Halford Hewitt

[Mark Chaplin]

Clearly like myself you left school at 16 and missed out on university and the professions?? 

[Paul Gray]

James,

I occur with you entirely.

I have no interest in watching privileged people pat one another on the back, but equally have no objection (aside from some of the keep-it-in-the-family business dealings which no doubt get done) to them holding what sounds like a fine get together for those involved.

More interesting than anything I have to say though, I've asked the opinions of a few of a few friends of mine that attended some of the refined schools allowed entry to the event and the average position seems to be somewhat more disdainful than mine.

Pointless note to our American friends following this thread: At the time of writing this our cricket team (remember the game takes five days to play so we're still talking about the same match) have rather improved on things in the last couple of days. All being well we'll get a draw (a tie is technically something slightly different in cricket but, as far as you're concerned, by draw I actually mean tie) out of the match. Yep, five days just for a tied match. And many of us spend the best part of five consecutive nights semi-conscious whilst watching/listening to this from the other side of the world. It's a beautiful game.

Note to England cricket fans: I apologies in advance for the kiss of death just served up.

[Colin Macqueen]

James,

"….harking back to my working class roots!"!!!

I am chuckling away here as my history and take is from the other end!

When I revel in this sort of pantomime it is, I think, from nostalgia! My siblings and I all saw the socio-economic cycle turning but it turned from grandparents in the colonial service, to professional parents (both medicos university lecturing) to my Dad getting caught up in the Catholic faith, having twelve kids and sending them all to local council (not private schools).  But of course all the talk was about servants, boarding schools, "rugger" and such. None of which we ever savoured! So when this sort of privileged theatre takes place I  suspect a deep-seated longing for such takes place in my tiny brain and I live vicariously! So I guess I am just "….harking back to my upper class roots!".

I get a lot of fun from it and I like the history and tradition and of course Darwin wrote so well about The President's Putter" that I was beguiled.

Cheers Colin

[Sean_A]

Boony

Two things separate HH and PP from nearly every other society meetings; history and at least in the case of PP (though I believe the HH is as well to a lesser degree), a generally very high standard of play for the folks really hoping to win.  The history part should be easy for you to get, golf is full of run of the mill good elevated to greatness because of history and I would have thought the quality of play is something that would be of interest to yourself.

Ciao 

[Mark Chaplin]

Sean - the leading Hewitt teams are usually between 0-5 for the total handicap of the ten man team, like the PP the ten handicapper may play for a weaker school but they certainly don't book weekend accommodation!

A mixed bunch of RCP golfers and pro lunchers once beat a Yale team whose average handicap was better than +1.

[Niall Hay]

I doubt if this would work as it is only for posh ex-boys (i.e. those who have attended "Public" (that means "private" in Britspeak) schools, e.g. Eton, Harrow, Fettes, etc.).  It helps that Deal is within chauffered Roller distance from London, because that is where most of the posh ex-boys tend to gravitate after graduation.  I suppose it could be done in the USA if you could get (say) NGLA to set aside a week for the Old Boys of Exeter, Andover, St. Marks, Choate, etc. to congregate, scare the wits out of the local females and chunter over the old leather seats after too many Kummels, but I doubt if this is feasible.  Of course, I could be wrong.....

It could be an extension of the Newport Invitational and NCC would be a very fitting venue.

The Newport Invitational
 
The setting, Newport Country Club in Newport Rhode Island, NCC is one of the founding member/clubs of the USGA and the host of the Andover Invitational. A special thanks to Robert G. Manice, NCC Vice President for arranging this wonderful event.
 
What a day it was for the Big Red!! In a hotly contested match against some of the best private schools in New England, the team posted an impressive 314 to win the invitational by 8 strokes.

Exeter 314
Deerfield/Salisbury 322
Taft 326
Hotchkiss 327
Andover 336
Loomis 338
Tabor 351
 
The players enjoyed the Newport Country Club on a postcard perfect day, bright sunshine and just a little sea breeze. Their efforts gave them a first place finish over Deerfield, Salisbury, Andover, Taft, Hotchkiss, Loomis and Tabor.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

http://www.exeter.edu/athletics/185_6199.aspx

[Michael Felton]

Boony

Just look at the HH as another society meeting, much like the President's Putter.  They just happen to be the two most famous society meetings.  Burnham has an old school/prestige society meeting as well - forgot the name of the cup.  I would like to watch play for the PP some day. 

Ciao

Bit late to the party here, but that would be the Brent Knoll Bowl. It's always a week or two before the Hewitt. Good practice! It's made up of some school teams and some societies - most of which are former county players for various counties. The armed forces have teams too. Standard is not dissimilar from the Hewitt, with some good teams and some not so good.

The Hewitt is my favourite week of the year. We're not all posh (although I will concede that some are very much so).

[Mark Chaplin]

Michael which school do you play for, the Charterhouse or Brighton end of the golfing gods?

[Michael Felton]

Epsom. We've been pretty good lately. When I started back in the mid-90s we were a team who would win a game or two every now and again, but we were running at or around 1 on the Anderson Scale. The Anderson Scale was set up by a guy called Anderson and tracks number of matches won per year, so 1 means on average you win one round. There are 6 rounds in the tournament, so the maximum possible is 6, but you'd have to win every year since you started to do that. Since then, we've got into the habit of winning and have done pretty well. We won it in 2000 for the first and only time, but have two finals and three semi finals since then.

There is also a 10 year one which tracks total matches won over the past ten years. The website has the one from 2011, so a couple of years out of date now: http://www.halfordhewitt.org/files/halfordhewitt.org/39/HH_10_year_Anderson_scale.pdf

This year we made the semi finals, but lost to Eton who went on to win. I believe Eton have been in the final 13 times and have won every one of them (incredible). Compare that with Malvern who lost their first 9 finals (I think), before finally winning one in about 2009 or so.

I've played 70 matches now. I want to get to 100. Have to keep a good pace going though.

[Mark Chaplin]

I think I was starter for your semi this year.

How did you like the Kings Head? I know the Cranleighans are still sore!!

[Michael Felton]

I think I was starter for your semi this year.

How did you like the Kings Head? I know the Cranleighans are still sore!!

The Kings Head is awesome. I think I'm just now getting over the hangover that I had when they came to visit and insisted that we join them in a few drinks. More Jager than I have had in quite some time!

Small world isn't it. I play the evens at Deal so I wouldn't have been back to the tee at 1 (not that I mind - that tee shot gives me the jitters in a left to right wind).

Funny story - my second year at the Hewitt, first match and one of our guys who was playing in his first Hewitt hit a big slice off the first tee at Deal. The ball clattered into the flagpole and bounced back into the middle of the fairway. Went on to win the match (we got to the semis that year - our first Sunday in about 15 years I think).