CRANWORTH TROPHY
Draw & Information
Handicap Index Limits – 19.1 to 28.0
Bramford Team cruise to victory in the Cranworth Trophy
On a balmy September day, Newton Green played host to the final of the prestigious Cranworth Trophy and the excitement in the air was palpable as the teams were welcomed by Newton Green Ladies Captain, Rosie Jackson.
On the day, Bramford Golf Centre were the better team and overcame Felixstowe Ferry Golf Club by 6 games to 3. Without exception, all games were played with extremely good spirit, grace and sportmanship.
2 squads of 8 players, each with a handicap index in the range of 21-29.9, lined up to do battle in the morning foursomes competition followed by an afternoon singles competition. Each was hoping to gain more than half the available 9 points to be declared the winner.
This year the competition rounds have been played on neutral courses and Newton Green’s quirky flat course with its well-established 9 holes on heathland supplemented by another 9 holes created on agricultural land provided a challenging course of two halves to be mastered.
Full of hope and excitement the foursomes pairings set of in the morning. The first game out went Felixstowe’s way and Bramford won the other two. All to play for in the afternoon!
After lunch, the 6 singles games got underway, and the afternoon went Bramford’s way by 4 games to 2. A convincing performance with a well-deserved overall victory of 6:3. The course was filled with supporters from both teams who were extremely appreciative of the high standard of golf played – shots envied and applauded in equal measure.
In every competition, there are people working away behind the scenes to help the event run smoothly and our grateful thanks must go firstly to Geraldine Rose, Cranworth organiser for her boundless enthusiasm and enviable organisational skills. Newton Green welcomed everyone with open arms (and balloons!) and the hospitality shown was exceptional. The course condition was excellent, and our grateful thanks must also go to the Greenkeepers for their stewardship.
Carol Deslandes
Route to the final
Bramford: Bury St Edmunds; Southwold; Fynn Valley
Felixstowe: Flempton; Aldeburgh;Ipswich
General Information
A team shall consist of 8 players from each Club – each player having a handicap index within the range of 19.1 to 28.0 inclusive.
Format: 18-hole Match Play. (To continue until 2025 and the review)
Two match-play foursomes, (playing off ½ difference of combined handicaps), followed by four match-play singles, (in handicap index order), playing off full handicap allowance.
The venues for all the Rounds will be played on neutral courses.
Trophy History
Lady Cranworth presented her trophy to the County Association in 1936. Initially, it is believed, it was played for by Silver Division players but at some point after the Second World War, there developed a keenly contested inter-club knockout competition amongst Bronze Division golfers that became the Cranworth Trophy as we still know in in 2013.
Who thought up the unusual scoring method in force for many years, it is hard to say, or perhaps no one will own up to it! With five points at stake for every match, whether singles or foursomes (one point for winning each nine holes and three for the overall match), it was certainly innovative and might perhaps have been more understandable had it been applied to the more accomplished golfers of the county. However, though the Cranworth matches were marathon occasions, with the scoring system necessarily taking most matches round the full thirty-six holes, most of the protagonists loved it and indeed, in some cases, were positively passionate about it.
There was a short period in the mid-eighties when the competition reverted to ‘normal’ match play, but the two year trial ended with the clubs opting to return to the old system. After a further twenty-five years or so, during which the organisers struggled to contain the matches within a comfortable timeframe, reason has once more prevailed and the Cranworth Trophy is now played for in recognisable foursomes and singles, to the great relief of many. Each round of the Trophy still constitutes a long day on the golf course, offering the players plenty of scope for fulfillment.
The desire to play the competition all the way through on neutral courses has also come and gone once or twice through the decades and is currently in force again.
There is generally more discussion about the Cranworth Trophy than all the other inter-club competitions, probably put together and regardless of the standard of golf at which they are played. Plainly, it continues to keep grass roots interest in the County golfing activities alive and well. That can only be good.
Julie Latimer-Jones
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