The Hawley Golf Society was started over 30 years ago by, it is believed, the Hawley Sports Centre secretary; however, although we still retained the name, any connection with Hawley Sports Centre ceased many years ago. Over the last 15 years of Tony Patterson's Captaincy, his records show that over 40 different 'members' have played with the Society but of course there were many more prior to 2010; so numbers were stong for many years with new members joining from other golf societies that had closed down (for example, Companions, where a number of today's members used to play). However, numbers have declined in recent years; for example, until five years ago we could depend on ten to twelve members at each event but since then, despite the committee's efforts to recruit, numbers continued to fall. In our last full year, 2023, we held six events; at Petersfield, Weybrook Park, The Drift, Tylney Park, Alresford & Test Valley, with an average of only six playing each event.
Having accepted that the Society was no longer viable it was decided that, sadly, it would have to be closed but that we should hold one final event and use up some of the funds that had accumulated in the Society's bank account, by subsidising the cost of the the final event dinner including gratuities (and even tablecloths
☺). The bank account will now be closed and any remaining amount will be given to the Captain's charity,
Children with Special Needs Foundation.
This final event was held at our favourite course, Alresford, on Monday the 21st July 2025. The 'main event' was lunch, an afternoon round and then dinner in the evening followed by prize giving; a few members also played a round in the morning. All the results can be viewed under the 'Alresford' tab. The committee also decided to extend an invitation to the dinner to any ex-members who no longer played golf but who we wanted to join us for this final celibratory dinner (Jim Lee, Chris Plested, John Guest & Tim Sanders); so there were 14 of us for a great final Society dinner. Lots of memories were exchanged and your Captain asked that we remember several ex-members, especially Alwyn Huggett & David James (both still with the Society but unable to make the day's events), Harry Greenway (90 later this year but almost house-bound), Terry Berridge, Bill Peach and Chris Rogers (who sadly passed away in 2018). Bill Peach, who played with the Society for many years but who now lives in Thailand, sent a message saying that he had fond memories of playing with the Society and that it had been a priveledge to have been a past Captain and Fixture Secretary - he sent his warm regards asking to be remembered and wishing everyone well for the future.
Happy golfing everyone.
