Seventy-two golfers took part in last Sunday's annual competition between the Divots and Rabbits sections of Tenby Golf Club. Playing for the Friendship Shield, this year's format agreed by both team captains, was foursomes, where players from each team play alternate shots. The day was overcast but dry with little wind, and proved to be ideal for golf. The match commenced with a shotgun start at 8.30 am.

Recent reports in the local newspaper had hinted that the Rabbits were all playing better than their handicaps suggested and that on hearing the scoring in the Dilwater Shield the Divots were "nervous quivering wrecks". The Divots had not responded to this rhetoric, preferring to do their talking where it matters, on the golf course.

The writing was on the wall early on, when first victory was secured by Richard Morton and Nigel Ayers, winning every hole and claiming a comprehensive victory of 10 and 8 over Rabbits Tom McLean and Mike Munro. There followed a stream of further Divots victories, before the Rabbits claimed their first scalp, a win of 4 and 3 by Phil Carpenter and Meurig Jones over David Douglas-Law and Barrie Frayne.

With one win in the clubhouse (compared to eight Divots victories) some Rabbits still believed that Santa Claus, fairies or some other miracle, would intervene to cause a major upset.

A fine victory of 2 and 1 for Dilwater champions Mike Anthony and John Stevenson over Divots captain Steve Evans and Loz Phillips, and a win for Rabbits George Pegg and Steve Watkins over Kenny Breaker and Alan Yates kept their dreams alive.

However, further victories for the Divots put the matter beyond doubt.

Shot of the day came in the match between Divots Richard Chapman and Laurence Lindsey against Colin Smith and Ian Thomas. With a superb shot from the 12th tee, Ian achieved a hole in one for the first time in his golfing career. Seventy-one players on the course were delighted to celebrate Ian's achievement with a free drink at the bar... the other person had to pay the bill! The match itself ended in an honourable half.

If Ian's was the shot of the day, biggest turnabout in fortunes came in the match between Rob Hall and Jim Taylor playing against Tom Pritchard and John Murcott. Rob and Jim were five down after nine holes, only to come back and win the match for the Divots on the last hole.

With 13 victories, two halves and three losses, the Divots comfortably retained the Friendship Shield by 14 points to four.

Following a lunch of bangers and mash, both team captains addressed the gathered assembly.

In his excitement to speak, Head Bunny, Phillip Marsden, dropped a clanger by pulling the striking bar off the club bell while trying to catch the attention of his audience. Still defiant in defeat, Phillip not only had his speech prepared, but had composed a song to celebrate the day's events, then afterwards, tried to impersonate Marlene Dietrich - a tip Phillip, stay with the day job!

Accepting the Friendship Trophy, a more reserved Divots captain, Steve Evans, thanked all participants for making the day a success and looked forward to a repeat performance next year.

Results were as follows:

Divots wins - R. Morton and N. Ayers bt T. McLean and M. Munro 10 and 8; R. Argent and P. Heywood bt D. Morgan and G. Glover 8 and 7; D. Evans and A. Morris bt M. Fox and M. H. Evans 5 and 4; M. Schooling and H. Probert bt J. Cook and N. Allen 5 and 3; C. Hughes and M. Evans bt B. Hartley and D. Bath 4 and 3; A. Joseph and G. Waring bt R. Bowen and P. Cray 4 and 3; A. Morton and G. Field-Thomas bt P. Watkins and P. Marsden 4 and 2; S. Jones and S. Sharma bt G. Price and S. Cole 4 and 2; M. Nesbitt-Hawes and R. Schooling bt R. Murphy and S. Harries 4 and 2; D. Ayers and I. Jarvis bt F. Adlam and B. Dooley 3 and 2; M. Morris and N. Dickinson bt D. Moran and S. Evans 1 hole; R. Hall and J. Taylor bt T. Pritchard and J. Murcott 1 hole; G. Rees and M. Durham bt P. Moss and A. North 1 hole.

Rabbits wins - P. Carpenter and M. Jones bt D. Douglas-Law and B. Frayne 4 and 3; M. Anthony and J. Stevenson bt L. Phillips and S. Evans 2 and 1; G. Pegg and S. Watkins bt K. Breaker and A. Yates 2 and 1.

Honourable halves: R. Chapman and L. Lindsey halved with C. Smith and I. Thomas; R. Muskett and R. Davies halved with C. Law and J. Broome.

A. DIVOT