Mark’s plumb new role at Macclesfield
MACCLESFIELD Golf Club’s new captain Mark Warren is looking to enjoy a great year at his friendly club which has a testing course in a beautiful setting.
The self-employed plumber and heating engineer has been a member of his club for 19 years and now plays off 27 handicap having had a best of 16.
His hobbies other than golf are crown green bowls and music and supporting Manchester United and he is looking to play twice a week during a busy season ahead.
His favourite hole on the Macc course is the seventh for the magnificent views overlooking Cheshire and the surrounding area and his other favourite course is Portpatrick Dunskey GC.
Mark said: “I will be supporting the Alder Hey Children’s Hospital as my chosen charity – it is a cause very close to my heart as my one-year-old grandson spent the first six months of his life at Alder Hey and during the past year has had three open-heart surgeries.
“My own personal golfing highlight was to qualify for and play in the PGA National Pro Am at Dunham Forest GC.
“If I could chose three players to join me in a four-ball they would be Lee Westwood, Darren Clarke and Miguel Angel Jimenez as I have always liked watching them on the European Tour and their camerarderie would be good to see.”
The latest round of the Alderley Edge Winter League featured a top of the table clash with the Captain Simon Barber and professional Charles le Sueur taking on the leaders Chris Edwards and Nige Pugh.
Charles said: “We got to the turn one down before quickly finding ourselves three down with Nige making two birdies in a row but we then stopped the rot with three halves in a row.
“Standing on the 15th tee three down I told the captain we needed four birdies to finish – and we nearly did it. The Captain rolled in a 20 footer for birdie on 15, I managed to birdie 16 to go one down with two to play.
“My birdie attempt narrowly missed on 17 so we were one down going up the last. The Captain and I both managed to birdie to end up all square. As Chris and Nige said after, it felt like a loss to them and a win to us!
“Chris and Nige have definitely been my bogey team over the years, I don’t think I have ever beaten them with any of the captains, so getting a half was certainly an improvement. Thanks for the great company as always.”
A Seniors Winter League Stableford at Styal was won by Paul Lawday with 40 points from Roger McCabe 39 and Chris Baillie and Harry Reid, both 37.
A Saturday Stableford for Styal’s men saw division one won by James Brown with 38 points, one more than Sam Hall and Alan Brooks.
In division two Dennis Chester won a cpo on 38 points from James Carter, one more than David Graham Jones.
Styal ladies played a Texas Scramble and the terrific trio of Helen Billington, Claire Whitney, and Mel Hill led in with 43.9 from Enid Laverty , Jenny Merren and J Doyle 48.2.
Singles medal action at Mottram Hall had David Laird in charge with a neat 69 from George Swann 70, Mobi Rawthore 72 and Andy Watson, Damian Bloor, William Murphy and Damian Watson, all 73.
Plenty of action at Shrigley Hall with a Thursday Stableford won by Darren Whittaker
with 33 points ahead of Mike Gates 30, Peter Will and Rod Scott, both 28 and Brian Williams a Janet gates, both 27.
The 13th Winter League Stableford at Shrigley was led in by Martin Firth with 34 points from Peter Duffy 33, Graeme Nimmo 32 and Edwin Green 31.
The monthly Stableford at Shrigley had division one topped by Roger White with 34 points from Graeme Nimmo 32 and Niall Lynch 31.
In division two John Gaskell cruised to victory with 31 points, three more than Andrew Mitchell and Jez Hancock.
Shirley Sharp, the new Captain of the Manchester Past Lady Golf Captains, intends to follow her club logo of ‘Luda Mutua Fides’ – Through Sport Comes Friendship’ as she looks forward to her year in office.
Shirley has had a very active and distinguished background in golf since she joined Davyhulme Park in 1962 undertaking a variety of top golfing roles and enjoying her own golf at her beloved club as well as across the region and many other venues across the golfing world.
Shirley was Lady Captain at Davyhulme in 1983 and Captain of The Lancashire County Senior LGA in 1996 and President of the same group in 20092010.
She is currently a trustee of the Davyhulme Park Golf Club Ltd and ready for a busy year with the Past Manchester Lady Captains.
Shirley said: “Our first qualifying event is at Bramhall Golf Club on June 26 and the second one at Denton on July 16, with both being open to all past Lady Captains in the area.
“Davyhulme Park will host the final on August 3 and the very popular Lunch will again be held at The Point at Lancashire Cricket Club on October 10 when the speaker will be former surgeon Peter Sykes who is a member of Davenport Golf Club.”