May is normally quite a busy month in the society calendar but this year there is only one event to report on, namely the match (alongside the schoolmasters) against the school. Played in a four ball, better ball format, the match was played in excellent conditions at Croham Hurst, on an evening which only got at all cold after the sun went down.
This match is often referred to as the society’s annual golf lesson, as we watch the boys hit the ball miles, and sometimes also straight. It proved the case on this occasion, as the boys scored a reasonably comfortable victory, by three matches to one, with one halved. New Captain Mark Chatham was the only victorious OW (pictured on the first tee). Many thanks to the masters and the school for providing such pleasant company, in addition to some welcome refreshment after the golf.
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Another defeat came in June, this time in the annual fixture against Old Alleynians at Tandridge. The weather at the start of proceedings was more reminiscent of Deal in February than Tandridge in June, but there it was; the warm dry spell was at an end.
16 players on each side was a good turnout, and four fourballs set off from each of the 1st and 10th tees, in matchplay format, the better ball on each side counting on each hole. The course was in excellent condition and the fast and treacherous slopes on the greens caught many a player out at some stage, sometimes resulting in a ball which was being putted on the green finishing at some distance off it!
The afternoon finished with another Tandridge supper, the exchange of pleasantries between the captains, and the revelation that the Dulwich side had emerged the winners by 5 matches to 3.
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Captain’s Day was at a new venue for the society; Nizels Golf and Country Club, just south of Sevenoaks, brought to our attention by society captain Mark Chatham, who was men’s captain at Nizels at one stage. And a thoroughly pleasant venue it proved to be, with an attractive and challenging golf course that presented problems for most of our members. Relatively few played close to their handicaps. It was a baking hot day, and whilst there was plenty of water in the course hazards, there was probably not enough consumed by members, some of whom struggled in the heat.
23 started, a good turnout for us. Most people took time to adjust to the run on the
fairways, which was considerable on the dry surface, and the pace of the greens, which were slightly slower than expected; hence scoring on the back nine was in most cases better than on the front. In the end, count back determined all the ‘podium’ places, with Alan Blok (32 points) edging out Kevin Prideaux de Lacy (also 32) for third place and Society president Pip Burley nipping in front of guest Paul Stewart, both on 33 points, to win the top prize and the Captain’s Trophy.
The society’s new golf shirts made their first significant appearance (photo – Hughes, Chatham and McMillan).
Thanks to Mark for his administration of an enjoyable day.
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Just a word to congratulate Whitgift alumnus Riccardo Fantinelli on reaching the semi-final at the R&A’s Amateur Championship, the winner of which gets a place in the field at The Open.
Unfortunately Riccardo lost his semi-final at Royal St George’s, but the achievement in reaching the last four is underlined when you consider that the competition comprises 288 top amateur golfers, who have to play two rounds of stroke play (this year at Royal Cinque Ports and Royal St George’s) and finish in the top 64, who then play knockout golf for six rounds to determine the ultimate winner. Riccardo shot 6 under in the stroke play, to finish tenth best of the qualifiers, and then won four knockout matches before finally losing in the semi-final.
The last Whitgiftian to reach the same stage of The Amateur Championship was Peter Hedges in 1982.
Riccardo might take further solace in the fact that another Italian lost the semi-final in 2003. His name? Francesco Molinari. Well done, Riccardo.
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CYRIL GRAY, 25th June 2025
Whitgift 1, Canford 2
As Whitgift set out to defend the title they won so impressively in 2024, this is definitely not the result they would have been anticipating.
(Photo left; Standing l to r; Ufton, Haswell, Gibson. Seated l to r; Williams, Hayes, Edwards) On a day which became increasingly hot, Whitgift started with great expectations of another decent run through the competition, even though first round opponents Canford have a very good record of their own (four competition wins, one more than Whitgift). Whitgift played their third pair up front, hoping it would work in their favour, but as it turned out, Canford did exactly the same, so no advantage was won or lost. Jonny Ufton and Mark Haswell went out first, Martin Hayes and Neil Williams (unbeaten over two years in the Cyril Gray) second, and Richard Gibson and Nick Edwards brought up the rear.
The early signs were not great; in the second game, perennial winners Hayes/Williams went behind to a par on the first, having missed a short putt, and there was every indication in the first few holes that Canford were not going to be rolled over easily. In fact, Canford were soon ahead in every match, and putts were dropping for Canford whereas Whitgift struggled by comparison on the greens. At the turn, Canford were 2up in the first match, 3up in the second, and level in the third (which soon changed when Canford won the 10th in that match). So Whitgift were up against it and facing an early exit; could they respond?
Hayes/Williams (photo, right) birdied the 11th to reduce their deficit to two, but quickly lost the 12th, and saw Canford hole another decent length putt to halve the 13th. Still 3 down. Williams holed from 12 feet on the 14th to salvage another half, but holes were running out, and when Hayes found the green side bunker on 15, with a difficult lie, that match was lost 4&3. Canford had played superbly, scoring 3 under par through 15 holes, with seven putts holed from outside 6 feet.
However, light was beginning to dawn elsewhere. Ufton/Haswell clawed a hole back on 12, somehow halved 13 and 14, and then got back to parity on the long 15th. The par-3 16th was halved in unimpressive fives, by which time Gibson/Edwards had themselves dragged their match level after 14. So Whitgift could still win the tie if both outstanding matches went their way. It looked promising when Haswell summoned a huge and straight drive down 18, so impressive that his opponent pulled his drive short and left. Canford could only find the bunker with their second, and Ufton secured a once-unlikely win with a seven foot putt for par. Whitgift had secured that match, having never been in front until the very end.
So all attention turned to the last match, where Canford, who had seemed to be getting a little wayward, scored two birdies on the 15th and 16th, to win both holes, before messing up on the 17th and allowing Whitgift to win that hole with a bogey 5. As Edwards struck his 150 yard approach to the 18th green, it appeared perfect to start with, directly over the flag, but it proved a club too many and fell off the back of the green, from where Gibson came close with his pitch but not quite close enough. A par was enough for Canford, and the tie was theirs, 2-1.
A bitter pill for Whitgift, but a close match played in good spirit by two teams who, on their day, would be capable of going the distance in this competition. Canford were just a little more ‘on their game’ and were deserving winners.

Update
Whitgift beat Fettes 2-1 in the Plate first round, with wins for Hayes/Williams (on the 19th) and Ufton/Haswell (comfortably). Gibson/Edwards lost 1 down.
26/6/25 Whitgift bt Stonyhurst 3-0 in Plate second round. Hayes/Williams 7&5; Gibson/Edwards 19th hole; Ufton/Haswell 1up.
27/6/25 Whitgift bt Brighton 2-1 in Plate semi-final. Hayes/Chatham lost 3&2; Gibson/Edwards won 5&4; Ufton/Haswell won 3&2.
Whitgift bt Ampleforth 3-0 in the Plate Final. Hayes/Williams 6&5; Gibson/Edwards 2&1; Ufton/Haswell 3&2.
Ufton/Haswell won all their five matches in the week.
WHITGIFT WIN THE CYRIL GRAY PLATE

L to R; Mark Chatham; Nick Edwards; Mark Haswell; Martin Hayes (Capt); Richard Gibson; Jonny Ufton; Neill Williams
Whitgift’s third win in the Plate, following on from 2001 and 2011.
Tony Mason and Peter Blok (photo; top left, below) came second (to Canford) in the Cyril Gray Seniors with 26 points.
In the main competition, Glenalmond won the Cyril Gray Salver for the first time ever, beating Chigwell 2-1 in the final. Chigwell also lost the 2024 final – to Whitgift.
