Burgham Park’s Ladies Section enjoyed a wonderful Captain's Charity Day at the beginning of August. It was played in blustery conditions with the occasional drop of rain — but nothing could dampen the fun or generosity of the day as the event raised a fantastic £277 for Cancer Research UK (Blyth Projects).

The ladies split into two teams — The Pinks and The Blues — with plenty of other prizes to play for alongside the team competition. There were some excellent scores in both the 9-hole and 18-hole events.

In the 9-hole competition, Christine Hammond claimed victory, with June Dawson winning the Longest Drive. In the 18-hole event, Vaunda Starkey (pictured here) took the win, while Fiona Newman scooped Nearest the Pin.

In the team match-up, it was Captain Mandy’s Blue Team who came out on top against Vice-Captain Vanessa’s Pinks.

It was another brilliant day in the Ladies Section — full of camaraderie, friendly competition, and generosity — all for a great cause. A big thank you to all the ladies who took part, and to Mandy and Vanessa for organising such a fantastic event.

The inaugural Smiths Academy Cup was played across three rounds in June, July, and August as an eclectic competition designed to celebrate and support new golfers.

The trophy is contested by members of the recently formed Burgham Academy, all of whom have progressed through the Get into Golf scheme, begun their handicap journey, and taken the exciting step of joining the club. This new event is a fantastic part of our wider commitment to growing the game and supporting our new lady golfers as they build confidence and experience on the course.

The trophy, donated by Professional Heather Smith and our recently 'qualified' Community Golf Instructor Gill Smith, was won in this first year by Lesley Grant-Pavitt  with a fabulous eclectic score of 35. Lesley narrowly edged out Christine Hammond by just one shot after handicaps were taken into account.

After the event, Gill Smith commented, "It has been fabulous to see the ladies progress and improve their skills over the last year, and it's a real credit to our Ladies Section how the new ladies have been welcomed into the section and are already a big part of our club. I'm sure we'll see these ladies winning more trophies in the future!"

Many congratulations to all who took part in what we hope will become a much-loved tradition at Burgham Park.

Club Champion 2025 - Ian Paxton

Over two Sundays at the end of July, Burgham Park Golf Club held its annual Club Championship, with players battling it out for top honours on the course — and in the weather.

After the first round, the leaderboard was finely poised, with both Guy Nixon and Graeme Hewitt carding impressive rounds of 73, setting up an exciting final day the following week.

The second round proved far more challenging, as wind and rain moved in during the later stages, testing both skill and stamina. But despite the conditions, Ian Paxton rose to the occasion in spectacular fashion. With a brilliant gross 69 in round two (following a solid 76 in the first), Ian took the Club Championship title — his third time lifting the trophy.

Notably, Ian was also the very first winner of the championship in the club’s inaugural year, making this a fitting reminder of his golfing skill.

In second place, Guy Nixon held steady with two excellent rounds of 73 and 76, showcasing his reliability and calm under pressure.

Rounding out the top three, Andrew Gudgin edged out George Ovenden on countback after a close finish.

Many congratulations Ian on a great win.

Burgham Shield Glory for Hewitt

The Burgham Shield was also contested at the end of July, and this time it was Graeme Hewitt who took the honours. His impressive gross 73 translated into a nett 69, a superb effort on a testing day — and a well-deserved win.

Well done Graeme on such a solid round!