferguson (8), Mark Fasey (9), Jerry Neoh (11) and Kim Skinner (11). Madley's March magic

Steve Madley went a long way towards playing himself into Rochford Hundred's team for the Essex Leslie Wood competition with a superb win in the March medal.

Madley birdied the 16th and notched 11 pars on his way to 77-9=68 to see off the challenge of Mark Franklin (80-10=70), Talat Buta (78-6=72) and Neil Cochrane (76-4=72) in the Senior Division.

Franklin had ten pars while Buta had birdies on the 13th and 14th as well as covering eight holes in regulation figures.

Cochran birdied the fourth and enjoyed 12 pars.

Intermediate success went to Roy Noe (83-15=68) who pipped Joe Lamb (82-13=69) and Len Daden (86-15=71).

Noe had a triple and two double bogeys. However, a birdie on the first and nine pars helped repair the damage.

High spot for Lamb was a birdie on the 14th and seven pars.

Daden birdied the third and 18th and had five par, but one triple and three double bogeys put paid to his hopes.

The junior division was won by Eric Stanley (92-20=72) with Paul Hickson (91-18=73) and John Hodges (92-17=75) trailing in his wake. Stanley had six pars, Hickson five and Hodges six.

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