Wayne Martin is the 2026 Gold Handicap Champion
The Final
Played on Sunday 15 March 2026 at Spot On Hucknall
Congratulations to Wayne Martin (0) on winning the Gold Handicap, defeating Nick Sharp (+48) 3-1 in a close and hard fought final.
Frame 1
The frame started slowly but Wayne was soon in the balls and a run of 31 reduced his deficit to 21 points. A few mini breaks from Wayne eventually saw him trail by just 1 point with only the colours remaining. Nick had a great chance to take the frame but he missed the blue. Wayne potted it but misuse the pink! Nick then gratefully took pink and black to win the frame by just 4 points.
Nick 79-75 Wayne
Frame 2
This frame was nip and tuck with no big breaks from either player. As they headed into the colours Wayne was 15 points behind mid-break. His break ended on 15 and he was now only 6 behind with 18 on the table. Nick totally missed the blue and Wayne compounded his error by potting it to leave Nick trailing by 4 points. Wayne then dispatched a tricky pink to take the frame and level the match at 1-1.
Nick 68-78 Wayne
Frame 3
Wayne was in first, making a nice 24 break. He then continued to score well and he led by 29 points with 35 on the table. Nick then fouled when using the spider, but he subsequently laid a terrific snooker from which Wayne gave away a 7 point penalty, the difference now 27 points. Wayne potted the final red to leave Nick needing a snooker. Wayne potted the yellow and then flukes green and brown at which point Nick had seen enough and he conceded. Wayne 2-1 up in the match.
Nick 64-97 Wayne
Frame 4
Wayne scored steadily and then knocked in a nice 46 break to open up a 12 point lead. Nick had a good chance to reply immediately, but after potting a red he missed the pink. A poor safety from Nick allowed Wayne to make a break of 16 and he now led by 27 with 25 on the table. Wayne then potted the green and rolled the brown over the pocket, forcing Nick to pot it. Nick laid a good snooker on the blue which Wayne failed to escape from, the difference now 21 with 18 remaining. Nick was battling hard but Wayne rolled the blue over the pocket, again forcing Nick into the pot. A poor safety on the pink by Nick then presented Wayne with a simple pot into the middle bag, which he sank to take the frame and match 3-1.
Nick 65-87 Wayne
Many thanks to Spot On Hucknall for the use of their facilities and also to Anthony Hamilton for the use of his Star table.
Also a huge thanks to Paul Gibson for refereeing the match.
Photo Gallery
Results from Previous Rounds
Semi-Finals
Wayne Martin (0) 3-0 Kevin Barlow (40) (Feb 3)
Nick Sharp (48) 3-2 Moe Anyanwu (24) (Feb 5)
Quarter-Finals
Kevin Barlow (40) 3-0 Rob Mulliss (16) (Jan 13)
Wayne Martin (0) 3-1 Ashley Field (40) (Jan 8)
Nick Sharp (48) 3-0 Alan Caulton (24) (Jan 13)
Nav Hussain (0) 2-3 Moe Anyanwu (24) (Dec 30)
Last 16
Nav Hussain (0) 2-1 Darryl Clarke (40) (Nov 19)
Alan Caulton (24) 3-1 Ant McMahon (16) (Nov 20)
Nick Sharp (48) 3-2 Richard Sutton (40) (Nov 23)
Rob Mulliss (16) 3-2 Patrick Ashurst (8) (Nov 20)
Cary Davies (24) 0-3 Kevin Barlow (40) (Dec 4)
Dave Payne (56) 0-2 Moe Anyanwu (24) (Nov 19)
Ben Cooper (16) 1-3 Wayne Martin (0) (Dec 3)
Ashley Field (40) 2-0 Paul Bean (8) (Nov 21)
Preliminary Round
Cary Davies (24) 3-1 Andy Wright (40) (Nov 6)
Nick Sharp (48) 3-1 Mick Garratt (40) (Oct 25)
Kevin Barlow (40) 3-0 Jordan Parnham (40) (Nov 4)
John Fountain (0) 1-3 Ben Cooper (16) (Oct 23)
Shane Fella (40) 0-3 Rob Mulliss (16) (Oct 29)
Gareth Clarke (32) 0-3 Alan Caulton (24) (Nov 4)
Paul Bean (8) 3-2 Andrew Diacopoulos (0) (Oct 31)
Breaks of 50+
Rob Mulliss: 76
Andrew Diacopoulos: 74
Nav Hussain: 66
Alan Caulton: 63
Wayne Martin: 57,51
Prize Money & Trophies
- Winner £100
- Runner-up £50
- Losing SF £25
Wayne also gets his name engraved on the Gold Handicap Trophy and receives free entry into the end of season Alan Cunningham Trophy.
Previous Recorded Winners
2025: Nav Hussain
2024: Andrew Diacopoulos
2023: Gary Spencer
2022: Steve Donner
2020: Dave Jobling
2019: Ben Monk
2018: Keith Holgate
2017: Ben Monk
2016: Keith Holgate
2015: Troy Brett
2014: Tom Goldstein
2013: Sean Hopkin
2012: James Moore
2011: Bash Maqsood
2010: James Moore
2009: Wayne Martin
2008: Wayne Martin
2007: Kwok Yip
2006: Chris Winter
2005: Chris Winter
2004: Chris Winter
1987: Anthony Hamilton
1982: John Bednall
1979: Denis Parish
1978: Denis Parish
1977: Denis Parish
1975: John Fox
1973: Tony Matthews
1970: Paul Deverill
1946: Henry Sissons
Historically, this tournament was a singles knockout tournament run by the Nottingham & Notts Institutes Billiards & Snooker Association (“NNIBSA”), with entry restricted to players who competed in the Association’s team league.