County Strokeplay Preview

One of Hampshire Golf’s most popular and well-known figures will be honoured on Sunday when the County Strokeplay Championship is renamed the Maplesden Bowl.

The former Hampshire Golf secretary and president passed away two years ago after a short illness, triggering tributes from the likes of Major winners and European Tour stalwarts like Justin Rose, Richard Bland and Matt Blackey, plus countless leading English amateur internationals such as Scott Gregory, Harry Ellis, Neil Raymond, and Sam Hutsby, who all played Walker Cup for Great Britain and Ireland.

Hampshire Golf secretary Richard Arnold said: “Everyone was shocked at Keith’s sudden passing. Having been involved in administering amateur golf in the county for 30 years, somebody at every one of the 70-plus affiliated clubs in Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and Channel Islands had been close with Keith"

“The Courage Trophy has a long history dating back to the 1960s based on sponsorship by the brewery across the country back then.

The county executive spent some time last year thinking how we could mark Keith’s incredible impact on golf in Hampshire during his time as secretary, retiring in 2006 to become our president, acting as the treasurer for much of his time on the executive.

“Even when he stepped back from those roles, he was always a strong supporter of everything the county did, whether it was coming to watch a county game or one of our championships.

“Keith will always be associated with Liphook where he was a member for all that time too, and he is greatly missed.

“Many of the players such Justin Rose, Dave Porter and Sam Hutsby – who all captained England Boys – grew up playing for Hampshire when Keith was their first point of contact.

“He would always be there to help with making entry and travel arrangements, but also just be a friendly face, who did not add any pressures to the demands of playing at the highest levels for both county and country.

“We are delighted that Keith’s wife Sue, who was often at his side while on Hampshire duty, will be joining us at Hockley for the newly-named event, and to see the Keith Maplesden Bowl presented for the first time.”

The old Courage Trophy marked the final event of the Hampshire Order of Merit for the past 10 years – in the old days it was only open to club champions for that current season, until it was opened up to all of the county’s leading amateurs.

Keith’s successor Barry Morgan merged the Courage with the Hampshire Mid-Amateur Championship for the over 35s so they are played on the same day to boost the fields for both events.

The Courage has been won a record six times by David Harrison, former R&A Captain, who also has won more county championships than any other player.

Former England Amateur Champion and long-standing county captain Kevin Weeks claimed the title six times, while Hampshire’s latest England Senior cap Martin Young, has five wins to his name between 2004 and 2019.

Current Order of Merit champion Rob Wheeler, from North Hants, who also leads the standings this year, is away on holiday, leaving four past winners in the field, including Blackmoor’s Mark Burgess, and defending champion Paul Telfer, the former Saints and Scotland defender, who plays at Hockley.

Fittingly, Wellow’s former Great Britain and Ireland junior international Dave Porter, who claimed the Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Channel Islands Amateur Championship in 2003 before turning pro, is turning out in memory of Keith Maplesden, having regained his amateur status a couple of years ago.

His son Farren, last year’s Hampshire U14 Champion, is also playing along with Stoneham’s Freddie Gill, who was runner-up in last year’s junior championship, and claimed the U16 title.

Three former county champions will tee it off in memory of the late county secretary – Neil Dawson (North Hants), Colin Roope (Rowlands Castle) and Lawrence Cherry (Stoneham). 

The Courage Trophy was won 10 times by a member from the host club – the first was Stoneham’s Mike Danby in 1968, five years after the Courage was first played for.

Jersey’s Barry Melville won it at La Moye in 1974 before Stoneham’s E Venables in 1976. The list includes Weeks, at Brokenhurst, four years later, followed by Alan Mew at Stoneham in 1992, and England internationals Darren Henley at the same venue in 2000.

Blackmoor’s Mark Burgess (2010) Brokenhurst Manor’s Young (2014), Corhampton’s Scott Gregory (2015) and Stoneham’s Ryan Moody (2020) are the other players to cash in home advantage.

Surprisingly, Stoneham’s Ryan Henley has never won county strokeplay title, but has been runner-up on a number of occasions. Burgess is the only double winner playing for the new trophy this weekend.

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