Top Club Challenge

Good to see you John! And congratulations to the men's team that beat the ladies team in the 2025 Top Club Challenge.

The victorious men's team with (in centre) guest John Morris holding the challenge vase and team manager Andy Browning,

Gildredge members welcomed John Morris back to the club for a day as the annual challenge match between the ladies' and men's Top Club teams took place on Sunday 20th September. When John was a member of Gildredge he had kindly donated a beautiful glass vase for the first ever Top Club Challenge back in 2021. John played regularly in the Gildredge challenge match until he moved away last year to Uckfield.

What is the Top Club Challenge?

Our Gildredge Top Club Challenge is just a friendly internal match at the end of the season between the men's and women's Top Club teams. Just a friendly match between teams of 11 players and a small crowd of enthusiastic supporters. Bragging rights are never mentioned!

Top Club is a National and County team competition where clubs enter a squad of players to compete in a knock-out format over the summer to crown the champion club in Sussex and the champion club in the whole of England. The matches are fiercely competitive. Gildredge usually get through a few rounds but the competition is strong. Our club's best result was in 2021 when the ladies' team became Sussex County Champions and finished in the top 32 nationally. You can see a photo of this team in the clubhouse on the wall where the sales table is positioned.

The 2025 Challenge Match

The match follows the National Top Club format, alternating each year between the men's rules (five formats) and the women's rules (four formats). The 2025 format was under the men's rules.

2 wood singles: Nigel Froud v Ellen Strevens.

4 wood singles: Craig McKernon v Carole Forge.

Pairs: Jo Doust/George Murray v Helen Cunningham/Lorraine Philips.

Triples: Chris Ford/Arthur Strevens/Ray Jeffs v Mary Bowley/Marilyn Doust/Jenny Townsend

Fours: Bob Hapgood/Kevin Mc Michael/Les Morgan/Jeff Barnes v

Marlene Gallagher/Di Mitchell/Val Chicken/Julia Fordham

The men's team won the four-bowl singles, the pairs, the triples and the fours leading to a 4 to 1 overall match victory. This extends the men's winning streak to five years.

The ladies Top Club Challenge team 2025. Disappointed to lose but still able to raise a cheer after the match.

John's speech

John Morris gave a speech at the end of the match. John is deaf and his speech was read out by club chair Jo Doust.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am honoured to be asked to come and present a trophy for the Top Club annual event. I am playing for Uckfield and I have had a good season. Five semi-finals and one final in my club's competitions. Our league position improved from bottom last year to 4th out of 12 clubs this year. The Uckfield green is ripped out to have new grass as it was patched and ruined by weather. It is now repaired by a firm from the Isle of Wight. Hopefully the Uckfield green will be good for next year. Now for the trophy - I hereby present the trophy to the MENS TEAM. Congratulations to the winning team.

John Morris holding one of the many trophies he has won so far during his illustrious career

I love bowling as I have been for 38 years and it kept me fit but my knee is going to be a problem"

John's speech drew a big round of applause and hand waving. The two teams then sat down to a delicious buffet lunch provided by George and Ellen.

What will happen in 2026?

Good luck to both the men's and ladies' squads in the County and National competitions next year, Let's see how far they go. And what will be the result of the Gildredge Challenge match in September 2026? Past form suggests the men will retain the trophy. Or will it all change in 2026?