The Gainsborough, 8:16am and the boys are ready. Forget the Ryder Cup, this is the big one - the Seniors September Shoot-out. No prisoners, no “desperately unlucky”, the winner takes it all.

The early games saw Suffolk roar ahead, the big guns of Vandervord and Walsh, then Parkison and Allen, registering a six hole lead. Fleuty and Swan reduced the arrears before Carman and Crane delivered a potential knockout blow, winning by 9 holes against (to spare their blushes) the pair with no name. Such was their focus, John Crane was genuinely gutted to have missed a short putt on 18 which would have given the Escort – sorry, Essex – boys a 10 hole win.

Cracknell and Glover looked a solid pairing and proved too strong for veteran gunslingers Davies and Bickers, while Essex out of towners Kemter and Lawson were held to All Square by Sherriff Cork and Charlie “Bounty” Hunter. Narrow wins for Suffolk followed and with 2 matches to go, there were just 4 holes in it. Could this be the ultimate Suffolk Punch?

No. Stubbs and McWilliams handed out another 9 hole drubbing and in the final match Humphreys and Gault fought the Law (Charles and partner Andy Wood) and the Law won.

So, just the fourteen holes in it at the end. Congratulations and golf balls all round for Essex.

This fun competition was really well supported and captured the imagination – many thanks Matt Glover for the posters – and I’m sure everyone is looking forward to renewing rivalry next year.

Many thanks to Captain, Graham Cork, for his report on this years Suffolk / Essex competition.