Last Saturday, the club's annual Fitchett Memorial Trophies event took place - a competition in which the gentlemen, ladies and juniors play for three separate trophies.

The trophies were donated to the club in memory of Ernie Fitchett by the Fitchett family, including Ernie's two daughters, Mrs. Dorothy Watchman and Patricia (Tish) Rossiter.

Dorothy and David have motored down from Surrey each year the competition has been held, while Tish makes a big effort to get all the way from Frog Street to the clubhouse!

Ernie Fitchett was the club professional from the late 1940s to 1967, a period only exceeded by Tom Grant, who was professional and steward for almost 40 years prior to the war!

As the professional, Ernie received a retainer, certainly not more than £50 annually. For this, he was expected to supply golf equipment, give lessons, repair golf gear and, in those days, act as head greenkeeper. To all this, he added a great skill in designing golf holes.

Ernie designed the three 'new' holes 'over the line' and the existing 12th hole at Tenby. He also helped turn Cardigan from a nine-hole to an 18-hole golf course, as well as being responsible for the South Pembs. nine holes.

In his 'spare' time he helped his wife run a small hotel on the Esplanade, and bring up two daughters who became the lovely ladies they are today. If Dorothy reads this 'paper, she will probably be surprised to learn that 50 years ago to the very day of the competition, she was a finalist in the Tenby Beauty Queen competition!

'Mr. Fitchett', as we all knew him, never left the district, retiring to live quietly in the peaceful village of Penally.

The competition itself is unique in Tenby's golf calendar - a par event, where strokes are received according to handicap and to the stroke index, with each competitor attempting to beat par (+). If they fail to get a par, they end up with a minus score.

Results were follows:

FITCHETT BOWL

- GENTS

Neil Dickinson -1 (bowl and £40 voucher); Paul Haley -2 (£30 voucher); Phil Goodridge, David Evans, John Carpenter and Colwyn Harts -3 (£15 voucher each).

LADIES CUP

J. Mabett - 1 (won on second nine); M. Rowell -1; L. Leek -2.

JUNIORS CUP

J. Guererrio +8 (£10 voucher); Lloyd Williams -1 (£6 voucher); Oliver Duckett, Holly Watkins and David Ayers -3 (£2 voucher).

As you can see from the results, beating par proved to be almost impossible. The difference between par and the SSS can be seen when Paul Haley, playing off scratch (no shots), needed a gross 70 to finish -2!

It also appears we may have a Tiger Woods in the club, with one young man turning in an amazing +8.

As a footnote, the competition was played on what can only be called a foul day for golf.