STEARN TROPHY
2024 Draw & Information
Handicap Index Limits – 8.6 to 19.0
2023 Stearn Trophy Winner
Halesworth
Congratulations to Halesworth who were the winners of the Stearn trophy at Felixstowe today.
The Stearn Trophy has progressed smoothly since June, with few problems.
The semi finals were between Royal Worlington and Southwold at Bury St Edmunds, and Halesworth versus Aldeburgh at Rookery Park.
Many thanks to Rookery Park and Bury St Edmunds for hosting the semis.
Halesworth and Stowmarket then progressed to the Stearn final at Felixstowe Ferry on Sunday Oct 1st. together with the Haskell final.
Halesworth won the morning match, and were three up at lunchtime. Stowmarket fought valiantly in the afternoon, but Halesworth were eventually victorious. Congratulations to Halesworth, who had never won the Stearn.
The match was played in great sporting spirit, on a lovely autumn day.
Many thanks to everyone at Felixstowe GC for their kindness and hospitality. Most importantly the course provided a great golfing challenge.
SLCGA would also like to thank Nicki McMahon for her expertise as England Golf referee for the Stearn and Haskell trophies.
Bud.
Stearn organiser.
General Information
A Match Play Foursomes competition played off ½ the difference of combined handicaps. A team shall consist of a squad of eight players, each player having a handicap index within the range of 8.6 – 19.0 inclusive.
All games shall be decided over 3 x 18 holes am and 3 x 18 holes pm (6 points).
Up to two substitutes may be introduced for the afternoon matches from the squad of eight, which may be a complete pair, provided they have been named on the Match Result Sheet before the morning round commences.
All matches in the rounds up to, and including the Semi-Final, will be played at neutral venues. The neutral venue for each match will be determined to reduce travelling times where possible – venues will be shown in red. The Final will be played at a neutral venue, as arranged by the Organiser.
Trophy History
The Stearn Trophy was presented to the County by Mrs Hilda Stearn, a senior member of Stowmarket Golf Club and President of the County in the mid-eighties. She was a good-natured, enthusiastic and very supportive President who loved the game of golf and was keen to leave the County a legacy of her Presidency. To satisfy her wish, the new Competition was introduced.
It was decided that the format would follow that of the Haskell Trophy, but with a larger team and for a different handicap range that would give the good ‘Club’ golfers somethingn to play for within the County. At the time, the Governing Body was aware that the Clubs might be reluctant to use another day in their calendar to host a further inter-club competition, so it was decided that the Stearn Trophy should play behind the Haskell Trophy on the first Monday of the month. There was some considerable use of ‘the little grey cells’ to work out a system whereby the Stearn team should follow their Haskell team for as long as both remained in their separate competitions and what would happen when that arrangement broke down. However, worked out it was and the arrangement panned out pretty well over the next 25 years or so, until the arrangements for the Haskell were altered which gave the Stearn autonomy.
Hilda Stearn’s Stowmarket club fittingly won the first playing of the Stearn Trophy and has gone on to the most prolific winner of this competition with seven subsequent victories to date. She would have been delighted.
In 2002 her daughter, Hilary Haydon, replaced the original trophy with a beautiful silver bowl.
Julie Latimer-Jones
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