The Royal Navy Golf Association made history this month when both the men’s and women’s teams won the Inter Service Championships on the same golf course, at the same time, for the first time ever.
The Royal Navy hosted the Inter Service Golf Championships at the beginning of April after they were postponed from 2022 as the nation mourned the loss of HM The Queen in September.
The Army played the Royal Air Force on day one of the competition and with crisp cold mornings and the beautiful blue skies of early Spring, the scene was set for some fabulous competitive golf.
In the first matches, the men’s and ladies’ games were closely contested with the RAF men finally beating the Army 9/6 and the Army ladies beating the RAF 7/5.
Day two saw the host team playing the losers of day one. With the Royal Navy ladies against the RAF, they immediately impressed their desire to win, leading at the halfway stage 4/0.
The Royal Navy ladies have developed massively over the past two seasons with individuals building on their own prowess, along with new players adding to the strength and depth of the squad.
The Team Captain Lt Cdr Lauren Hulston invigorated her team and with the bit between their teeth, they beat the RAF 6/2 in the singles. SET Olivia Trewhela, who has recently passed out of Part II training and ETME Alex Forrest, Royal Navy Ladies Champion 2022, both had outstanding battles with their counterparts but were narrowly defeated on the seventeenth and eighteenth greens consecutively. However, the Royal Navy ladies finally beat the RAF 10/2.
The men had a tough battle against an Army team seeking revenge from their loss to the RAF. Despite LH Tom Fox, LH James Smith, CPO ‘Chats’ Harris and PO Ryan Moore winning their morning foursomes, the team trailed 3/2 going into the afternoon’s singles.
Team Captain WO2 Freddie Lomas selected his playing order and his lads went out to seek a comeback. All games were closely contested but with just two wins and four halves, it was not enough to beat the Army and the final day was going to be an uphill battle.
The final day brought the rain and an exciting day of competition loomed. The Army Ladies, Inter Service Champions since 2017, were seeking their fifth consecutive win. However, they had never come across such a well formed, strong Royal Navy squad.
Again, the Royal Navy were four up after the morning foursomes and it was almost a done deal. The Army was not going to give up that easy though. Each match was closely contested and once again Trewhela and Forrest had to compete against two exceptional players and whilst not winning their matches, wins from Lt Cdr Hulston, Lt Cdr Garton, Lt Cdr O’Connor and S/Lt Woolcott meant the Army could not beat the Royal Navy and for the first time since 2011, the Royal Navy Ladies had won the Inter Services.
In the men’s event, with both the RAF and Army on one win each and both scores equal (9/6), the Royal Navy men needed to beat the Army 9½ to 5½ to win or 9/6 and reach a three-way tie.
The morning foursomes kick started the men with wins on the seventeenth for three of the five pairings, once again LH Tom Fox and LH James Smith leading the way.
Capt Mark Selway, seeking his first Inter Service Championship win, also took a point with playing partner LH Glenn Raeburn. 3/2 at the half-way stages and ten points up for grabs in the afternoon singles. Newcomer PO Alex Lewis took the first point of the afternoon and gradually the points started to roll in.
The Team Captain looked a bit nervous as the points started to add up and with 5½ points in the bag, AB Alex Kippen was putting on the seventeenth green to secure his win and secure the Royal Navy Men’s win against the Army.
As the support watched on, Kippen was completely oblivious to the importance of his putt and placed ball next to the hole to take the win. A further ½ point from LH Smith rubber-stamped the Royal Navy’s seven points, beating the Army 10/5.
For the first time since 2004, the Royal Navy Men were Inter Service Champions and with the Royal Navy women also winning their Championships, it was a historic double for the Royal Navy at Enville.
