2026

Match Manager Mark Lewis

The 2026 Denham Bowl will go down as a particularly special one for The Erratics, as we secured victory in the 40th Anniversary edition of this prestigious event.

The team of Dan Pickering, Richard Evans, Hoops and myself have now competed together at the Denham Bowl on three occasions, and that experience certainly proved valuable this year. The event, now in its 40th year in its current format, is one of the toughest days of golf on the calendar – 36 holes of Scratch Medal Foursomes around Denham. Anyone who has played there will know just how demanding the course can be, particularly when it comes to the greens, and this year they were arguably quicker and more treacherous than ever.

We were drawn alongside Western Gailes for the day, who fielded a very strong team themselves. It was a tough start for Richie and Dan, who returned an 81. Around a testing Denham course, it is very easy to see a score get away from you. Hoops and I managed a 75, although there were certainly a few opportunities missed coming down the stretch. It wasn't quite the start we had hoped for, particularly after coming so close to winning last year. We found ourselves around 8th position at the halfway stage, with strong teams including Western Gailes, Leatherjackets, Little Aston and The Moles ahead of us.

With the morning round behind us, there was only one thing left to do – make the most of the excellent lunch at Denham! With the pressure slightly eased, we headed out for the afternoon round with nothing to lose. Both teams started steadily and, at the turn, we were both sitting at +1. A conversation at the halfway house suddenly changed the mood. We realised that, despite the morning setback, we might actually be in with a chance.

Richie and Dan produced a fantastic 72, bringing their overall total to 153. Hoops and I went one better with a superb 71, giving us an overall total of 146. That gave The Erratics a combined score of 299 – our lowest ever total at the Denham Bowl and, crucially, the first time an Erratics team had broken the 300 mark. Historically, a score around that figure is usually more than enough to put you right in contention for the title.

Being one of the first teams out meant we then had the unenviable task of sitting back and watching the rest of the field come in. The Erratics remained at the top of the leaderboard, but there were several teams capable of catching us. The Leatherjackets, The Moles and Little Aston appeared to be the biggest threats, while Western Gailes struggled slightly in the afternoon to finish on 304. Every incoming score brought a little more tension. Eventually, as the final groups came in, the news we had been waiting for arrived – The Erratics had won the Denham Bowl!

The Leatherjackets and Little Aston both finished on 300, just one shot behind us. To win the Denham Bowl is a fantastic achievement, but to do it in the 40th Anniversary edition makes it even more special. The afternoon round was exceptional, with our combined 143 representing one of the lowest afternoon totals of the day and a huge achievement around such a demanding golf course.

A massive well done to Hoops, Richie and Dan for battling through when things weren't going our way in the morning and then producing the golf when it mattered. After last year's near miss, to finally get our hands on the Bowl is a fantastic result.