Grafton Morrish 2013

Millfield’s OM golf team scoops the silverware at the 2013 Grafton Morrish

Every year the Old Millfieldian Golf team turn their hand to regaining the Public Schools Old Boys
Golf Association (PSOBGA) Grafton Morrish trophy – a feat we have only achieved on one previous
occasion, back in 1974.

The competition starts with over 100 schools entering a series of regional qualifying events and ends
with the finals hosted in Norfolk in September at two of the finest links courses in England –
Brancaster (Royal West Norfolk Golf Club) and Hunstanton.

After a dismal showing last year at Royal Ashdown Golf Club (the culprits shall remain nameless), we
moved our qualifying slot to the more benign North Hants Golf Club near Fleet, a course where
Justin Rose initially learnt his trade. On a beautiful sunny Sunday in Mid-May our hand-picked
pairings of Henry Smart/Alastair Scott, Ed Matthews/Peter Stokes and Jon Greener/Gavin Bradbury
set out to secure the points needed to progress to the Norfolk finals. After a reasonable start over
the first 6 holes, the Millfield wheels began to wobble up until the 14th hole where a late rally from
all of our pairings helped secure 72 points scratch stableford points. Some two hours later the text
came through to confirm that we had secured the last qualifying slot and that
Branncaster/Hunstanton beckoned.

With three weeks to go our tentative team composition was looking most encouraging with 4
scratch handicaps or better confirming their availability. With three days to go, somewhat less so
with broken legs, top US Golf college offers, domestic differences and work commitments reducing
the firepower of the team, at least on paper! With a bye in the first round, our first opponents were
Solihull, winners in 2008 and renowned for their touring entourage of 30+ supporters. Not to be
outdone, our secret weapons of Rod/Marion Speed and Simon/Pauline Luxmoore donned their soft
spikes and lined the first fairway at Brancaster as our first pairing of Alastair Scott and Richard
Champion took to the tee. With a stiff 20mph wind and antique 2 iron in hand, Alastair led off the
Millfield team with a class strike that culminated in an impressive par 4 at the long first hole. With
our strongest second pairing of Giles Legg and Adan Yates and a gritty third pairing of Will Tottle and
Gavin Bradbury, all of the matches were nicely poised after 9 holes. Sadly, some 90 minutes later we
were beaten 2.5 points to 0.5 with Giles and Adan playing some marvellous links golf to secure their
half point.
After drowning our sorrows in the tried and trusted Millfield way and some wonderful Adnamspowered
dancing at a local hostelry by one of the adventurous team members, we set out to regain
our pride in the parallel Solihull Salver competition. With support from Rod, Marion, Simon and
Pauline again in tow and the same pairings as the Friday we managed to secure 92 stableford points
beating Eton (by a single satisfying point) along with 28 other schools to scoop the silverware. A
magnificent effort from the team to match our achievements in 2005 and 2006, with a special
mention for Alastair and Richard who had 5 birdies on the back 9, along with Adan Yates (a recent
school leaver) who curtailed his university start date to represent the school.