The Sussex County Union has enjoyed an outstanding year. Not since it was founded in 1899 has there been such success.

Under the leadership of county captain Kerry Scott, Sussex achieved a unique double by winning both the colts and senior SE Counties (South) titles.

The first team was made up mainly of young players and some had earlier helped the under-21s achieve their target.

It was a memorable occasion for Kerry Scott to end his term of office.

His successor, John Newsome, was doubly proud that his son Ben was a member of both teams and created something of a sensation by winning the Sussex Open against professional opposition.

Sussex splashed out when it came to financing county golf from both ends of the age spectrum.

The teenage prospects go to La Manga each new year for specialised coaching and it is no wonder that there are players coming through at England level like Darren Renwick who, with Ben Evans, have also benefited from the Nick Faldo Series.

In February, Scott Nightingale won the Emirates Amateur Championship in Dubai to start the new year on a high note.

Seven months later his Worthing partner and friend Joe Doherty topped Sussex's order of merit - a welcome return to serious golf after a break of six years.

As for the other outstanding happenings in 2007, here are some that made headlines in Sussex golf.

January: Hollingbury Park members learned that the club and course was not being put out to franchise by Brighton Council. After much speculation it was decided to keep the running of the club in-house.

Worthing's juniors won the Home Nations Championship in La Manga, underlying the strength of the club and auguring well for the future.

April: Megan Bibby, West Hove's general manager, is voted Secretary of the Year in a national poll.

Aileen Greenfield, of Pyecombe, won the Sussex Ladies' Championship for a second time.

May: Doug Arnold, part of the furniture at Copthorne, won the Sussex Seniors title for a sixth time.

The Sussex Colts Championship is won in convincing style by West Hove's Tom Coulson.

June: Nick Champness, of Royal Ashdown Forest, won the World One Arm Champion for a fifth time.

At Crowborough, Todd Adcock came good to win the Sussex Amateur Championship to bring more kudos to The Nevill.

July: Peacehaven, confronted with heavy debts, is bought by a four-man partnership of local businessmen.

There is sadness with the untimely death of Glenda Ricketts, popular captain of Sussex Ladies.

August: Dan Milligan, 15, wins the Sussex Boys' championship in a thrilling sudden death play-off at East Sussex National. The West Hove prospect flung caution to the winds to lift the under-18s crown.

Jamie Harris, playing with a cracked rib, won the Sussex Professional Championship at West Hove for the second time in as many years. He followed- up with a third successive victory in the Riseborough Memorial at Bognor.

September: Willingdon won the Davies and Tate Trophy for the first time in 23 years. It was the third time Willingdon lifted the Sussex Inter-Club Matchplay title after beating Crowborough Beacon at The Nevill. Sussex rose to the occasion, beating Dorset at Broadstone to win the SE Counties League (South) group.

Ben Newsome, 20, won the Sussex Open at Cottesmore on the second hole of a sudden death play-off against seasoned Seaford professional David Mills.

Jamie Harris gives up his job as an assistant at The Nevill to become full pro at Kent and Surrey club, Edenbridge.

Fellow Sussex professionals breathe a sigh of relief.

October: Sussex Colts are confirmed as group winners after beating Essex, the north section leaders, and the first team clinched the double winning over Hertfordshire at Sonning.

Chris Cotton (Sedlescombe), who has only been playing two years, won the Sussex under-15s championship at Seaford.

November: Martin Galway, three times Sussex champion, won a place on the European Seniors Tour. A member at Brighton and Hove, Galway finished 14th in the final qualifying school in Portugal springing a major surprise among professional opposition.

December: Davies & Tate end their support of the Sussex Inter-Club Matchplay Championship after an association going back to the early 1990s. No new sponsor has yet been announced.

The Worthing pairing of professional Steve Rolley and amateur Adam Henty were joint runners-up in the PGA National pro-am in Turkey.

They carded a final round best of the day 63.