From schoolboy football team-mates to feared Hampshire golf opponents – the sporting friendship of Joe Foster and Rich Harris

Now lifelong friends Joe Foster and Rich Harris are becoming feared foursomes opponents on the golf course.

The Hayling Golf Club members were put together by Hampshire’s new Challenge League captain Harrison Pake earlier this summer to make the most of their friendship.

And the Stoneham GC man has been rewarded as Foster and Harris picked up their fourth and fifth point out of eight since being paired together against Sussex at Lewes in June.

Although Hampshire suffered their only defeat of the season that day, two more wins have been enough to retain the South Division title and book a place in next month’s South East Challenge League Final.

Foster and Harris, both 34, have known each other since attending Lyndhurst Junior School, in North End, together.

They played for every football team together from the age of 10 before Rich was spotted by Pompey scouts and joined the academy while the club were enjoying their top flight days.

Foster was a central midfielder, providing assists from prolific goalscorer Harris, while the pair played for Copnor Colts, Moneyfields and City of Portsmouth Boys School.

Harris also played for East Lodge, the club where England international James Ward-Prowse was first spotted.

“We won the treble together, including the Hampshire Cup, one season,“ Foster remembered.

But the pair also took up golf with Harris attributing Pompey talent spotter David Hurst for helping him to get over the shock of having to leave the Blues after a double hip replacement, by taking part in a new sport.

Foster added: “As golfers, we played for Southsea’s junior team with Sam Parsons’ mum Jackie as our junior organiser.

“Rich then joined Hayling with me in 2013 and we have been foursomes partners for around 10 years for the scratch team.

Harris won the county championship at Hayling in 2020 – beating Toby Burden with a birdie on the 18th to stop him becoming the first back-to-back winner in nearly 40 years.

Foster helped Harris – the 2020 Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Channel Islands Amateur Champion – win this year’s foursomes match against Kent at Chislehurst, as the visitors took a two- point lead into the afternoon singles.

And although the hosts fought hard on the tight par-66 course, very short at just over 5,100 yards by modern standards, they could not make home advantage pay as Foster picked up this third singles win in a row as Hampshire cruised to a 7-5 win.

Foster recalled: “To get our second win as a pair in three matches was great for us. It helped the team ensure we retained the South Division title and got to another South East League Final.

“We were three-up after three in the foursomes held that until they clawed us back to one after 13 holes.

“We were in trouble off the tee on the par-five with Kent in the fairway. But after I chipped out, Rich then hit a shot from 240 yards to six feet. I rolled it in for us to go two-up lead with four to play.

“I have won all three of my singles games, and to get two of those points away from home has left me quite proud of my record.

“Rich and I won the County Foursomes in 2021 and I have known Harrison for quite a few years playing in Hampshire Golf’s events.

“I think he wanted to find a partnership that he could rely on so when he brings in some younger players it’s not putting pressure on them to win their point straight away.

“With a bit more experience and being used to playing together, we can help the youngsters as they get used to men’s golf at county level.

“Getting called up for the Challenge League team has been a great experience for me. Rich was already in the side, and the idea of pairing us up made complete sense as we know each other’s games inside out.

“One thing I have loved about the Hampshire set-up and our captain, is from day one he has insisted, if you want to play the match, you HAVE to play the practice round on Saturday…home or away.

“That is where Rich and I work out where what holes would suit us best, with me being the better iron player and Rich having the better short game.

“We try to aim for me teeing off on the majority of the par-threes – something we have had a lot of success with.”

Foster and Harris now looked nailed on to be in the eight-man team that will face either Essex or Middlesex at Norwich’s Wensum Valley Golf Club, on October 13.

Hampshire will be hoping to go one better after losing to the former in last year’s final in London.

Foster added: “That will be a very long drive to come home without the trophy again, so we better make sure that doesn’t happen.”