Mens Competitions 2009

For some time now the Hon Sec has been asking me to produce an article reviewing the golfing season in 2009 and he has finally succeeded.
We started the year by introducing the touch screen, for members to input their scores. After one or two hiccups this has been very successful. The next challenge will be the on line booking system!! I have trouble switching on a computer let alone using one, so we shall see.

During the year members kept our hatchet men, who look after handicaps, very busy. Dean Newsham came in with a 58 and Mark Goggins amassed 49 points in the assistant Pro’s comp. They both had a slight reduction in their handicaps (six or seven slots), there were a few other draconian cuts as well, too many to mention.

Most of the knock outs ran reasonably smoothly. Roger Sallabank came out on top in the President's, beating John Royle. Steve Price won a close final in the Club Championship, beating Kevin Moore. John Russell & Mike Sallabank became the first pair to successfully defend the Club Foursomes title, defeating John Lowis and Peter Coakley. John Russell & Ian salt won the four ball knockout, beating Mark & Ryan Foley.

The nett Jubilee Plate was won by Ryan Foley and the gross by Steve Price. Other major winners were Ismael Mury in the Captain's Final, Bob Cowell in the Richard Burton, Brian Peacock in the Life Members. David Jones took the Peace Trophy and Steve Price the Scratch. Mike Smith had a field day and walked away with the Philip Smith with a nett 64 - he isn’t playing off 12 anymore! The Millennium Bowl was won by John Sallabank and the Mylrea Trophy was taken by Captain Elect Andy McLaren with lots of help from Graham Moore.

We had mixed results in the team events. The men didn’t fare well in the Mersey League, the Dunham Forest and the Alliance Foursomes. The mixed team had a fine year, reaching the semi-finals before losing out to Didsbury. The juniors went all the way, winning the BMW Challenge - congratulations to Ian Bullough and his team.

I also have to mention the ladies. They have the bragging rights now because they are the Cheshire Champions, so come on you guys, beat that!!

Sadly we lost John Aldcroft last year and Steve Hall has kindly agreed to run the teams, so if you want to play, give him a ring.

I would like to take this opportunity to issue a plea to all playing members. If you enter any of the Club knockouts this year, will you please pay at the same time that you put your name on the sheet. We on comps. spend hours chasing people for money and some members of comps. are insisting on a no pay, no play policy. So don’t be upset if you are not in the draw.

Finally I would like to thank all the playing members of the Club for their continuing support of all the various Competitions and I hope that you are all winners in 2010.

Frank