New faces and new trophy winners are guaranteed in this year’s club competitions, as newcomers join and a reigning champion steps down.

Elsie Wilding, who regained her Ladies Championship title last summer and won the Veterans’ competition for the third year in a row, has chosen not to defend either of her singles titles and will instead focus on the pairs this year after her long-standing arm and shoulder injuries worsened.

New joiners Graham and Judy Aldis and Paul Palmer are competing in a number of competitions, as is relative newcomer Clive Thomas.

The draw was made in the clubhouse on April 25 by Jill Saunders and competitions secretary Maurice Benson, overseen by Basil Larkins, before an audience of more than 20 club members.

Here are some highlights.

Ladies’ Championship
There’s a small - but strong - field, with only seven candidates for the title vacated by Elsie, who has appeared in three of the past four finals.

With only three victories required to take the trophy, any of the seven competitors could triumph.

Pick of the first-round matches are probably former champion - and last year’s runner-up - Nicola Coles against Linda Huntley, and another ex-champion, Anne Bosman, against Marge Breading.

Jill Hatfield’s bye means she will be in the semi-finals without having played a match.

Men’s Championship
Double former champion Basil Larkins will need to do it the hard way if he is to win back the trophy currently held by Andrew Croft after being drawn in one of two preliminary contests ahead of the first round.

Basil plays Neville Dalton for the right to face Mark Howell.

Clive Thomas plays Stephen Banks in the other preliminary match.

In the battle of the Tonys, Ashby plays Jarvis, while Graham Brown – twice runner-up – faces John Box, and Andrew’s quest for a third successive title begins against Mike Wakeling.

Drawn Pairs
There are some powerful pairings in the drawn competition, with Basil - part of last year’s triumphant duo - playing alongside Gwen Croft and receiving a first-round bye.

Neville and Mark Gooch face Linda and Clive Thomas; Bill Mann and Andrew play Rowland Morris and Stephen Banks - runner-up last year with Nicola Coles, who, with new partner Maurice Benson, also has a first-round bye.

Mixed Pairs
There’s a tasty first-round clash between reigning champions Tony Jarvis and Marge Breading and Linda and Peter Huntley.

Another husband-and-wife pairing, Andrew and Gwen Croft, have a bye to the second round, where they will face the winners of the match between Bob Sutton and Elsie and John Box and Wendy Alexander.

Anne Bosman, who has reached the final in each of the past three years, also has a bye with new partner Stephen Banks and will face the winners of the match between Graham and Judy Aldis and Graham Brown and Jennie Evans.

John Martin Shield
The one trophy guaranteed to provide a new winner each year has thrown up some intriguing clashes, with John Box against last year’s runner-up, Peter Huntley, possibly the pick of the first round.

Neville, twice runner-up, faces Clive Thomas.

Handicap
Marge plays Bill Mann in a repeat of last season’s final (Bill has a six-shot advantage); twice winner Anne Bosman faces Neville – a previous runner-up – with Anne conceding a single handicap point to her opponent.

Other former champions face daunting tasks because of the handicap system: Basil (2) faces Mark Gooch (10); Nicola Coles concedes 10 points to Jennie Evans, and Rowland Morris has a six-shot start over past winner Graham Brown.

Veterans’ two-woods Singles
With triple champion Elsie not defending her title, it could be time for a new winner.

Marge, who was runner-up last year, has a first-round bye; the previous season’s beaten finalist, Graham Brown, plays Neville (I know he doesn’t look old enough, but it’s his veterans’ debut); Dorothy Glasby, another previous finalist, faces Clive Thomas, and former winner Tony Ashby faces Gwen Croft.

The full draw for each competition is posted in the clubhouse and is on the website under the heading Club Matches 2025.