The finalists will have played matches home and away, with par scoring (or better) needed to win through. When it comes to a final, the pressure of being consistent over 36 holes, plus being aware of the many spectators who come to watch, can combine to make players unable to produce their best golf, or to play more inconsistently.

But mistakes do not mean any lack of drama and as a match, the 2001 Bainbridge had periods of excellent golf plus a final 9 holes which was as dramatic (if not more so) than many in the Trophies history. It was 36 years since Harborne had last won the Shield and Purley Chase is barely 10 years old as a club so each team had an opportunity to make their own mark on the competition.

1 up at lunch, Purley Chase were pulled back to all square at the 20th but over the next 6 they won 5 holes to stand on the 9th tee 5 up with 10 to play. A bogey at 9 for the men in black from near Nuneaton followed by a birdie at the 10th for Harborne and Purley Chase were 3 up with 8 to play. They had the better tee shot at both the 11th and 12th holes, strong par 4 s requiring excellent approach golf.

Both teams had hit poor chips or drives during the morning round. On the 12th, Harborne got up and down from a bunker for half, then hit a perfect chip at the 13th. The Purley Chase bunker shot from greenside at the 13th was excellent as well but from 8ft, Purley faced the first of a succession of left to right putts to keep their lead. On 12 they missed on the professional side of the hole to go back to 2 up.

Harborne were in the trees on the 13th and in the gorse on the 14th, both times escaping with halves as Purley could not make par from better positions. At the Par 3 15th, Harborne hit the better tee shot and they had a three footer for a win to be 1 down with 3 to play. Left to right, their putt lipped out on the high side.

So to the 16th. Harborne had the better tee shot and found the green. Purley chipped well but missed again from 8ft to loose another hole. They still had a 1 up lead and after the tee shots at the par 3 17th, Harborne must have felt their chance was gone. From a bare lie with a bunker to play over, the Harborne chip was excellent. Gary Taylor from Purley was faced with a 20 footer for the win. His putt was good but without local knowledge of the greens, he did not see the break which kept the ball outright - one up with one to play, would Purley be able to hang on?

Harborne hit first with an iron. They just missed the fairway to the right. Now it was Purley s turn and the result could not have been worse, the ball disappearing deep into the trees on the right, as did their provisional. The first ball was only found with seconds to spare. They took a drop and chipped out to be lying three with still 200 yards or more to the flag. From further back, Nick Clifford hit a great second but it was two clubs short - they still were almost certain to take the match into extra holes.

The Purley fourth shot was well struck and with more club but was 23 yards from the flag on the green in four. Keith Turton from Harborne had played three fantastic chip shots in the past few holes and this one was almost as good, stopping 8ft from the flag - advantage Harborne. He would not have expected what was to happen next, even if he had heard Dave Shorthose tell his partner that he would hole the 70 foot putt as they walked up to the green. He spent a few moments looking over the line then hit what was a perfect putt, for speed and line, dropping right in the middle of the hole and leaving Clifford another hole out to keep the match going. His putt was good but it died left at the hole and Purley Chase were the winners, sheer determination taking them through after so many chances that had just gone by.

Taylor and Shorthose had played in the previous year s Bainbridge, going out in the first round. This year, they had played each match without having to rescue themselves from being behind, winning the Nuneaton Derby against Nuneaton Golf Club (away) by 3&1 and holding out against Stratford in a very close semi final. Talking to them afterwards, they put their success down to playing solid par golf throughout and being as strong a team as they felt they could be. Harborne played the final in great spirit, with Peter Clifford, one of the last Harborne winning team in 1964, watching his son Nick trying to match his win of years gone by. Both teams were especially praiseworthy of the Sutton Coldfield course and received their medals (plus the Shield for Purley Chase) from the President of the Warwickshire Union, Mr Jim Sinclair.