Familiar faces in new club captains

GOLF RYAN DOBNEY

AS Accrington Golf Club begin to tee off for the new season ahead, there will be a sense of familiarity as the two captains walk out onto the green.

Men’s captain Andrew Partington and Women’s captain Julie Walker who have been assigned such a task, will repeat their duties they undertook 21 years ago.

The golf club will shortly be celebrating their 125th anniversary and Ms Walker said that she is relishing this second opportunity.

She said: “Back in 1996 myself and Andrew had and still have the youngest men and women’s captain combined age ever in the club.

“Now 21 years later we are older and wiser and we are determined to enjoy our year.”

The decision to place the duo as captains again is a feat that is unprecedented at amateur level and can only be a testament to Ms Walker’s and Mr Partington’s talent on the course.

She laughs as she says: “We are now full of experience you could say, but I am not aware of this happening anywhere else.”

In the intervening 21 years, the current women’s skipper has said that the golf club has undergone some fine changes, in particular she refers to how the golf course has matured over the two decades.

“The trees lining the course are now spectacular, they have given the course definition and character and I think this attracts people to us and that is a huge change both myself and Andrew see.”

As well as the visual changes, Ms Walker stated to me a more important and radical change she has seen over the years.

“We now see ourselves very much as a community sports club.

“We are trying to drop the image of private member’s golf clubs being seen as too posh and we see ourselves as a community hub, that can be a place for all to enjoy affordable and great golf.”

For any enquiries about the club please visit info@accringtongolfclub. com.