Paul Barham, from Billericay's Crondon Park Club, is the 1999 winner of the Eddie Whitecombe Trophy for topping the Essex Professional Golfers' Association order of merit.

Following 12 qualifying tournaments held throughout the year, Barham had 32.07 points with Roger Gray (Thorndon Park) runner-up on 28.83.

Other top placings: 3, Mark Spooner (Essex Golf and Country Club) 25.00; 4, Robert Green (Nazeing) 24.40; 5, Jon Fryatt (Hanover) 22.84; 6, Bill McColl (Thorpe Hall) 18.50; 7, Mike Janes (North Weald) 18.00.

<LI. Ballards Gore Ladies monthly Stableford saw Jan Hooper win division one with 33 points from Norma Higginson (32). Pat Spraggs (33) and Moya Menning (30) were the top two in the second division.

Lisa Barker (12) won the silver December medal on net 80 from Jan Hooper (11) 86. Jan took runners-up spot from Irene Tyjas (18) on countback after both had 86s.

Bronze winner was Pat Spraggs (28) with a net 90 while Pauline Leeks (25) was one behind.

The Chicken Run had to be cut to nine holes due to rain and Jan Hooper won on 18 points with Pat Roberts runners-up.

The par bogey went to Wendy Ross (minus two) on countback from Jan Hooper.

At new lady captain Moya Menning's driving-in ceremony, the nine-hole Texas Scramble was won by Lesley Grimshaw, Penny Rapley, Reg Fooks and Geoff McKeown with a score of minus 8.15.

Penny Rapley had the nearest guess as to where Moya's drive would land and she took the team tote as well in company with Geoff McKeown, Barbara Kyd and Jeff Caton.

A total of 42 birdies were scored overall and this total was correctly guessed by Brian Watling and Peter Grimshaw.

The 2000 Evening Echo Sunshine Challenge will be launched early in the new year with the trip for the winner to Portugal being based at the Hotel Almansor in Carvoeiro.

The golf courses to be used for the 54-hole Stableford will be Pinta, Salgados and Palmares plus a fourball betterball at Alto. Dates are November 5-12.

Our 1999 champion Simon Vidgeon scored 86 points over the three Stableford rounds.

A total of 96 people went on this year's trip - 89 of them golfers. Our own tournament will be administered next year by Bill Goff Golf Tours.

Essex Police held a golf tournament at Orsett Golf Club and raised a total of £600 for St Luke's Hospice, which was presented by Charles Clark, Assistant Chief Constable of Essex.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.