Inter Unit Championship 26

ARMY GOLF ASSOCIATION

WWW.ARMYGOLF.CO.UK

INTER UNIT CHAMPIOSHIP 10 - 11 JUN 26‌ CATTERICK GC

The Inter Unit once again returned to

The players were all in agreement that the

Catterick and it was heartening to see an

course was in fabulous condition but, as with

increased field of 21 teams, three more than

any good golf course, bad shots were

last year, continuing the steady growth seen

punished and, to quote several of the players,

over recent years. Although there were

the second cut was "brutal". The recent

several teams from the North of England, it

rainfall had certainly helped with the greens'

was pleasing to see others from both the

receptiveness, and they were holding really

South East and South West, proving that this

well. Good putts dropped, but you had to

event remains popular enough for them to

have the line.

take on the M1 and its endless roadworks.

A very commendable 37pts from Sgt Ben When we arrived to set up, the rain was just

Robinson, 3 RHA, led the field after the

starting. Within 10 minutes it was bouncing

morning round, closely followed by WO2

off the clubhouse patio and the prospect of

Netra Rai, 3 PWRR (A), with 36pts. The top five

flooded greens was a definite possibility.

was completed with scores of 35pts from

Twenty minutes later, the clouds cleared, the

Sgt Raju Tamang, 3 PWRR (A), WO1 Nathan

sun came out, and so it remained for the rest

Mays, LD, and Sgt Sujan Gurung, 9 Regt RLC.

of the afternoon: jacket on, jacket off!

In

the

team

competition,

the

current

This event saw all teams participate in

champions, 3 PWRR (A), posted a total score

a 36-hole Stableford qualifier played off 95%

of 105pts, with all three players scoring 34pts

course

teams

or better. 2 ITB were lying second on 96pts

Matchplay

and The Light Dragoons were third on 95pts.

handicap.

progressed

into

The

top

the

Main

four

Championship to compete for the Balfour Trophy, while the next four progressed into

As it stood after 18 holes, the top eight were:

the Plate Competition to compete for the India Cup. The remaining teams played

3 PWRR (A)

105pts

a 27-hole team Stableford event for the UDR

2 ITB

96pts

Trophy.

The Light Dragoons

95pts

3 RHA

93pts

With every finger and toe crossed that the

9 Regt RLC

90pts

rain would hold off, we started day one.

3 PWRR (B)

87pts

156 Regt RLC

87pts

11 EOD&S Regt RLC

85pts

Everyone enjoyed a good lunch and those crossed fingers and toes were doing us proud as the clouds continued to roll by without dropping any rain. The wind was getting up, though, and this, coupled with a bit of SSgt Bhumiraj Rai, 54 FS Bn REME (A) Photo by Cpl Chris O’Connor

tiredness, ensured that very few of the players in the top 10 from round one bettered

their score. Some notable individual efforts from round two came from Cpl Jhanak Dhungana, Gurkha Band, with 35pts, and WO2 Netra Rai, 3 PWRR (A), and Sgt Binayak Limbu, Gurkha Band, both with 34pts.

The best aggregate individual scores from day one were: WO2 Netra Rai, 3 PWRR (A) - 70pts Maj Jogendrasing Limbu, 3 PWRR (A) - 67pts Sgt Raju Tamang, 3 PWRR (A) - 67pts At this point, much of the clubhouse was wondering, "Can anyone stop 3 PWRR (A) from winning the Championship for the third consecutive year?"

Cpl William Morris, 17 P&M Regt RLC Photo by Cpl Chris O’Connor

Team scores from the qualifying competition: It should be noted at this point that 2 FS Bn Team

Points

REME achieved their score with only two

3 PWRR (A)

204

players and are to be commended on

Gurkha Band

182

continuing even though it was highly unlikely

2 ITB

178

that they could compete for the trophies.

3 PWRR (B)

175

9 Regt RLC

172

The draw for the semi-finals in the two

1 CS Bn REME

171

Matchplay competitions was as follows:

156 Regt RLC

171

3 RHA

170

Main Championship

The Light Dragoons

169

3 PWRR (A) vs 3 PWRR (B)

RMAS

162

Gurkha Band vs 2 ITB

17 P&M Regt RLC

161

32 Regt RA

154

Plate Competition

11 EOD&S Regt RLC

147

9 Regt RLC vs 3 RHA

32 Engr Regt

144

1 CS Bn REME vs 156 Regt RLC

Royal Lancers

144

2 Med Regt

142

This meant that the first Main Championship

5 FS Bn REME (A)

142

semi-final was a repeat of last year's final:

5 FS Bn REME (B)

135

3 PWRR (A) versus 3 PWRR (B). The A Team

4 Regt RA

133

took the honours last year, but will there be

2 SCOTS

113

an upset this time? One thing is for sure, the

2 FS Bn REME

109

B Team will be going all out to win.

Unfortunately, day two did not start as day

Team

Points

one finished, weather-wise. The first couple

5 FS Bn REME (A)

79

of groups in the Stableford probably got off

17 P&M Regt RLC

78

the tee dry but the waterproofs were soon

Royal Lancers

76

out all over the course as slowly but surely the

RMAS

73

rain got heavier and heavier. The green staff

32 Regt RA

70

were trying their best to clear the greens of

32 Engr Regt

69

standing water but once a family of ducks

11 EOD&S Regt RLC

65

2 Med Regt

64

lunch, it was clear that a decision had to be

The Light Dragoons

61

made on the afternoon’s play.

2 SCOTS

59

5 FS Bn REME (B)

55

Before we get to that, some results from the

2 FS Bn REME

54

morning’s play. On paper the Plate was

4 Regt RA

53

positioned themselves on the 18

th

just before

always going to be extremely tight and so it proved with every match coming to at least th

Huge congratulations to 5 FS Bn REME (A)

the 17 . In the end, 9 Regt RLC beat 3 RHA

who dug in deep after day one where they

3-0 and 156 Regt RLC triumphed over

finished 17th. A superb turnaround and very

1 CS Bn REME 2½ - ½. An all RLC final then.

worthy winners.

In the Stableford we still had 17 teams

Back to the Matchplay element and both

battling for the UDR Trophy. Unfortunately,

finals were now set, 9 Regt RLC would face

we had to take the decision to cancel the

156 Regt RLC in the Plate and play for the

final round (9 holes). The course was steadily

India Cup. The Balfour Trophy, and the title of

becoming unplayable and despite their best

2026

efforts, the greens staff couldn’t keep up with

competed for by 3 PWRR (A) and 2 ITB. Could

the deluge of rain now falling on the course.

the local team put their home course

It is prudent to point out that regardless of

knowledge to good use and deprive 3 PWRR

the weather, there were still some good

(A) of their much-coveted third successive

scores out there, not least Cpl Will Morris,

win? Or would the team from Kent complete

17 P&M Regt RLC, who carded 32pts, and

the treble and go down in AGA history as

SSgt Bhumiraj Rai, 5 FS Bn REME (A), and

being only the third team to win three

Capt Carl Wray, 32 Regt RA, both managed

consecutive Championships. A feat achieved

31pts. It should also be noted that Capt Lee

only by The Black Watch, 1911-1913 and ITC

Fuller, 3 PWRR (A), played in the Stableford as

Catterick

a reserve for his unit. Although his score did

commence.

Inter

Unit

(A),

Champions

2016-2018.

Let

would

the

be

battle

not count towards the team competition, he recorded a very creditable 35pts, which in

Despite the awful weather, we managed to

those conditions was remarkable.

get both the Plate and the Main finals off a little early with the plan to keep the greens

We took the result for the Stableford over 18

staff just ahead of them. While the rain didn’t

holes and the results were as follows:

let up at all, we did play to a conclusion.

and Sgt Raju Tamang, 3 PWRR (A), beat Capt Suman Ale Magar, 2 ITB. This puts 3 PWRR (A) on course for four in a row in 2027, a feat no other team has achieved since records began.

Huge congratulations to all the players who fought hard over the two days for their units in very testing conditions. The AGA remains committed

to

growing

this

event

and

welcomes entries from all units able to field a team of three, playing off handicap, male, female, or mixed.

As always, we extend our sincere thanks to our

sponsors,

whose

generosity

and

continued support help make events such as this possible year after year. To Pozitive Energy, Holt’s, ABLO Consulting, Leonardo, SSgt Daniel Sansom, 3 RHA

Censys, Heckler & Koch (clothing sponsor)

Photo by Cpl Chris O’Connor

and Army Sport (grant support) – thank you!

As expected, the Plate went down to the wire with Sgt Sujan Gurung of 9 Regt RLC and

Finally, our deepest gratitude to Catterick

WO2 Rob Delamar MBE of 156 Regt RLC

Golf Club, its members and committee, for

having to go out for the playoff. Nothing

allowing us to take over the course for the

could separate them on the first playoff hole,

two days. The course was in immaculate

the 17th, but when it came to the 18th, Delamar

condition, and we were superbly looked after

sank his putt for a par, but Gurung had long

by Club Secretary Shireen Rudge, James

shot for birdie. It didn’t leave the hole and so

Wallace and his pro shop staff, and, last but

the spoils went to 9 Regt RLC.

not least, the catering and bar team, who once again went above and beyond to ensure

In the Main final, 3 PWRR (A) went up in their

everything

ran

first and third matches very early, coming

Michael and Olha.

smoothly,

notably

round the turn six and five up respectively, only the middle match looked close. As the rain got heavier and the ground got wetter, the “home” team began to pull back and in the end it was much closer than anyone would

have

expected

at

halfway.

Maj Jogendra Limbu, 3 PWRR (A), beat Cpl Tek Rai, 2 ITB. Cpl Bar Bahadur Budha Magar, 2 ITB, beat WO2 Netra Rai 3 PWRR (A),

Capt Thomas Roche, 2 Med Regt Photo by Cpl Chris O’Connor

Sarah,

Inter Unit Champions 2026 3 PWRR (A) - Sgt R Tamang, WO2 N Rai, Maj J Limbu

Plate Winners 9 Regt RLC - Sgt S Gurung, Sgt S Rai, Cpl S Pun

Stableford Winners 5 FS Bn REME (A) - SSgt B Rai, Lt H Thompson, Sgt D O’Shea

RESULTS Champions

3 PWRR (A) Maj Jogendra Limbu, Capt Lee Fuller, WO2 Netra Rai, Sgt Raju Tamang

Runners-Up

2 ITB Capt Suman Ale Magar, Cpl Bar Bahadur Budha Magar, Cpl Tek Rai

Plate Winners

9 Regt RLC Sgt Santosh Rai, Sgt Sujan Gurung, Cpl Saroj Pun

Plate Runners-Up

156 Regt RLC Capt Robert Barr, WO1 Paul Black, WO2 Rob Delamar MBE

Stableford Winners

5 FS Bn REME (A) Lt Hadley Thompson, SSgt Bhumiraj Rai, Sgt Declan O’Shea

Stableford Runners-Up

17 P&M Regt RLC Sgt Hugh McGarvey, Cpl Jonathan Seal, Cpl Will Morris