Rossall School, Halford Hewitt Campaign 2021

Founded in 1924, the Halford Hewitt Golf Tournament is competed for by the Old Boys of 64 English and Scottish Public Schools with each fielding 5 foursomes’ pairs, making 640 competitors in all, making it the largest amateur golf competition in the world!  It is played at Royal Cinque Ports (Deal) and normally Royal St George’s (Sandwich) Golf Clubs.  More details on the Tournament can be found at www.halfordhewitt.org.

Due to the Pandemic, the tournament was not played in 2020.  After much speculation, the show was able to go on in 2021 but in September but rather than its usual timing in April which added a new dimension as it was likely to be somewhat warmer and less wet/windy!  Also due to commitments at this time of year, Royal St George’s Golf Club was not able to accommodate and therefore the Tournament was played over Prince’s Golf Club and Royal Cinque Ports (Deal) Golf Clubs.  It promised therefore to be a Halford Hewitt like no other before. 

The Rossall campaign this year filled the team with confidence and optimism for the future. For some time now, we have been searching for some new blood and talent to strengthen a somewhat ageing team. Cue Josh Fallows!  Josh has been one of the first to emerge from the relatively new Rossall Golf Academy.  He plays off a +2 handicap at Royal Birkdale and promised to be a huge asset to the team.  With the team selected and ready, one week before some unwelcome news emerged.  Jimmy Jones, also a member at Royal Birkdale Golf Club and plays off a scratch handicap phoned the captain to explain he had been in a freak accident whilst holding his son, culminating in a badly broken ankle (son completely okay). One of our strongest players, Jimmy Jones was out and in stepped Will Goodwin. 

We were drawn this year against Hurstpierpoint in the first round which in theory constituted a good draw we thought.  Our team consisted of Matt Alan, Christian Butler, Josh Fallows, Robert Fox, Will Goodwin, Noel Muscutt (Captain), Paul Muscutt, Nick Roberts, Jeremy Smith and Jonathan Smith.  Notably two of our best players were missing from this year’s team, Jimmy Jones due to the aforementioned mishap, and David Tonroe, who is somewhat stranded in Savannah, Georgia but promises to be back flying over for the Campaign in 2022.  What follows, is therefore even more remarkable. 

On Thursday morning we played and beat Hurstpierpoint convincingly by a margin of 3½ - 1½ with notably Muscutt (N) & Fox winning by a margin of 7 & 6 and Smith & Smith winning by a margin of 6 & 5.  In the second round, we were then up against a Merchant Taylors team who had been in the final of the competition not too long before.  We again advanced by the same margin of 3½ - 1½ with Butler & Fallows, Smith & Smith, and Muscutt (N) & Fox, all winning by handsome margins. This took us to Saturday morning when we were up against our old rivals, Watsons, who are always formidable. To add to the theatre, support arrived in the form of Chris Holt, Rossall Chairman of Governors, to spur us all on. A typical nip and tuck Halford Hewitt battle ensued. A terrific win by Goodwin & Roberts playing at No. 1 and also by Butler & Fallows on the 18th, coupled with two Watsons wins meant that the match became poised at 2 points each.  In a nail-biting sudden death finish in the final match, Muscutt (P) & Allen held their nerve valiantly to prevail, this time on the 20th. All very exciting! By now, we had advanced to the quarter final and were very much looking forward to an encounter with Wellington. At this stage no matches get any easier.  Again, Roberts and Goodwin, playing at No.1, had a notable victory.  Further wins from Smith & Smith and Butler & Fallows took care of the match eventually by a margin of 3½ - 1½.  This victory took us into the semi-final playing on Sunday morning for the first time in 16 years!  There was excitement in the camp.  The semi was against Sherborne who had defeated Tonbridge in the quarter final which demonstrated they were strong opposition.  With Muscutt (P) & Allen and Butler & Fallows both winning very convincingly in matches 4 and 5 respectively, we needed one win from the top three matches.  Rossall losses in the top and third matches left another nerve-racking deciding match again eventually going into sudden death holes which Rossall narrowly lost on the 19th. Very disappointing at the time, but it was a great effort by all and a very memorable run in the tournament.

The team looks in fine fettle for the immediate future. With the prospect of David Tonroe and Jimmy Jones, both class acts each off a handicap of 1, being available for the 2022 Halford Hewitt in the April, together with the potential emerging talent from the Golf Academy at School, we are hoping to build on this year’s successful campaign to achieve greater things in the not-too-distant future.

Any single figure handicapped Old Rossallian golfer interested in being selected to play for Rossall in the Halford Hewitt, please contact Noel Muscutt on noel.muscutt@bulleys.co.uk or 07970 283703.