A team from Maldon’s men’s section travelled to Clacton-on-Sea for the away leg of the Pisa Cup.

Maldon have competed in this biannual friendly inter-club match for many years.

Wet weather greeted the teams as they arrived for a pre-match breakfast but thankfully the rain abated and the match was played in unseasonably warm and dry conditions with only a light breeze.

This year the match was contested by teams of 20 players in ten betterball pairs per side.

After the ten matches had been completed the hosts had triumphed again, 6½-3½, retaining the Pisa Cup.

The return leg at Maldon is only seven weeks away and the hosts will be looking to turn the tables and wrestle the Pisa Cup back.

With no club trophy competition scheduled for the men’s section last weekend, teams of three or four competed in a Sunday swindle, with the best two scores on each hole combining to provide the team aggregate.

First place went to the team of Paul Nash, Jim Scott and Terry Marchi with a fine total of 86 points.

Second were Garth Milford, Martin Read and George Watson on 80, with Dave Poynton, John Meakes and Steve Lawrence third on 78. The prize for nearest the pin on the fifth/14th hole went to Ed Bishop, while Malcolm Burnett claimed the prize on the sixth/15th hole.

Sunday also saw the official presentation of the Ben Volta Winter league trophy and cash prizes.

The winning pair – father and son Pete and Elliot Hawkins – collected the trophy from club captain Jim Culleton after securing the winter league title by just one point on the very last qualifying Sunday.

Maldon Seniors hosted Burnham-on-Crouch seniors in another of their friendly matches.

Sixteen players per side competed in eight betterball matches.

It was a closely-fought contes with Burnham winning 5½-3½.

The return fixture is scheduled for September 1.