It has been nearly 20 years since Harrow tasted success in the Halford Hewitt.
The glory years of the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s (when the society won 4 times and also lost 1 final) have been replaced by a drop in performance levels, partly due to the increased standard of competition, and partly due to the lack of interested school leavers.
It should be noted that the winning team this year – Tonbridge – are probably recognised as the top side playing in the Hewitt.
To get in their team you need a scratch or better handicap, so this must be the sort of level we need to aspire to.
So for 2016 onwards it was decided to appoint a non playing captain, with no agenda other than improving the OHGS performance.
During the year since the 2015 event finished, together with several trusty lieutenants, no stone was left unturned in the efforts to beef up the quality of the team.
This resulted in 2 new players for 2016, with the hope that more will follow in 2017. The players were drawn from Will Bain, Cecil Boex, Jan Brugelmann, Jerry Fricker, Farri Gaba, Rupert Harmsworth, Hamish Morrison, Kunal Rawal, Mark Speelman, Nick Tindall and Jamie Warman.
The future lies with the school leavers and it is hoped that a steady supply of keen and able golfers will embrace the society and in particular the uniqueness that is The Hewitt.
The 2016 event was played in typical Hewitt weather with a mixture of high winds and rain, which made for particularly trying conditions.
The society enjoyed fairly comfortable wins in R1 against Dulwich and R2 against Blundells.
However in R3 we met another Hewitt powerhouse in Charterhouse and lost a close match, which was really lost in the first 5 holes after a slow start.
Nevertheless the signs are positive going forward, and the two new players Farri Gaba (recent school leaver) and Jan Brugelmann both performed with great credit.
It should also be noted with thanks the kind support of Stephen Bois and David Norris for braving the weather. And also to Anthony Speelman for generously supplying a very palatable red wine.
Pictured in the photos are Jan Brugelmann, Kunal Rawal, Will Bain, The President, Cecil Boex, Anthony Speelman, Alex Mann (the non playing Captain) and David Norris.
Full details available at http://www.halfordhewitt.org/
