Grimes seals win for Hampshire against Surrey at Bramshaw GC

Having reached the first three South East Challenge League finals – and been winners of the last Colts U26 League title in 2022 – Hampshire now need to beat Kent next month and hope results in the match between Surrey and Sussex go their way.

After their 6½-5½ win over Surrey, the county’s development team will travel to Royal Blackheath, in South London, knowing how many points they would need to win by – if Surrey beat Sussex at Worthing earlier in the month – and reach final number four.

Spirits were a little deflated after Hampshire drew 6-6 with Sussex at Weybrook Park last month, but Pake bolstered his squad by including Stoneham’s former county champion Owen Grimes and Bramshaw’s Dan Dawson, who played for the Colts 15 years ago, having picked a younger team for the opening South Division fixture.

Bramshaw’s Dan Dawson tees off at the 15th in his match against Surrey in the South East Challenge League South Division, at Bramshaw GC on June 28, 2026. (Image: Andrew Griffin/AMG Pictures)

Dawson, from Eastleigh, gave up competitive golf after a spell in the pro ranks in his early 20s, but began playing seriously again last year.

After joining Bramshaw, and some solid displays in a couple of Order of Merit events, Pake was quick to call the 30-something back up.

For Grimes, picking up the point that clinched the outright victory – thanks to a 4&2 win in the anchor match over American Palmer Hestley – it was the end of a nightmare year during which he wondered if he may ever play golf again.

An accident on holiday turned into a nightmare which left him fearing he might have his broken foot amputated, when he suffered complications following surgery to put a plate and a number of screws in his foot.

Romsey’s Owen Grimes lines up his putt at the 11th in his match against Surrey in the South East Challenge Division, at Bramshaw GC on June 28, League South 2026. (Image: Andrew Griffin/AMG Pictures)

Now, the Romsey floor-tiler is keen to keep his place in Pake’s side, having taken some positive steps playing in Hampshire Order of Merit events since the spring.

Having seen Surrey hold the hosts to 2-2 in the morning foursomes – with Basingstoke’s former England international James Knight managing the team – Hampshire were looking strong in the bottom half of the draw, with four of the last five matches blue as they approached the turn.

Surrey’s former England junior Monty Holcombe was just ahead in a tussle with Hampshire Order of Merit leader Rob Wheeler, from North Hants, in the top match.

Wheeler got back to all-square with a birdie on 16, only to make a bogey on the 17th after finding greenside bunker trouble.

And that was compounded on the last as Wheeler’s birdie putt lipped out to give Surrey a full point.

Corhampton’s Connor Babbington had put the first blue point on the board with a 5&4 win in the fourth match out, but Surrey edged ahead as Nick Wall – son of Sky TV commentator Anthony – won the 16th to go four-up against Romsey’s Ben Cox.

Romsey’s Ben Cox tees off at the 15th in his match against Surrey in the South East Challenge League South Division, at Bramshaw GC on June 28, 2026. (Image: Andrew Griffin/AMG Pictures)

Corhampton’s Jamie Markwick – the reigning Hampshire strokeplay champion – was then pegged back for a half by Surrey’s Toby Knevett, who birdied two of the last three holes.

Stoneham’s scratch team captain George Daniels, who had been two-up at the turn, was one of three players to be beaten in the afternoon singles.

The 29-year-old Webber International University graduate lost the last to Ben Lovell after making a bogey five, having found an impossible lie in the greenside trap.

That left Surrey needing just a half to guarantee a draw, but Alresford’s former Stoneham and Hockley member Luke Evans made it six-wins-out-of-six in Challenge League and Colts matches over the last four years.

He won the 17th to go three-up against Brahma Patel.

It was still 5½-4½ to Surrey, but Dawson, who had been three-up at the turn, won the 15th and 17th with birds to win 2&1 and tie the match.

As the players gathered between the 17th and 15th greens, they were greeted by a limping Grimes, who was given a lift back from the 16th in captain Pake’s buggy, having won the hole with a par.

Owen revealed he was still feeling the effects of having a plate in his foot, but was happy to be back in Hampshire blue – having pledged to win his point while speaking to county officials on the 12th tee when holding a two-hole lead.