Golf season adapts to the ‘new normal’
THE Manchester and District Golf Alliance is the biggest organisation of its kind in the country and regretfully was unable to complete its busy winter and summer programme for local professionals and amateurs in its 114 club membership due to the coronavirus.
But in preparation for the new winter season which begins on Wednesday September 2 at Romiley GC their committee have been busy making changes to their normal fixture structure to allow for Covid protection to be fully operable.
Alliance President Ian Brooks from Bolton Old Links GC explained the new measures: “We have a full fixture list from September to next May in place and will be changing to timed starts instead of shotguns as far as the daylight will let us.
“We will be doing timed starts from 11am, with full Covid protection in place and there will be no presentations.
“The winning pros will be paid by bank transfers, and the amateurs’ prize value will be sent to their own pro shops unless a pro is the sponsor and the prize will be collected from him.
“We are currently working with Darren Wood from Club Systems so there will be a facility to book online hopefully in place a week before the Romiley fixture.
“We are also planning a new website in the near future and all information will be on the current website as and when it happens until the new one is in place.
“Gary Brown, the Glossop professional is the new Alliance Captain, and we are hoping to run the champion of champions at Bolton Old Links GC on Sunday September 13 subject to a good response (we need 60 entrants).
“There will be a new draw for all Inter Club Knock Outs for 2021 which will take place in late December so everything is crossed that all the plans will work.”
CHESHIRE County Ladies Golf Association were delighted to get their season back in action as they staged the Margaret Sangster Salver at Heswall Golf Club which attracted a good field of players from across the county.
Heswall provided an excellent course and the competition was played in lovely weather conditions and the host club were duly thanked by Cheshire Captain Frances Gell (Bramhall GC) for their great efforts throughout the day.
In 2019 five handicapper Wad Grayson (Ringway GC) was the winner of the coveted trophy at Stockport.
And history was made as her 16-year-old 15 handicap daughter Siobhan, who has just finished her GCSE year at Lymm High School, posted a nett 73 to take top spot and so become the first ever mother and daughter combination to win the trophy in successive years with the same nett score!
The runner-up was Christine Orchard (Delamere Forest GC) with 74 with Gillian Singh (Prestbury) and Barbara Jamieson (Heswall) both on 76 with Barbara having the best gross of 76.
Because of Covid restrictions the trophy was not able to be presented to the winner on the day but Frances was able to do this at Ringway.
Frances said: “It was great to get our competitive season back into action and there was a 50 per cent increase in entry for the competition compared to 2019.
“Margaret Sangster was a very generous benefactor to the County in the 1980’s and 90’s and even left the county a legacy in her will.
“She was a keen golfer and used to present the Salver herself and in 1989 she was made a Vice President of Cheshire ladies.
“In 1986 changes in the handicapping system required Category One players to return scores on away courses so the county added two extra competitions with the Doris Chambers Salver for the Spring competition, bought from a legacy from Doris Chambers and the Sangster Salver for the autumn competition.
“I am sure that the family feat by Wad and Siobhan has never happened in Cheshire before and possibly in England and even the rest of the golfing world!”
A midweek Stableford at Avro saw Captain Phil Normanton firmly in charge with 41 points from Ken Fairfield 35 and Stephen Callaghan and Chris Robinson, both 34.
It was much closer in the Stableford for the Greenall Whitley Trophy with Mark Brookes winning a cpo on 36 from Phil Oakes, one more than Stephen Callaghan.
A Texas Scramble at Alderley Edge saw several new members enjoying a great day and winning with gross 69 nett 53.1 were the fab four of Ed Lawton, Brian Foden, Matt Cresey and James Graham.
Macclesfield ladies played for the Lilian Shaw Trophy and club legend Sue Orwin who showed her enduring class posting 34 points to lead in from star junior Daisy Ward 33 and Wendy Higgins and Alycia Sutton, both 32.
The Les Allen Trophy for Macc’s men was won by Paul Wreglesworth in a tight cpo on 37 points from John Poole, David Bye, Paul Eifflaender and Neil Johnson.
Macc Seniors played a Team Disco and the fab four of P Grantham, S Longden, K Brown and M Baker danced to victory with 115 points, one more than B Welch, P Eifflaender, A Harris and P Barber.
Archie Palmer showed his county class in a medal at Davenport winning a cpo on 67 from Louis McCumesky and John Hurst, two less than Iain
Faulkner and Jon Wall.
The second round of Captain’s Day at Davenport had Colin Burns in unstoppable form with 62 taking him clear of Alex Cox 65 and Iain Faulkner and Colin James, both 66.
President’s Day at Shrigley Hall had Andrew Brereton first past the post with 64 from Niall Lynch 65 and Chloe Powell 67 and Andy Atkinson and Captain Alan Pengelly both 69.
President’s Day at Prestbury had a clear winner in Steven Parton with 68 from Peter Mountford and Simon Montgomery both 71 and David Rogers led in five players on 72.
The Saturday medal at Styal had division one topped by Thomas Adams with 64 from Oliver Baker 65 and Mike McGuigan 69 and junior Ryan Owen had the lowest gross of 70.
William Geddis was a clear winner in division two with 65 from Peter Harris and David Blackburn, both 69.
The Styal Sunday Stableford was led in by an impressive 43 points from Chris Gibson ahead of Joshua Llewellyn 40 and Michael Griffin, Mark Stirling, Daniel Lynch and Aidan Murphy, all 38.
Lynsey Forsythe won a Styal ladies medal with 74 from Pat Chadwick 75 and Judith Lacy 78.