OEGS v Eastbourne College Senior Common Room

1st June 2025

Match Manager’s report

Two teams of eight assembled on a blustery day at the Royal Eastbourne Golf Club for the annual staff v OEGS match, teeing off on the dot at 2 pm under sunny skies but facing a ferocious headwind coming down the 1st, making it a tough opening even for the longest hitters

We had one such long hitter in the opening group, 2-handicapper Adrian Sharpin, recovering from a hernia operation: he hit long but left and stayed left all day. But teamed with the experienced and steady Patricia Seath, they fought a battle with Chris Howe and Alex Wingfield- Digby and emerged victorious at 1-up: a result of “Adrian’s skills and my shots”, as Patricia modestly declared!

Next up for the OEGS were Match Manager Ian Henley and last year’s hole-in-oner Jay Lorton. Opponents Ian Sands and Duncan Millar were fearful of a repeat performance from Jay and a mountain of shots given away to Ian. But though they held the OEGS team at bay for the first nine, with the result never moving by one off all square, a surge from Jay on the back nine meant that he didn’t need his hole in one this year and the match closed out on the 15th at 4&3. Ian S tried to blame a trolley which broke down half-way round; but at least he managed to hang on to his trolley, unlike Alex Wingfield-Digby, who lost control of his and saw it career into the bushes at one point.

A tried and trusted combo teed it up next for OEGS: Iryna Photiou and Tony Dunn, winners of the Robinson Salver in Norfolk. They were facing a formidable pairing in hockey international Rob Hill and a young and powerful Fred Clarke. A ding-dong battle predictably ensued, with the outcome titled by Tony ‘'3 birdies and a steady putter”: tremendous driving (but not always straight) from Fred who reached the 5th green in 2 and got a birdie. On the 8th Tony sank a long putt for his birdie. OEs were 3-up at the turn, but the CR was fighting back. On 16, Rob stopped his second on the green (an almost impossible achievement for most mortals) but his downhill putt was blown by the wind 3 metres past the hole. Untroubled by Tony’s own miracle of chipping out of the ditch on the right, with much aplomb he sank the return putt for his birdie and the win.  Going to the 18th the OEs were 1-up. The CR drove first and, into a fierce wind, both put their drives onto the green while Iryna put her shot off the green to the right and Tony fluffed his into the long grass. Iryna chipped on but her ball rolled 4 metres past while the CR stroked their putts close to the flag. Iryna, always playing a steady game, hit her putt and into the hole it went, the 18th was halved and the match just to the OEs.

Final pairing were Jono Winchester and Rob Lee. Jono was carrying the additional handicaps of an 18 hole match played that morning with Jay Lorton at Cooden Beach and a late night at an OE reunion dinner, involving a post-midnight exit from the pub that most remember as the Buccaneer (now sadly rechristened with a rather gentler name). They were also facing the challenge of opponents Olly Marlow and Peter White on a buggy but Rob was on fine form, birdying 16 and 17 to close the match out 2&1.

A convincing 4-0 win, then, for the OEGS team and the additional delight of a match played, as always, in great spirit and friendship. The OEGS greatly values this match and extends its thanks to Ian Sands for so ably organising the arrangements at the club and to his team for being such good company. We look forward to the return next year!