President role honour for ‘Mr Longley Park’
Former betting shop manager Anthony Kendall certainly beat the odds when he became Halifax, Huddersfield and District Union of Golf Clubs' President for 2024.
It is the first time in the union's 77-year history that a member of his club, Longley Park, has been nominated for, and filled, the post.
“We were a founder member of the union in 1947 and it was a massive honour, not so much for me but for the club, to be asked to become President,” said the 63-year-old.
“It's a tremendous accolade for the club and what's exceptional about Longley is that everybody backs you, everybody appreciates it and they all congratulated me and,” he added with a chuckle, “call me Mr President.”
It is typical of Kendall that he modestly deflects all the associated kudos with his title towards the club, but when he was nominated for the role by Richard Kaye, the union's honorary treasurer, he was introduced to the committee as “Mr Longley Park”.
“My wife Sue does more than me,” he demurred. “She's acting house manager and current Madam captain and has been captain five times. I was Rabbit captain in 2016 and captain in 2018.”
Rugby league is Kendall's abiding sporting fascination – he and Sue have a son, Chris, who is a Super League referee and has taken charge of a Challenge Cup final and two Grand Finals – but golf has run it close since he got hooked in his early 50s.
He had devoted years to helping youngsters play rugby league, coaching Newsome Panthers and All Saints CatholicHighSchoolplusenjoying a spell as scholarship coach and scholarship manager at Huddersfield Giants.
The curtain raiser for Kendall's presidential year saw him play in the annual April trip for a friendly match against St Annes Old Links where the hosts came back from an 8-2 deficit in the morning foursomes to tie 1313 after the union's executive were swept aside 6-0 while the senior players halved the fourballs 5-5.
But the match outcome always comes a poor second to the hospitality and camaraderie enjoyed throughout the day and Kendall is looking forward to the reverse fixture at Longley Park in October.
n Vicky Holden won the Lightcliffe Golf Club ladies past captains competition last week, with Gill Shirlaw the runner-up.