The 27-year-olds inflicted both by the same margin, 6 and 5. The helpless victims were Paul Anderson and Albert McKenzie, one-time assistant pros at the host club, and in the quarter-finals Yorkshire amateurs Greg Hyde and James Glover.

The Heads, who play Neil Hansen and Darren Parris today in the top semi-final, did not, by some oversight, play the shot of the day, though they achieved most other marvels. That shot was struck by the wily and battle-hardened campaigner for both England and Great Britain and Ireland, Carole Caldwell.

She and her son, Richard, are Sunningdale members and had leapt away from professionals Helen Wadsworth and Mark Aubrey-Fletcher by winning the first four holes in their quarter-final.

Then their lead dribbled away. Desperate measures were needed at the 11th, where a recovery from the gulley that has wrecked so many cards was Mrs Caldwell's first display of escapology. A short putt missed by Aubrey-Fletcher at the 13th seemed likely to ease the Caldwells' task, only for Richard to slice his second horribly on the long 14th and make a nonsense of his tee-shot on the 15th.

A four conceded after Richard's fine approach to the 16th put the Caldwells two ahead again, but two perfect shots at the 17th, from the tee by Aubrey-Fletcher and the fairway by Wadsworth, brought the margin back to one courtesy of a birdie-three.

With their opponents on the 18th green for two and Mrs Caldwell playing their third shot from a sloping lie almost on the first tee, extra holes seemed likely.

Yet the running shot she now played, just cheating the edge of the double bunker guarding the left hand side of the green, and subtle use of the green's contours brought a par-four and victory.

The Caldwell semi-final is definitely a family affair, as they are ranged against former British amateur champion Kim Andrew (n�e Rostron), and her brother-in-law Stuart, from Clitheroe.

They removed a likely pair in round four in Clare Lipscombe and Gary Wolstenholme. Lipscombe found the greens a problem, despite having such an expert with the putter as her partner.

Details

SUNNINGDALE FOURSOMES.- 4th rd: M Aubrey-Fletcher & H Wadsworth (Sunningdale) bt R Hudson & N Cottam (Wheatley) 2 & 1; C & R Caldwell (Sunningdale) bt J Kemp (John O'Gaunt) & B Connelly (Porters Pk) 19th; K Staunton (Woodcote Pk) & M Booker (Royal Mid-Surrey) bt L Owens & N Manchip (Royal Dublin) 1 hole; S & K Andrew (Clitheroe) bt G Wolstenholme (Kibworth Springs) & C Lipscombe (Cirencester) 2 & 1; S & J Head (Goodwood) bt P Anderson (The Berkshire) & A MacKenzie (Saunton) 6 & 5; J Glover (Rotherham) & G Hyde (Wath) bt L Farmer (Moor Pk) & C Laurence (The Manor of Groves) 1 hole; N Hansen & D Parris (Nth Foreland) bt G Evans (Ealing) & T Anderson (Moor Park) 2 & 1; B Mitchell & K Grice (S Herts) bt P Smith (Hillingdon) & S Wild (Whittington Hth) 2 & 1.

Qtr-finals: Caldwells bt Aubrey-Fletcher & Wadsworth 1 hole; Andrews bt Staunton & Booker 3 & 2; Heads bt Glover & Hyde 6 & 5; Hansen & Parris bt Mitchell & Grice 3 & 2.