WEST Essex Golf Club celebrated its 18th Festival of Golf Week recently with a total of 604 golfers taking part.

The players enjoyed hot sunshine each day on a magnificently prepared course. The greens were lightning fast, reading 14 on the stimpmeter and all the professionals who played in the pro-am described them as the best they had ever played on.

The week began with success for West Essex's Roger Goldie in the junior open. Roger, with a handicap of four, produced a gross score of 78 in the morning and followed this with a tremendous 71 in the afternoon to win the Daily Telegraph/Center Parcs qualifier.

Peter Wilson, also of West Essex, was runner-up in the overall gross competition with a score of 150. His 73 in the afternoon secured the runner-up spot in the Daily Telegraph/Center Parcs qualifier.

The ladies took centre stage on Wednesday when 124 ladies from 22 clubs played a better-ball stableford. The runaway winners were Joyce Humphreys and Sue Worton, of West Essex, with 48 points. The runners-up were L Davies and J Raine from Woodford Golf Club. The club ladies captain, Pam Thatcher won the `nearest the pin' prize on the third hole.

Thursday saw a better-ball stableford for men which was won by Rupert Fisher, of West Essex, and his guest Gary Loveman. The mixed greensome on Friday brought success to the Burnays from Brickendon Grange with J Keogh and P Godber from East Herts in second place.

The climax of the week was the pro-am on Saturday, August 8, when Robert Joyce, of West Essex, welcomed the top 50 professionals from the eastern region playing for a prize fund of £8,000. Tied in first place were Ray Stocker, of Trent Park, and Jon Bevan, of Gosfield Lake, with a score of 67, four under par.

Lee Jones, of Trent Park, was third with a 68. The professionals particularly enjoyed the fast greens which they all described as the best they had ever played. The amateur team prize was won by the Webb family, members of West Essex, father Vernon and his two sons David and Chris.

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