COLCHESTER Golf Club's winter league placings are hotting up, with favourites now establishing themselves.

With the competition's qualifying rounds having to be played by mid-January, the recent snow did not help the outstanding matches.

However, the leagues are sorting themselves out with a few having already been decided.

The top two pairings in each league qualify for the knockout stages, which are played in the early months of next year.

There are ten leagues in total and the two Saturday leagues of eight pairings each now have clear favourites.

Bill Hart and Jim Maltby along with Matt Durrell and Stuart Macaulay look to have won enough from league one.

Ben and Joe Williams are unbeaten in league two, with Vic Pomphrett and Barry Haley the pairing who will likely join them in qualifying.

The Sunday leagues are much more open.

Martin Halls and Danny Simmons have racked up nine points in League One, with Jon Gilbert and Jon Jaggs on eight.

But the pairing of Rob and Cai James have games to play and may yet spoil the party.

League Two is much more open with at least four pairings who could qualify.

In League Three, Harry and Mark Hills have won four out of the five they have played while in League Four, Simon Rippingale and Mike Mays have four out of five wins.

They lost out to Adam Harper and Tom Rothery, who are undefeated to date.

Dick Bokenham and Tim Rogers have completed all their matches and there is one other place up for grabs.

League Six is totally open, with anyone of four able to qualify for the knockout stages.

In the remaining two leagues, Paul Smith and Paul Jackson have completed their matches on six points.

But Miles Hooton and Sam Latta, who top it with an eight, lead the group.

Dave Humberstone and John Waterson have four wins in their league but with matches to play nothing is certain, with two places up for the taking.