LUKE Hodgetts claimed his first major trophy in four years and admitted his love of Liphook’s famously quick greens had given him the edge as he became just the second-ever winner of the Maplesden Bowl.
The trophy was first claimed a year ago by Corhampton’s Jamie Markwick at the Hampshire Amateur Strokeplay Championship – formally known as the Courage Trophy – ironically at Luke’s home club Hockley
But this year it was Hodgetts, who held his nerve to lift the impressive glassware trophy, after it was presented by the late former Hampshire president’s widow Sue, at the club where Keith served for many years as the county secretary, having been a member there for some 30 years.
Luke, who beat North Hants GC’s county first-team player Sam De’ath on countback by virtue of a birdie four at the last, revealed his first win since his shock triumph winning the Selborne Salver against a national field at Blackmoor, in 2022, was proof that sometimes less is more.
Hodgetts, who has turned out in the South East League for Hampshire’s first team and Colts/Challenge League sides over the last four years, admitted a busy work schedule had limited his practice periods over the last few weeks.
The 31-year-old, who has lived in Chandler’s Ford until recently, said: “I am staying with my girlfriend while I am in the process of buying a house in Waterlooville. I’ve been really trying to focus on my work in the last fortnight.
“I played in the County Foursomes a couple of weeks ago with Stuart Archibald, who is normally my partner when I play for the first-team.
“But I did not pick up my clubs again until I played seven holes at Hockley on Friday, to prepare for the Maplesden Bowl.
“I struggled a bit to get the pace of the greens in the morning but after lunch I putted really well and my wedge play was really sharp. I put some new clubs in the bag last week, so having freshly cut grooves certainly helped.”
The other bonus was that having finished tied for seventh in the Pechell Salver – the 36-hole qualifier at the Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Channel Islands Amateur Championship, at Brokenhurst Manor, back in June – Hodgetts also claimed the Cole Scuttle for the best 72-hole score in the county’s leading strokeplay competitions.
Luke Hodgetts claimed the Solent Salver in 2023. Picture by ANDREW GRIFFIN / AMG PICTURES
Luke, who works as a self-employed videographer in the golf industry, is also the first Hockley player to land the Cole Scuttle in its 42-year history, with former England Amateur Champion Kevin Weeks, holding the record with six victories.
Hodgetts – who also claimed the Solent Salver for the bets scores in the Stoneham Trophy and Mike Smith Memorial back in 2023 – benefited from a nightmare hole for Stoneham’s Joe Buenfeld, as the reigning county champion took a nine at the par-five 11th to rack up a six-over par 77.
With Luke carding a one-under total at Liphook – and having finished one-over at Brokenhurst in the Pechell Trophy – he ended up six clear of Buenfeld in the Scuttle stakes, having lost to Joe in the quarter-final of the county championship that weekend too.
Luke, who also took the prize for the best handicap score, added: “When I won the Selborne Salver four years ago, that was the first time I didn’t deliberately look at the leaderboard at lunchtime, and I have not done it since.
“I am the sort of player who doesn’t make too many birdies, but then again, I don’t make too many mistakes either, so when the scoring conditions are tough, I tend to play better.”
Sunday’s second round bore that out more than the morning’s play as he started on the 10th and made two birdies and three bogeys on his front nine, before picking up shots at the short third, the par-five fifth and the ninth, with two bogeys at the second and the long seventh, where he took six.
After lunch, he made a mistake at the par-three first before making a fine two at the third, and sandwiched a birdie-three at the sixth with bogey sixes at the two par-fives to turn at one-over.
With playing partner De’ath still two shots ahead with nine to play, Hodgetts made a crucial three at the 13 – matched by the former US college player at the 14th – only for Sam to shoot himself in the foot with a double-bogey six at the next to open the door for the Hockley man.
Luke had to hit three-wood on the last off the tee as the hole suits a draw while he fades the ball, and then risked the same club as he went for the green in two.
He said: “I thought I would need to get to two-under to win and could not make eagle by laying up – I had 270 yards left and got the ball to run up on to the front edge, which left a 35-footer with a bit of break up the slope.
“I managed to leave myself a six-inch tap-in and it was a nice surprise to learn it was enough for the win, when Sam could only make five.
“I did not know Keith Maplesden (pictured right) personally – he’d retired by the time I joined the county set-up five years ago.
“But our county captain Toby Burden spoke really well at the presentation about all the hard work and the sacrifices he made for the county over three decades – and the legacy he has left for us all.
“To be the second winner of the trophy now bearing his name is a great feeling and honour. It’s always nice to make birdie at the last to win any event.”
•MAPLESDEN BOWL SCORES
Left to right: Luke Hodgetts receives the county strokeplay trophy from Sue Maplesden and Hampshire Golf Chairman Guy Merry. Picture by ANDREW GRIFFIN / AMG PICTURES