The weather on Sunday for the fifth matches in the Rabbits Winter League was abominable. Persistent rain fell and the wind pressed the damp into the gaps and cracks of the waterproof clothing. Soon the players out on the course were shivering as squelch squelch they trudged down the fairway.

First away were Dave Moran and Simon Evans, a pair of fancied golfers for league silverware, playing Fred Adlam and Brian Dooley. These challengers are fighters, though not considered to be major title contenders. Not just yet, it should be said.

Soon into the match the Moran/Evans team took the lead, and capped it on the third hole where Dave Moran, feasting on his partner's distant drive, conjured a marvellous five-iron shot to attack the green. He struck it low and it bobbed and bobbled down the approach valley, then climbed to the green and amazingly took course to the pin and dropped in the hole. A truly amazing shot. An eagle had been scored to brighten this appalling day.

Fred was particularly shocked by this performance and went as far as to complain to the Rabbits captain about it on the course. He was given short shrift and told to do the same and keep fighting.

Well they did and from three down on the seventh he and Brian Dooley began a legendary fight back. With the match all-square on the 12th, the cold was in their bones, so all agreed to a half and returned to the warmth of the clubhouse.

Brian Hartley benefited this week by having Derek Bath as his substitute. Derek, a doyen amongst the league substitutes, was delighted to be dragged out of his bed on such a day. But his experience showed and this game ended early, with Peter Moss and George Spain conceding the match. All very sensible.

Brian Hartley and regular partner John Davies now sit astride the league and it has been rumoured that they are composing victory speeches for season's end. So good, confident and brilliant they are.

Two strong contenders are Colin Smith and Ian Thomas and this week their challengers were Peter Watkins and Mike Munro. These challengers were quickly into their stride and at the 10th were a comfortable two up, helped by a sublime putt by Peter on the eighth green, down hill and swirling.

On the 10th, the Smith and Thomas pairing, two down, had the audacity to ask for a half in view of the inclemency. Purple with fury and indignation, the Watkins/Munro team rejected the offer out of hand. But it proved to be a mistake as they were slowly pulled back and then overhauled to a very close defeat. This had been an exceptional game in the conditions.

Mike Anthony and John Stevenson celebrated Mike's accession as vice-vice-captain of the Rabbits with a display of power golf very difficult to imagine. Dave Morgan and Gordon Glaves suffered and were well beaten by Mike's euphoria out there in the winter chill.

Mike Anthony has spent years developing his game. Rarely off the practice course. Weight training, jogging, yoga for relaxation. His pursuit of excellence has at last been rewarded. He has made it in life.

Ron Murphy and Steve Harries did not like the weather and they suffered. Superb in the summer still, these artistes of the links are not made for Noah's flood and remain comfortably low in the league after a tough-it-out performance by the two Phillips: Marsden and Watkins.

Phil Carpenter and Steve Price earned a comfortable victory over Glyn Price and John Murphy, rising to a threatening mid-table position.

Whereas Dave Moran's bobbing bouncing five-iron (already described) will go into Rabbit lore, there was an even finer shot by Glyn Price on the 12th, a par three of some 139 yards from the winter tee.

Glyn stood proudly at his address out there on the 12th in these awful conditions, and getting worse. A beautiful, lissome, smooth practice swing followed. A sight to behold, and he then muscled up for his seven-iron drive.

He struck the ball so well and it towered high, landing safely to the heart of the green. A divine shot.

While all gathered round were struck in admiration they espied a club following the same route quivering in the sky. It had slipped out of his hands as if he had been swinging a newly-caught conger eel. It did not say much for Glyn's grips, but the club landed very close to the flag. He asked to switch club and ball, for here was a certain two. Nobody knew the rules and a saddened Glyn and his chastened partner John, sadly, went down from then on.

This was a shot which will be handed down through the generations to come. Come to think of it, Olympic javelin throwers do not match Glyn's distance as on this day.

The seventh and eighth matches were all agreed as halves after just two holes. These players probably have more sense than others, and the warmth of the clubhouse was infinitely more attractive than battling away out there in the wet.

When all of a sudden the Rabbits' new fashion collection arrived in the clubhouse. Cashmere sweaters with logo. Chinese silk shirts with logo. All available at near giveaway prices.

Brian Dooley will establish a boutique this Sunday and Tom Pritchard has agreed to model the fashions. He is elegant on the catwalk. This Sunday will be a sell-out day.

The results were as follows: D. Moran and S. Evans halved with F. Adlam and B. Dooley; B. Hartley and D. Bath bt P. Moss and G. Spain; C. Smith and I. Thomas bt P. Watkins and M. Munro 3 and 1; M. Anthony and J. Stevenson bt D. Morgan and G. Glaves; P. Marsden and Ph. Watkins bt R. F. Murphy and S. Harries 3 and 1; P. Carpenter and S. Price bt G. J. Price and J. S. Murphy 5 and 4; C. Law and J. Broome halved with G. Pegg and S. Watkins; R. Bowen and P. Cray halved with T. Pritchard and J. Murcott.