Following the Christmas holiday, the president of Channels Golf Club, Tony Stubbings, hosted the usual SAGA (Sand & Gravel Association) competition on Tuesday.

A total of £220 was raised on the day for the Captain's chosen charity BLISS (Baby Life Support Systems).

The winners, having a certain home advantage by being two from the green's staff and two from the club's maintenance staff, won on countback with a 3 of 4 stableford score of 110.

The successful team was Ray Clark, Head Greenkeeper, Malcolm Smith, Regiment Way's Greenkeeper, Graham Minett and Pete Reeve.

Roger Foot's team from the company CASE managed the same score but could only make second spot.

The next event was the New Year's Foursomes which finished with the First three places and some others sharing the same score of 37 points.

Working on countback Dave Curtis and Charlie O'Brien were first, followed by Steve Burford and Rick Smith with Bernard Tutt and Chris Harvey in third place.

Friday was also the day of The Captain's Drive-In.

After the Foursomes results had been announced by the captain, Chris Simmins, everybody moved outside to the putting green and the first tee to witness the "putt out" and "drive in".

First it was the turn of Past Captain, Bob Wren, to perform his ritual. His first putt did not disappear down the hole so Bob, reluctant to give up his post, managed another four putts from inside a couple of feet.

Then it was the turn of the incoming captain to make his mark.

Chris Simmons had three drives, the first to be measured out carefully so that his "Indoor Spot The Ball" could be awarded, the next two to be scrambled for by those who had ventured up the fairway in less than dry conditions.

All three drives were long and out to the right despite the captain trying to hit the third one up the left.

The prizes for each winner was a bottle of Scotch.

Mark Daw won the indoor Charity competition and Steve Burford both the outside scrambles, although one of the bottles was handed back for the Captain's Charity.

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