The Birkdale Bucket, first contested in 1957, remains one of the highlights of the OP golfing calendar. While traditionally held at Birkdale, the event has moved in recent years to the headquarters of England Golf at Woodhall Spa, continuing a long‑standing and much‑valued tradition.

The competition is contested each year by teams from Pocklington, Sedbergh, Giggleswick, Worksop, Wrekin, Uppingham, Oundle and Stowe maintaining the strong sense of continuity and friendly rivalry that has characterised the event since its inception. The OP team was represented this year by Mike Strong (66-76), Larry Lawson (70-77), David Morgan (68-75), David Harrison (70-77), Bruce East (73-80), Mark Addison (69-76), Billy Bartram  (69-76) and Trevor Loten (70-80).

The main event took place on Wednesday 25 March in blustery and demanding conditions. A strong wind made play difficult across the field, with generally low Stableford scores recorded. Despite this, Pocklington produced a very creditable performance, finishing third overall. Trevor Loten led the team home with an excellent 34 points, closely followed by Larry Lawson on 33. Sedbergh narrowly claimed second place, while Giggleswick were clear winners on the day.

Play continued on Thursday with the traditional foursomes, in which partners are drawn at random. Mike Strong performed particularly well, securing an impressive third place.

Thank you to all who played and we hope for a strong OP contingent for next year's 70th anniversary of the event.