2023 Season

The End of an Era

The 2023 season marked the end of an era for Le Tournoi, bringing to a close the Society's long-standing two-division League Championship before a significant restructuring of the competition in 2024.

On the course, Martin Morgan claimed the Division One League Championship, finishing narrowly ahead of runner-up John Crittenden. In Division Two, Gary Slater secured the title, with Mark Carr taking second place. Both champions would go down in the Society's history as the final winners of their respective divisions.

In the Order of Merit, Robert Burbidge emerged victorious with 24 points, ahead of Kevin Vickery in second and Martin Morgan in third. The season featured just three completed Majors, with Kevin Vickery winning the Secretary's Society at Redlibbets, Tony Pass claiming the Treasurer's Society at Farleigh, and Martin Morgan taking the Captain's Society at East Sussex National.

A Challenging Season

The 2023 calendar was once again disrupted by a combination of poor weather and difficulties attracting sufficient players.

January's event was cancelled because of waterlogged conditions, while the planned August Major could not take place due to insufficient numbers. That Major was subsequently played in September. November brought further disappointment when East Sussex National withdrew from hosting the intended final Major just a day before the event, leaving the Society with only three completed Majors for the year.

The Christmas Society event at Chelsfield was also cancelled because of snow.

Despite these setbacks, eight competitive events were successfully completed, with all results contributing towards the League Championships and the three Majors determining the Order of Merit.

The Final Year of Two Divisions

Perhaps the most significant legacy of 2023 was the decision to bring the Society's two-division League structure to an end.

For many years, Le Tournoi had attempted to maintain two competitive divisions with roughly equal numbers of players, providing everyone with a fair opportunity to compete for a League title. However, changing membership, inconsistent attendance and the number of players failing to qualify through sufficient appearances had made this increasingly difficult.

At the end of each season, the challenge of balancing the divisions became more complicated. Players could find themselves moving into Division One simply because others had stopped participating, rather than necessarily earning promotion through their League performances. Meanwhile, Division Two had increasingly become a home for occasional players and those unable to attend enough events to remain competitive.

The traditional promotion and relegation system was becoming less meaningful, and maintaining two balanced divisions was proving increasingly impractical.

As a result, the Society decided that 2023 would be the final season with separate divisions. There were no formal promotions or relegations at the end of the year, as all players would come together to compete in a single consolidated League Championship from 2024.

This change was accompanied by a wider review of the Society's competition format, including a revised League points system and a shorter season running from March through October. The aim was to encourage stronger attendance, reduce the impact of repeated winter cancellations and create a more sustainable and competitive future for Le Tournoi.

Looking Ahead

Although 2023 presented its challenges, it also delivered a memorable final chapter for the two-division era.

Martin Morgan and Gary Slater became the last Division One and Division Two champions, while Robert Burbidge added his name to the Society's Order of Merit Roll of Honour.

With the two-division format retired, Le Tournoi entered 2024 ready for a fresh start — one League, one championship, and a renewed focus on participation, competition and the future of the Society.