CHAMPION          SAM RICH

The Golf Comp 2026 – Wensum Valley

The sixth edition of The Golf Comp took us to the excellent Wensum Valley Golf & Country Club in Norfolk, and once again the weekend delivered everything we've come to expect—competitive golf, unforgettable moments, plenty of laughs and stories that will undoubtedly grow with every retelling.

Each year the competition continues to grow, attracting more interest and becoming one of the highlights of the golfing calendar. In fact, it's no coincidence that the DP World Tour had the weekend off—they knew they simply couldn't compete with The Golf Comp!

A Worthy Champion

After finishing runner-up on more than one occasion in previous years, Sam Rich finally claimed the title of Golf Comp Champion 2026. It was a victory that had been threatening to happen for some time, and nobody could argue that it wasn't richly deserved.

Sam didn't have it all his own way. Pushing him to the very end were Reece Weston and Trevor Ranns, who finished tied in second place, just three points behind. It made for one of the closest finishes in the competition's history, with the title remaining in doubt until the closing stages.

Story of the Weekend

One of the biggest success stories belonged to Matthew Ross.

Having become the familiar recipient of the wooden spoon in previous years, Matthew turned the tables in spectacular fashion. A superb second-round performance saw him climb the leaderboard to finish an excellent 10th place, earning plenty of congratulations from the rest of the field. It proved that persistence—and perhaps a little more time on the practice ground—really does pay off.

The Usual Controversies...

No Golf Comp would be complete without a little controversy.

There were the now traditional complaints from the low-handicap golfers regarding the limited shots they had to play with. Whilst sympathy was in short supply, there is already growing confidence that they will return next year with slightly more generous handicaps!

The weather certainly played its part. Strong winds tested every aspect of the players' games and ensured that every score had to be earned.

Moments We'll Never Forget

As always, there were incidents that will live long in Golf Comp folklore:

• Players somehow managing to hit each other with wayward golf shots.

• Innocent golfers discovering just how far some drives can travel, where even being on the green proved to be no safety net! It's all good though, Jack and Paul are still talking!?

• A Twitter account being mysteriously hacked at exactly the wrong time.

• And, of course... the air shot.

Don't worry, Loz... your secret is safe with us. Well... apart from everyone reading this.

More Than Just Golf

While the scores and trophies matter, The Golf Comp has always been about much more than who finishes at the top of the leaderboard.

It's about old friends getting together, welcoming new faces, enjoying great food and a few drinks, sharing endless banter and creating memories that last far longer than any scorecard. Every year the competition becomes stronger, the friendships become closer and the stories become even better.

A huge thank you goes to everyone who took part and helped make another fantastic weekend. The spirit in which the competition is played is what makes it so special, and long may that continue.

Congratulations once again to Sam Rich, our 2026 Champion, on finally getting his hands on the trophy after coming so close in previous years.

And so, the countdown begins once more...

The Golf Comp 2027 will head to The Essex Golf & Country Club, where another champion will be crowned, more stories will be written and, no doubt, there will be yet more complaints about handicaps!

See you on the first tee.

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