A funny thing happened on the way to Chris Pett's installation as Brighton and Hove captain. By tradition, he followed the new lady captain at the ceremonial drive-in.

He shared in the applause of members as 25-handicapper Katha Bushell, playing from a tee a yard behind the men's one, cracked a scorcher of 177 yards.

The book running on how far Chris would despatch his shot was based on a respectable eight handicap. The long odds were something in excess of 250 yards, even allowing for winter conditions. Electing to use an old persimmon-headed driver, and less than pristine ball, Chris duck-hooked all of 170 yards, burrowing into thick semi-rough.

A search party took nearly ten minutes before club president Peter Jagger stepped on the hidden ball. Had the rules of golf applied, the captain's ball would have been deemed lost.

Past captain John Spink said: "Bad drive, good year."

Long-standing members couldn't recall the last time the lady captain outdrove her male counterpart, although last year it was a close call between Alan Blackburn and Elisabeth Scarff.

Hove-born Pett, a patent and trademark attorney, has been a B and H member 16 years after the golfing bug bit while at Brighton College.

Past captain Jim Russell won the 13-hole Dinner Cup on countback from manager-secretary Doug Rodbard and Mike Davis, all on 27 points.