Andrew had challengers. Firstly fellow Coventry Member Peter Holt stood +1 after 14, then made a right royal mess of the two remaining par threes. He was very unlucky to find a push on the 15th stuck in the long grass, inches above the back of a bunker. The shot (when recollected at dinner) should have been to knock it into the bunker but playing for somewhere near the green, he took six. A push at the 17th and a tree in the way added up to a five.

John Coughlan, second biggest senior hitter at Walmley (behind John Madden) hit a seven wood from 190 to the par five 14th and made eagle there. He also drove the par four 1st but mixed this with four visits to the 'hay' - that all added up to a 78.

One shot better, and eventual runner-up, was Handsworth's Ted Mason.

'I'm bionic now', said Ted of his new hip, 'I've only been back playing for five weeks.'

'I drove well but took two doubles from bunkers', continued Mason, 'I'm having the rest of me done as soon as I can!'

In the Over 70s section, it was a wry smile from Past WUGC President Jim Sinclair that he had won this trophy the year before John Lawton had turned that age. John is a fine golfer, Warwickshire's Tom Weiskopf, but his 83 wasn't his best and he had a challenge.

Kenilworth's Albert McKay had practised two hours a day for a week, and set up taped putting guides on the carpet at home (before his wife hoovered them away). It all seemed to be paying off before a mistake when looking for a ball on the 17th meant disqualification and bar that error, Albert's score would have broken 80.

So what of the winner, your new Champion?

Rumour has it (although I played in the event) that probably Andrew's last strokeplay win was at a very new Forest of Arden in the Warwickshire Colts. That day the bracken was head high and the fairways concrete, and Andrew drove with an 8 iron (to score something like 143 when the rest of the field needed a calculator and on the front nine, malaria was a common after-effect).

Today Andrew used his three wood and the odd iron as much as his driver and still only hit five fairways. He did however use a technique very similar to Andrew's favorite golfer Tom Watson, to find 13 greens. Its simple, beautiful to watch and hardly prone to an error.

So having given up his work as Chairman of English selectors and watched his young family blossom, it was a special moment -

'I saw turning 55 as an opportunity - I didn't want to get to 60 and having not tried to play, find things difficult (to compete).'

Six weeks of practice later and having used the Irish and English Championships as 'warm up', Andrew took the one that really matters - and he may well take a few more!

Other trophy winners:

Runner-Up - Ted Mason (77)

Third - Thomas Coughlan (78)

Age group 55-59 - David Jones - Sutton Coldfield (78)

60-64 - Anton Holliday Robin Hood (78)

65-69 - Robert Waller - Ladbrook (85)

70+ - John Madden (Moor Hall) (83)

Best Nett - Peter Holt - Coventry

Pictures and results to follow