Accommodation and Facilities
Club Sports Activities
Annual Golf Day
The 2008 Golf Day will take place on Wednesday 25 June at Sonning Golf Club which proved to be such a successful venue last year.
Any Member who is not already on the Club golfers' list and wishes to play should contact Julia Hamlin by email admin@rafclub.org.uk or telephone 020 7399 1001.
Entry forms will be sent out in May but in the meantime please note the date in your diary.
Geoff Claridge
Bath Cup
On a glorious day in October, the RAF Club took part in the Bath Cup, an annual golfing tournament played at Woking Golf Club.
The course, still very wet from recent heavy rain, played long. Our team, comprising of Sir Roger Palin, N Walpole, T Evans and M Middlemist played well but were well beaten by two outstanding performances by the East India Club and the In and Out Club who were first and second with scores considerably better than their handicaps. Eighteen of London's most prestigious Clubs participated and our Club did well to finish in the mid-division.
Any member who wishes to be added to the golfing mailing list should contact Julia Hamlin at the Club, Tel 020 7399 1001 or email admin@rafclub.org.uk.
Squash Team
The RAF Club Squash Team competes in the Bath Cup - a league comprising some of the most reputable rackets clubs in London that has been running for over 70 years. The fortunes of the Club ebb and flow from season to season, depending on the movement of RAF players into and out of London. Last season, the Team was arguably the strongest in the league, finishing as it did with all of the other teams above it!
This season, however, we fared much better owing to the timely arrival of some established players. Wg Cdr Mike Brown is the current Captain of the Combined Services Squash Team and since joining the RAF Club Team in the Spring he has won all of his matches, dropping very few games and denting several egos in the process!
Mike Hallett is the current RAF Under-25 champion, and despite his recent posting to Stanwick, it was not before he had notched up some valuable points for the team in a series of hard fought matches at No 2. Playing a sterling rear-guard action were a motley crew of enthusiasts including Phil Tilstone who, after 17 consecutive years in the fold, is a living item of Club memorabilia who still manages to put in a good shift, both on the court and afterwards in the bar! Sqn Ldr Paul Sussex arrived in the second half of the season and his strategy of baffling the opposition into defeat through his unorthodox technique has paid huge dividends.
We also have our 'rabbit in the hat' in the form of our resident ringer Major Simon White, who has proven to be an essential stand-in when we've struggled for players Ð not to mention a very good squash player. The upshot is that the Team ended the season in mid table, which is extremely commendable when considering that we are pitching our squad of about 10 players against the might of London's top clubs.
That said, the Bath Cup isn't just about the squash, and there is no doubt whatsoever that the RAF Club tops the league where Club hospitality is concerned. The service provided by RAF Club staff from players' arrival at reception until their late eviction from the Bars or Restaurant ensures the Club remains a pivotal fixture not only for London Clubs, but also a significant number of nomadic teams and Old Boys outfits.
To that end, it seems fitting to end this account with a vote of thanks to all staff at the Club, but most notably to Cecilia - an ever-present welcoming smile at the bar; to the domestic staff for maintaining the playing and changing facilities; and to the kitchen and dining room staff whose standards of service are consistently top class, and whose tolerance when some of the matches run late (usually owing to the opposition's tardy time-keeping) is hugely appreciated by the players.
Wg Cdr Mike Brown MBE, Captain RAF Club Squash Team
Article from Spring 2008 Newsletter