The inaugural Rim Stinger, 2004 - Slaley Hall, Northumberland

The Rim Stinger began life in 2004 when ten golfers, in the loosest possible sense of the word, and mostly called Paul, headed north to Slaley Hall in Northumberland to sort out who was pre-eminent amongst them. At the time of course, we did not know we'd be establishing a legend, an annual event and the first of many heated handicap debates.

Over three glorious sunny days, so dehydrating that Paul Henderson was seen lapping at an industrially-polluted stream on several occasions, the championship was born and the pattern for future years set. Jose Lourtie emerged victorious that year, and over dinner that night his achievement began to sink in as the talk escalated and all made solemn promises to themselves to take the glory next year. Hard luck stories abounded, and this is where the tournament name was born as player after player claimed they would have won but for suffering a 'Rim Stinger' (a lip-outter) on an improbable number of greens during their round. Despite this, Richie Jones could not quite persuade the group that his successive, and beautifully synchronised, 75s (that's for the out 9 and the back 9), would have won the tournament but for suffering a succession of unfortunate Rim Stingers. The course guide had warned us on one hole that 'many a ball has been lost in the gorse-filled ravine'. Indeed.