CONSISTENCY was the key for Shaun Holmes after he triumphed in Colchester Golf Club’s Essex County Standard Silver competition.

Holmes (11) won the ever-popular boarded competition with a very competitive nett 68, a shot ahead of five players who all recorded nett 69s.

Apart from a double bogey on the third, Holmes recorded ten pars to win, with the dreaded 18th foiling practically all five players involved in the countback.

Keith Newnham (6) claimed runners-up spot, after his dropped shot on the last ended a run of six pars.

Third-placed Richard Withnall (4) had two birdies and was the only player to par the last.

Alan Hyde dropped five shots on the back nine including one on the last, where Phillip French (11) had a triple following a potentially winning round.

Stuart Watson (8) had just one over par on the front nine and a steady back nine but finished with a double bogey.

The Essex County Standard Silver was originally presented to mark Colchester GC’s 75th anniversary by the then board of Essex County Newspapers, in the 1980s.

Alison Claire (25) claimed Colchester GC’s ladies’ title in the long-standing Morton Trophy, played in the bogey format.

She won with a score of plus three with Pat Kettle her closest rival after returning a plus one score from her 18 handicap.

Cassie Cunningham, playing off five, scored minus one to secure third with the lowest gross round of the day.

Marilyn Free (28) was fourth on countback from Shelley Persent (19), Nerys Horrocks (22) and Sally Ann Angel (17), after the quartet all finished on minus two.

Colchester GC’s bronze team won their final league game, beating The Essex 6-1.

Ladies’ captain Fiona Prentice took her match to the 18th, before losing to Wendy Hanford.

But team captain Shelley Persent defeated Janella Hendry 8&7 and Heather Dennis beat Brenda Reeve, 7&5.

Jane Lochore saw off Rita Clements on 6&4 and Cherie Clark beat The Essex team captain, Jane Kirk 4&3.

Nerys Horrocks and Jane Madge returned 5&3 and 6&4 wins over Margaret Attwood and Angela Robinson.

It is unlikely that Colchester will qualify for the quarter-finals, despite their win. But they had a great squad boasting a good team spirit, backed by good support from their caddies.