What an excellent day Friday, March 4, turned out to be! The final Chicken Trot of the 2015/2016 season and the day that would see 19 dedicated Trotters competing for three trophies, massive prize money and the glory of victory - and after all this a luncheon and prize-giving.

The weather gods, having been pre-warned that this important event was taking place, relented and provided a fine sunny morning - just a minor flurry of rain and a wind that gradually increased in velocity - but all that could be expected for early March.

Our esteemed leader, Chief Trotter Mickey Johnston, was present - and he welcomed to the lunch and post lunch reminiscence party (see photograph), three semi-retired Trotters, who became famous (along with John Hancock and sometimes Paul Bradley) for their incredibly early starts - the ‘Early Birds’; Pat Rees, Mike Evans and Vince Shaw.

I know that you will be agog, dear reader, waiting for the all important results - so here they are: First the Norman Badham Cup, competed for in a 15-hole Stableford competition by golfers who are over 70 years of age. Fourth, with 28 points, winning 30p - Stan Hudson. Third with 30 points, winning 60p - Bart Youll. Second, with 32 points, winning 90p - John Hancock. The winner, also with 32 points but a better front six holes, winning a less than 10p per hole prize of £1.20 - Ken Gouldsbrough! The photograph shows Ken with the trophy.

Next, the Danny Carew Putter, again competed for in a 15-hole Stableford competition, but this time by the younger set who are not yet septuagenarians. Fourth with 23 points, winning 30p - Steve Cole. Third with 29 points, winning 60p - absolutely no relation - Derek Cole. Second with 30 points, winning 90p - Neil Dickinson. Lumbering into first place with 32 points, winning roughly 3.75p for every point, £1.20 - Allen Watts. The photograph shows Big Al’ dwarfing Steve Cole as he receives the trophy.

Last, the newly inaugurated Booker Prize. The outcome of this competition, the highest total score of the players best five cards, was a very close run thing - but in the end Bart Youll’s great score of 153 was pipped at the post by Neil Dickinson’s 154. A beaming Neil is shown receiving the trophy from Steve - and wondering where on earth he is going to hang it?

Twos have been quite rare this season - but just like London Buses, two came along together this week, Stan Hudson on the sixth hole and Derek Bath on the 18th. The reward for their pin-point driving accuracy and superb putting skills was a whole 25p per stroke (that’s why I didn’t bother!).

And finally, the last Chicken Trotter article until next October would not be complete without a few statistics.

Total cards submitted - 221. Total ‘blobs’ on those cards - 619, now that means a statistical average of 2.8 on every card, and I would like to apologise for inflating that figure! The total points scored on those 221 cards was 5,260, thus the statistical average was 23.8 points per card - this time I would like to apologise for decreasing that figure!

The highest booby score was 22, one less than the lowest first place score (it was a hard week on February 5)!

The highest runner-up score was 35 and the lowest was 20 (that week again).

The best third placed score was 32 (three times!) and the lowest was 19 (the first week in February!)

We had 10 twos - four on the 12th, four on the 6th and one each on the shortened 7th and 18th.

Stan managed three of those 10 twos - no one else had more than one.

Neil, Allen, Stan and Steve managed all three podium positions... but Steve was the only one to take the booby as well!

We averaged 13.8 players per outing and 33 different trotters took to the course.

We played 16 times and missed five because of the weather.

M.F.