Having completed the hat-trick last year, we were keen to emulate John Thompson’s Tonbridge side that won The Darwin from 1980-83, the only time any school has won the event 4 years running.

We were fortunate in not only having the same side available, but also with Adrian Cooper having come of age, we had greater depth from which to choose. In the event Adrian generously offered to stand by as first reserve, rather than try to play himself into the side. The winning team of 2008 was reassembled with, once again our pairings being, in order, Tim Jenkins and Geoff Clay, Jonathan Hubbard and Tony Monteuuis, and Peter Saggers and Martin Yates.

Our first round opponents were Rugby, who put up a bit of a fight. Although Peter and Martin won 4/3 at the back, the top pairs were having tight games. However, having started at the 4th, Tim and Geoff finished splendidly with threes at the 17^th , 18^th , 1^st and 2^nd to seal the win. The second pair agreed a half, with the scores level with two to play.

Our afternoon opponents were Uppingham, who had surprisingly beaten Malvern. Once again Peter and Martin were always in control and again won 4/3.Tim and Geoff eventually prevailed at the 18th, leaving Jonathan and Tony, when leading, to agree a sporting half on the 18th green.

The following morning, after a dinner to celebrate the Darwin’s 50^th Anniversary, we faced Repton, who had beaten a strong Radley team the previous afternoon. This was a close match with Tim and Geoff winning 2/1, and Jonathan and Tony going out in 35 to be only 1 up against a good Sunningdale pair, Miles Elliott and John Bolsover. After a good contest we put paid to them by 3/2. Peter and Martin battled on to win at the 18^th in order to keep their 100% record (a luxury denied to the second pair – Hon. Sec!).

Into the final against Charterhouse, whose team had been considerably strengthened by the selection of Anthony Wreford and John Pearmund,. Our top pair were soon 3 down, and despite a good fight they never recovered, and went on to lose 3/2. Tony and Jonathan were repeating their form of the morning, and always had the edge in a close match. However, with Peter and Martin 3 down after 10, things were looking ominous. The second pair, having birdied 11 and13 to be one up, managed halves at 14 (from the practice ground), and 15 (from the ditch by the practice ground), with a bogey 6 and a 5! After Tony had chipped dead to win the 16th to go 2 up with two to play, the great news filtered through that Peter and Martin had been playing par golf in the back match and had turned the tables to be 1 up after 15. This so stunned Jonathan and Tony that they hit wayward drives at 17 and 18 to bring Charterhouse back to all square in what by now was the deciding match because Peter and Martin (with a huge drive down 17 from Peter) had triumphed 2/1.

So down the short par 4 19th, where Charterhouse had driven the green first time round. Fortunately the wind had changed and they came up 20 yds short, but still 30 yds ahead of us.

However Monty had found the fairway after their very good drive and Jonathan chipped him to 8 feet. Nick Moore then chipped stone dead. This left Monty with a testing 8 footer for a half in birdie 3 to keep our hopes alive and to his credit he put the ball into the middle of the cup.

To the 20^th hole : two poor tee shots had left Tonbridge in a poor lie behind a hedge and Charterhouse bunkered short of the green. The hole was eventually halved in four, after a good recovery from Tony and a putt stone dead from Jonathan matched a poor bunker shot from Charterhouse which was followed by an excellent putt over the ridge from Nick Moore. It was a fair result after a stressful hole.

Two straight drives down the 21st, left Tonbridge to play first. Jonathan's crisp (this means magnificent - Hon. Sec.) 5 iron ran round the contours of the sloping green to about 9 ft and the ensuing cheers plus the sight of Clay leaping about like a ten year old, left Nick Moore with too much to handle. His well-struck second went over the back which left his partner an impossible downhill chip which ran down to the front fringe from where they laid it dead – but we had two for it. Monty’s lag actually dropped in for a birdie at the last gasp but the important thing was that we had won.

So four consecutive wins it is, and a wonderful 100% performance from Peter and Martin.