'I was hitting virtually every fairway and green but my putting was what let me down - I'm really pleased though with my round as it was the first time I've played here', said Mason. He shot a 73 which was one shot too many.

2003 Champion John Madden turned in a score good enough to be in contention but lost four shots overall to finish with a 74, defending Champion Geoff Tatton was +3 after five and his chances gone, and 2005-2006 Seniors Captain Frank Wallington had a quadruple bogey on the par three 6th to also fall out of contention.

In the age categories 65-69 there was another title for John Lawton with a 76 and a very creditable Runner's up slot for last year's Seniors Captain John Duncombe. The 70+ title went again to Tony Barnie-Adshead with an excellent 79. The Runner-up was a past president - Jim Sinclair - with an 81.

Home club Harborne, for who there was praise from all for their hospitality and the course, took fifth place overall in the form of a 75 from Keith Turton.

That left the two players who made the play-off with their 72s (+2).

John Edmonson was a very late entrant - the day before the Championship from a reserve list he was added to on his return last Friday from a month in the US.

'I haven't played here for 15 years so I am pleased with that and I only started the game in the 80s. My first handicap was 13 and then 7 after the first competition I played in.

'Today was all about a few missed putts - the one on the 8th was crucial.'

For Roger Sutherland, in his time as both an amateur and a professional, he has had a long association with Harborne. Roger also joked that he had only once before won a championship as prestigious as the Seniors only for the trophy to be presented to the wrong person.

'I wasn't at my best - actually I don't know how I managed to shoot that score (four birdies and two bogies).

'I bought myself a book - the Zen Art of Golf. Its supposed to help you put the bad shots out of your mind. I hit a bad shot, forgot about it, then hit another ....

'I wasn't upset at any of them!'

The one shot Roger could not have been upset at was his approach to the short par four 10th in the play-off, from the greenside bunker. Edmonson rued not having played an iron from the tee and trying to match Sutherland, Ron was in the same bunker and could not match the sand shot to 4ft which gave the Leamington man the title.

The full results, including nett scores, have been posted.

Look out for those scores in

County men | Championships | Seniors | Scores

A photo gallery of virtually all the players, in action (various stages of their swings), is in the same section of this site - under 'Pictures'.

There are some superb swings and some which owe a little to the stiffness of age, but as Champion Sutherland said in his winning speech -

'Today we all feel 24-25'