Journeyman’s home at Hall
TIME flies when you are having fun and enjoying yourself and this theory is certainly echoed by Mottram Hall’s hugely experienced course manager Stuart Stenhouse who can hardly believe that he has been working there for the past 12 years.
Stuart has worked at many different golf courses in the UK and abroad including links, parkland, desert and heathland.
His career highlights include managing the ‘Grow In’ of the Centenary course at Gleneagles in the 1990’s and working on golf courses in the UK, Eire, Middle East, South Africa and Europe and being part of the team that delivered the President’s Cup at Fancourt, South Africa, in 2003.
He then went back to Gleneagles for the Ryder Cup to help on the course for the Ryder Cup week.
He has also managed many tournaments including the European Tour, Bells Scottish Open, Irish PGA Championship, English Seniors championship, WPGA Macdonalds Championship of Europe, Scottish PGA and the PGA Cup.
At Mottram Hall he has also managed the Legends Tennis Tournament and produced a Premiership standard football pitch used by teams from the UK and Europe including FC Bruge, Real Betis, West Ham and Southampton.
Stuart said: “Currently at Mottram we are re- sanding our bunkers to improve their overall quality and we have also been carrying out a Tee levelling programme for three years.
“We do the usual aeration work to all areas but we use techniques that are less disruptive and have a minimum impact on the members and guests experience.
“Over the years at Mottram I have always had a great team that work very hard and take pride in the golf course and the estate.
“My gardeners also produce wonderful gardens every year that always attract comments from our guests and without this team we would not be able to sustain Mottram as Cheshire’s Premier Hotel and Estate.”
Mottram’s Head of Golf Robert Warrener added: “Stuart and his team have once again provided an outstanding golf course during the winter given the harsh weather we have experienced since late November.”
“The feedback myself and the operations team have received, especially on the condition of our greens, from not only our members but also our visitors has been fantastic.
“With all this positive news Mottram Hall took the title of best golf course within the QHotels group for 2016 which is a superb achievement and brings great credit and recognition to the hard work Stuart and his team have been carrying out on a daily basis.”
“With all of the ongoing work that the green keeping team is now undertaking in preparation for the season ahead it goes without saying that our members and guests will continue to experience championship golf at Mottram Hall in 2017.”
The latest 9-hole pro’s Stableford at Alderley Edge saw division one won by Andrew Wells with 18 points and in division two Bill Bennett was on fire with 24 points.
In the Edge Winter League the Captain and professional Charles le Sueur halved their final match with Brian Pennington and Dave Snell thanks to Charles winning the final hole to draw level.
The latest Thursday Stableford at Shrigley Hall saw in-form Steve Wells first past the post with 37 points from Charles Green 36 and Roderick Scott and Nick Rainford, both 35.
It’s getting near to last lapof the highly competitive Seniors Winter League at Styal and it could hardly be closer with a handful of points separating the leading players.