This is one of the oldest fixtures on our books and although both teams brought the right degree of healthy competitiveness our match against the Bluemantles was marked by its usual geniality and friendliness with both sides fielding members of each other’s clubs.
RAF was its customary tough challenge but the course was in pristine condition, the hospitality and lunch were first class and the weather Gods were kind. What better way could there be to spend a morning particularly as the XL club won for the first time in over 20 years – 2.5 to 1.5 – with Alex Cuppage bringing home the winning point playing on his own.
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We played for the newly presented and very handsome Herbert Hunter Cup and the presentation was accompanied by a brief history of the fixture. Richard Musson of the BMs has produced a short note (below) together with copies of the original correspondence dating from 1962 setting up the original match.
“The Bluemantles CC Golf Section was formed in 1962 and the first matches and meetings took place the following year. Following a suggestion by Herbert Hunter, the Bluemantles CC Secretary to the XL Golf Society a fixture was arranged to take place on the 5th of October 1963 at Crowborough Beacon Golf Club. Thus began a fixture which has taken place for the last 60 years. After Crowborough the fixture moved on to the Nevill and Knole Park before finding its natural home at Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club.
Following Herbert’s death a cup was commissioned in his name to be played for between the two cricket clubs in the Bluemantle’s traditional cricket week which is always played in the first week of August at the Nevill ground in Tunbridge Wells. However after the fixture was lapsed it was agreed that the golfing sections of both clubs should play for the cup instead. Unfortunately the original cup went stray during Covid but a splendid new cup has now been commissioned. This year the XL Club Golf Society won the match by two and a half to one and a half. After engraving it has been agreed that the cup will now remain at Royal Ashdown for safekeeping.”
I particularly like the reference in the 1962 XL letter attached to the fact that ‘most of our players are pretty long handicap chaps. If we find that one side is obviously far too good we usually play off handicaps’
Plus ca change c’est la meme chose !
Simon Davies, Manager of the Day in Lieu of MM John Gordon
