London Sports Desk golfers remember Graham Griffiths

Seven London sports deskers past and present contested the annual GG golf trophy commemorating Graham Griffiths, cricket supremo and a sports desk stalwart until his death in 2003.

Perversely, the winner is the player with the worst number of Stableford points and gives a rare reward to those not used to picking up golf trophies.

Organiser Dave Thompson, who retired in 2007, explained: “Graham enjoyed his golf but would readily admit he was a bit of a hacker and the tournament format is meant to reflect that.”

Thompson, a previous serial winner, yielded the trophy in 2009 to chief-sub Ken Ferris who comfortably retained his title this time round at the Poult Wood course near Tonbridge,  Kent in September. The score could have been better as Ferris threatened to birdie the par-four 16th, just missing out. Despite respectable finishes on the tricky 17th and 18th, his first-nine performance had effectively ensured the trophy was his.

At the other end of the scale, deputy sports editor Jon Bramley shot a 78 for a highly impressive 41 points. Lawrie Morrison, pipped by one point, and fellow ex-chief sub Ian Keresey produced much respectable stuff along with Adrian Warner, now with the BBC, and TV's Mike Brock.

"It wasn't exactly the Ryder Cup but at least we had better weather than they had in Wales,” Thompson said. “It was shirt-sleeve stuff for us and a beautiful day on which to remember an old friend and colleague."

PHOTO (L-R): Adrian Warner, Ken Ferris, Mike Brock, Jon Bramley, Ian Keresey, Lawrie Morrison. ■