January/February 2022 report

The early months of the year focus largely upon events on the Kent coast. The first playing events of the season are the Scratch Cup, to be played at Royal Cinque Ports (above), Deal, and the Peter Kenyon Bowl, which is an ‘opener’ of sorts for Hewitt week, and is this year scheduled to be played at Prince’s, Sandwich. For newcomers, this is a foursomes event like the Hewitt, but open to any members of the society and played under handicap. Further details of both events can be found on the Fixtures page.

Midway between the above events is our AGM and annual dinner, on Monday 21st March at Whitgift Sports Club, Croham Road. All members are encouraged to attend if they possibly can. A formal invitation will follow later in February, but please diarise the event now – it is always an enjoyable evening.

Members are also invited to enter our annual knockout competition; entries are due by 21st March, because the draw is made at the annual dinner. The first drawn name of each pair has the choice of venue (except for the final) and the loser pays the green fee (hence ensuring that everyone, apart from the eventual winner, pays just once).

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January is upon us and the first society news of the year is the draw for the 2022 Halford Hewitt, which is now back to its normal place in the calendar, April.

Whitgift is drawn against Downside in the first round, a repeat of the 2018 draw but hopefully there will be no repeat of the result, a 3-2 reverse having been ahead in four matches at the turn. As regards the rest of the draw, I can do worse than quote from Nick Owen’s summary posted on the Hewitt website, which names Whitgift as potentially amongst those to watch ….

“The outstanding tie of the first round will be Eton against Charterhouse at Sandwich early on Thursday morning.  Eton have the stronger recent record but Charterhouse are always tough to beat.  The third quarter is by far the hardest of the four, containing the holders Loretto, as well as Eton, Charterhouse, Malvern and Ampleforth.  On their form from last September, Loretto will fear no one but they may benefit here from the fact that the others will all have to play each other before the quarter-final.

The other quarters are fairly evenly balanced, with one or two stronger schools interspersed with potential giant-killers.  A betting man might identify Tonbridge, Watson’s and Whitgift in the first quarter, Bradfield, Wellington and Merchiston in the second and Epsom, Sherborne and Rossall in the fourth.  However real betting men don’t bet on the Hewitt.  Whatever happens, it should be a great tournament!”