TOM Gale showed great skill and determination to secure Playgolf Colchester's Club Championship over the Bank Holiday weekend.

The course was in excellent condition for the prestigious event and the lightning-quick greens caught some of the field out.

Day one saw the driving range buzzing as the expectant field practised, well in advance of their tee times.

The first day is always about keeping in touch with the leaders and not making mistakes.

Conor Garvey (eight) did just that, managing his game well to lead with gross 77.

He was followed by Lee Kidger (five), with gross 78, and Elias Fantousi (14), Jack Blackman (nine) and Jack Moutell (five), all carding gross 79.

The day one nett leaders were Fantousi (14), with nett 65, and Stephen Allen (12), on countback from Graham Adye (17), after both carded nett 68.

Day two got underway with the non-qualifiers' stableford shield.

Miguel Ruiz won this competition, earning a shot handicap cut by carding an outstanding 40 points. Danny Lowther was second on 39 points, with Mark Rolfe third on 37.

Many of those making the day one cut started day two with the knowledge that one good round could see them in the mix.

Gale (seven) showed great skill and determination to work his way past a three-shot deficit to clinch the title from a resurgent Moutell, who had surged up the leaderboard to put himself in the driver’s seat with two holes to go.

Gale’s superior ball-striking saw him record a level par back nine gross total of 74, to earn the title of club champion in great style.

His final hole par closed the door on his closest competitors, all the braver as he had full knowledge that a bogey would force a play-off with Moutell.

Anything more would see him let the title slip.

His feat was witnessed by an excited crowd surrounding the final hole.

Gale’s superb final round saw him total 154 to take the title by a single shot from Moutell on 155. Third place went to Blackman on countback from Kidger, with both carding 157.

Round two nett prizes went to Adye, who carded an outstanding nett 65 from Ken Todd (20) on countback from Steve Johnson (10), after both carded nett 66.

The overall nett winners were Adye, who totalled a nett score of eight under handicap for the weekend to total 132.

Todd took second place from Johnson on countback when both totalled 138.

The pairing of David Evans and David Ruxton led the pack with a total of 46 points to win the Playgolf Seniors four-ball better-ball competition.

Colin Green and Mervyn Harwood took second, with 44 points, and Brian Banks and Tony Millington were third on 43.

Playgolf seniors' captain Michael Johnson was delighted to regain the Tony Pennock Trophy, after losing it last year.

Playgolf defeated Seckford Hall over two legs in their annual friendly seniors' trophy match, played to the Hambro scoring system.