Halford Hewitt

HALFORD HEWITT – CANCELLATION CONFIRMATION The Committee regrets that under the prevailing conditions there is no alternative other than to cancel this year’s Halford Hewitt tournament.  Consideration was given to possible alternative options, but these are not practicable. Postponement was suggested however the host clubs’ diaries are already crowded during a normal year and are likely to become more so at the end of this year once life returns to normal.  A date at the end of October was mooted but lack

HEWITT 2020 UPDATE – CANCELLATION DUE TO CORONAVIRUS: I regret to announce that following the revised UK Government guidelines announced last evening the Committee has had no alternative but to cancel this year’s Halford Hewitt. This is not a decision that has been taken lightly and alternative methods of staging the competition were considered, including avoiding access to the clubhouses and keeping social interaction between teams to a minimum.  Unfortunately none of these would have been practical given the latest guidelines. The Committee

Competitors and supporters will no doubt be aware of the current global situation regarding Coronavirus. Our intention is to hold the Halford Hewitt this year unless the UK government brings in legislation that will prevent us from doing so. It will not be possible to screen all those attending in order to determine where they have recently travelled or whether they are showing any symptoms of infection. Competitors and supporters should make their own decision as to whether they should attend this year’s

The draw for the 2020 Hewitt took place at the East India Club on 15th January.  There was a good attendance for the meeting, which includes the AGM, and which for many of us marks the beginning of the end of Winter (optimistically) and, rather like the first Snowdrops, makes us realise that Spring really isn’t that far away. The draw itself was unusually well balanced with few shocks or old rivalries renewed.  The second 8 looks to be the toughest

Sunday was entirely consistent with the rest of the week in that it was bitterly cold all day and the matches produced some high drama especially at the end when the deciding match in the final was eventually concluded in the sub-zero gloaming at the 23rd hole. But first the semi-finals which were tense but ultimately went according to the form book.  Ampleforth, playing at a consistently high standard, were always in control against Loretto although there was the odd tense

The weather improved in the afternoon and there were no further squalls.  Light remained good until late in the evening which was fortunate because the start of the last quarter-final was delayed due to Malvern requiring extra holes to despatch Rugby in the morning.  We allowed them 20 minutes for lunch, which may be ample for a vegan teetotaller but is a significantly shorter period than they are accustomed to. It would be nice to report an afternoon of high drama,

The morning started with blue skies and a gentle breeze.  Suddenly a dark cloud hove into view and conditions deteriorated into a vicious squall with strong winds mixed with stinging hail, the whole effect making you feel like hot needles were being fired at you.  All in all, not unlike a sudden visit from my mother-in-law! Edinburgh beat Haileybury to set up a quarter-final match against Loretto who beat Berkhamsted.  Watson’s ran out comfortable winners against Rossall and will play Cheltenham

The late great Gerald Micklem used to say that the key to a successful Hewitt was firstly to get rid off the holders and then to get rid of Eton.  Both happened on day two of this year’s Hewitt which contained some significant upsets and ended with one of the finest match-winning shots in the history of the Hewitt. The day started grey and overcast with a real threat of rain and the biting Easterly wind which has been gnawing away

Under difficult playing conditions at Deal with an unusual Easterly wind blowing across the course rather than up or down it, this was always going to be a slowish day.  By the end of it, the final groups were taking 5 – 6 minutes over 4 hours.  We fell behind the target time of 90 minutes for the front nine early on and after that there was no way back.  The attached link identifies those games at Deal which were