Hill Samuel Systems Golf Society

 
golfcourse Hill Samuel Systems Golf Society was formed in May 1988 by John Moffitt. Hill Samuel Investment Services Group were based in the NLA Tower in Addiscombe Road, Croydon almost opposite east Croydon Station. The I.T. (or systems) department where John worked was situated on two floors. The society teed off at Redhill & Reigate and the fifteen HS players and one guest played a morning Stableford followed by an afternoon's Texas scramble. John Tidy (the IT Manager) was the inaugural winner. There were two more meetings that year at Silvermere and Coulsdon Court and by the end of the year John was assisted by committee members Mike Duffy, Ian Foulsham, Richard Mason and Steve Watson.

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The Society grew from strength to strength, attracting one or two more members from within the Company but also invited guests who were then offered membership. Membership reached 38 for 1989 and a round 40 for 1990. Pete McCarthy was the first of a number of people who's Company donated a trophy to play for in competition. All told they were:

  • PJM Team Cup (donated by Pete McCarthy)
  • Dell Rose Bowl (donated by Dell Computers for Nearest the Pin)
  • SBS Eclectic Open Cup (donated by SBS)
  • Novices Shield (donated by Dave Runcorn)
  • Garhigh Cup (donated by Charlie Buckman/Garhigh Builders)
  • PWA Pairs Cup (donated by Ken Taylor/PWA)
  • Winners Salver (donated by Eddie Cox)
  • Dew Drop In' Trophy (Donated by Steve Thurgood/Dew Drop In' public house)
  • Jubilee Coachworks European Cup (donated by Terry Widley)

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The next four years or so followed a similar pattern. About eight rounds of Stableford were played and the best 5 rounds went to the members Championship. The eclectic Stableford, a two round better ball plus a bonus points system for any hole better than two net pars was played every April and July (to coincide with the Masters and the Open). Greensomes were normally played twice a year and Texas scramble once. During each Stableford competition there was also a team Stableford. Originally teams were split into their birth signs but after this format only lasted for one season. This was replaced by Hill Samuel versus Friends of HS but the friends won every time.

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In September 1989, the golf day at Ashdown Forest, doubled as a Ryder cup style matchplay against the Jim Cracknell society. Foursomes were played in the morning and singles Stableford in the afternoon. Ten players on each side were playing both strokeplay and holes at the same time. In an exciting day saw HSSGS win by 9 to 3. The event needed some changes and so in 1990 the event was held internally, HS versus friends. Foursomes & Greensomes matchplay were played in the morning and singles matchplay in the afternoon. Reversing the trend in the team stableford, HS were the victors and repeated this the following year in 1991. All three matchplay events were held at Ashdown Forest hotel course.

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The Society primarily played at courses in the Surrey area though did travel further afield. In July 91, HSSGS completed a day trip to Wimereaux France, where they played a 27 hole competition. They also played at Prince's Sandwich twice and at Beadlow Manor, Bedford in 1993. One claim to fame is a hat-trick of hole-in-one's. Steve Watson did so in April 89 at Croham Hurst. Andy Rutherford then equalled this in November at Coulsdon Court the same year with of all things a putter. The third came at Royal Eastbourne by Ian Taylor.

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John Moffitt left the Company in the Spring of 1991 and so Steve Watson became secretary, assisted by committee members: Peter Miles, Brendan Dunne and Donald Kerr. This was a successful year but 1992 saw a 33% drop in membership.

HSSGS at Tilgate October 1992

Back Row: D.Phillips (guest), Paul Jeanes (HS), Roland Usher (HS), Alan Marchant (HS), Ellen Linton (HS), Peter Hooper, John Farnell (HS), Brendan Dunne (HS), Andy Rutherford (HS), John Chittock, Trevor Cook
Front Row: Mark Hollis, Steve Watson (HS), John Cooper, Ian Cooper, Peter Miles (HS), Allan Oscroft, Mike Duffy (HS), Graham Casella 

The Society managed with two dozen members for the next few years, though sometimes only having fourteen competitors for the golf days. The numbers of Hill Samuel members still declined as staff left for pastures new. By mid-1994, barely a few of the members worked at Hill Samuel. The final straw was in Spring 1995 when the I.T. department was outsourced to another Company. Membership was now below twenty and only fourteen or fifteen played at each event throughout the year. It was becoming too difficult to run the Society and it was apparent that it had reached it's natural end. The 49th and final meeting was held in October 1995 at Lamberhurst and the Stableford was won by a non-member Andy Rose, ironically he WAS still working at Hill Samuel. For the second time in the Society's history the second placed golfer won the Stableford trophy and that was Allan Oscroft.

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Steve Watson wound up HSSGS by the end of the year but all was not lost as all members were invited to join the other Society that he ran, in Woodvale Golf Society. Three members already belonged to both Societies but nine golfers joined Woodvale for the start of 1996.

 


COMPETITION & EVENT SUMMARY FOR HSSGS
Competition19881989199019911992199319941995Total
Stableford Shield3777763343
Longest-Drive3778864447
Nearest-the-Pin3778864447
Texas Scramble121111119
Team Stableford (c/w Stableford)0700111111
Greensomes or Foursomes0222111110
Stableford Eclectic0222211111
Championship (best scores from Stableford)011111117
Winter Fourball011100104
Matchplay (Ryder Cup style, HS versus Friends)001100002
Winners Salver (c/w 1st Stableford of the year)001111116
Medal (1st was 27-hole Stableford)000111115
Golf Days3789864449
Members1638403624242319 

All 49 Events & Winners at HSSGS


Return to the Pro Shop or History Page added 12/2/2001, Updated: 01/09/2007