This year was the 33^rd anniversary of the start of this friendly encounter that has always been hosted at Walton Heath Golf Club. This year's encounter was a recent rarity in that Eastbourne gave us a good beating having suffered a very baron run of form with only one win in the past 14 matches – not a statistic that they have enjoyed over dinner in recent years of course!

We were delighted to be fielding Mike Harrison on the OJ team, a past Halford Hewitt team contender for Hurst and of course a great cricketer – he is currently director of sport for Eastbourne College, so he teed up with a small amount of mixed loyalty, he did bring in one of our two wins however, accompanied by an old friend and contemporary of mine, John Cheney, who now avails from Perth, Western Australia. Our only other victorious paring was debutant Mark Ashdown with me as match organiser – we done Mark, great things are now expected of you in the years to come!

Our president Rob McCowen partnered Andrew Heath, and they lost narrowly to a strong pair including Ben Burrows from the OE Halford Hewitt squad. Matt Isepp brought a guest with him in our third string, and they were sadly overpowered. Matt will be making his guest selections more carefully in future he says..

Our Secretary Graham Negus partnered an honorary OHJGS member, Jeremy Williamson and it wasn't a great day on the heath for them, as they were on the wrong end of a 4/3 drubbing. Our final anchor pair of Derick Fulcher and Julain Knott went quietly, or so said the OE match manager Hugh Price!

We enjoyed a fantastic three course dinner and much leg pulling with the presentation of the Sussex 2 Iron to the victors on the day. The old steel shafted 2 Iron was originally presented by our past President Dudley Stratford, it was made by Harry Gibbs, a past Professional at Holtye golf club and is thought to date back to 1930.

Our team for this event is of a very mixed handicap range and people who haven't played In the fixture before are strongly advised to have a go, its great fun and played in the right spirit on one of the country's finest inland courses.

For detailed results, further photos, and a video click here: OHJGS annual match v Old Eastbournians 'The Sussex Two Iron' Match Report from Walton | Photos | Hurst Foundation

Jeremy Waud

Match Manager