Macc duo repeat Foursome success
VALE Royal Abbey GC have been the hosts for the County Mixed Foursomes Championships since the competition began a few years ago.
Once more they provided a bright sunny day and a course in good condition considering the awful weather in the days prior to the event.
As always the historic clubhouse provided excellent hospitality and a friendly service for officials and players.
This year saw the entry format changed as other players were able to play as well as the designated club champions and there was a big field of 90 players with handicaps ranging from scratch to 41, welcomed to the first tee as always by Roger Scowcroft.
Cheshire President Tony Gregory and his wife Linda (Stockport) were able to experience playing in the competition for the first time and they enjoyed the company of Didsbury GC’s new Lady Captain Tricia Allison and her able partner David Newell.
It was a tense finish to the competition with the outcome of the championship going to a cpo on 41 points.
It was won by Macclesfield GC’s Chris Massey and Greeba Jones who were winners of the competition in 2020.
The big hitting from Chris combined superbly with Greeba’s deft touch around the greens to take them across the line from Lily and Ian Jones (Prenton GC).
It also needed a cpo on 38 points to take Sarah Dee and Adam Morrey into third spot from Jo Akers and Dave Quinn (Stamford).
Another great day for mixed golf in Cheshire and Tony Gregory gave deserving praise to all had contributed from Vale Royal Abbey, the CUGC and the players to make this a very sociable and competitive day for county golf.
Macclesfield ladies played a Team Disco and the 3J’s were fab-u-lous with Julia Dunne, Jill Hunter-Blench and June Summer fast-footing it to 47, ten more than Kay Atkin, Rita Barton and Joy Clements and Myra Clark, Chris Hickmott and Chris Gleaves.
Macc’s men began their Winter League and setting the early pace was Neil Jackson 31, two more than John Sherwood, Philip Cockburn and David Earl.
A 9-hole Stableford at Alderley Edge was won by Mike Harding16 ahead of Gary Buxton 15 and Joshua Harding 13.
Mottram Hall’s men played a Texas Scramble and top of the shop with 55.0 were C Scott, T McDonald, G Steel and C Colledge with S Smith, S Hesketh, S Truby and D
Johnson winning a cpo on 56.0 from two other pairs.
Prestbury ladies played a 14-hole Quad Am and the All Star teamof K Wilkinson, C Ryder, G O’Neill and N Rowley won a cpo on 63 from A Cartmell, J Durrant, N Brough and T Moorhouse three more than Kate and Isobel Wardle and Ellen Cail.
The Wednesday Stableford at Styal had Neil Brownhill winning a cpo
on 27 from Mark Window, two more than Tom Bloor.
A Seniors Waltzing Team Stableford at Styal saw C Buckle, R Martin and S Atherton glide to victory with 58, one more than C Baillie, H Dickson and A Lines.
The Friday 9-hole Frolics at Styal was won by Matt Bailey13,one more than Graham Jones.
Mike Wild led in a 15-hole Sunday Stableford at Styal with 30 from
Anthony Guy 28 and Kenny Mayo and Matt Bailey both 26.
A Midweek Stableford at Avro was led in by Steve Jones at a canter as he posted a great haul of 44 to finish ahead of Andrew McGarrie 39 and Peter Walker 34.
Avro seniors were in festive spirit in a Christmas Prize Stableford and Ian Wilson was out on his own with 45 eight clear of Ian Arthur, Mark Sweeting and Paul McKinney.
The ‘major’ FC Long Trophy at Avro saw some hot scoring led in by Roy Whalley 60 from Ian Arthur 62 and Curtis Fisher 63.
After a week of very wet weather which had closed most golf clubs at the weekend Warrington Golf Club provided a magnificent course with fantastic greens which set up a very competitive day for a full Alliance field.
The quality of the course was reflected in the excellent scores posted in all categories as players enjoyed wall-to-wall sunshine – ordered by Alliance Captain Don Milligan (Ashton-on-Mersey)!
The top score of the day was a superb 49 points from Anthony Herbert (Styal) and Ross Birch (Reddish Vale) to top the Am Am section.
It took them four clear of Anthony Kenny (Prestwich) and Alistair Holloway (Denton).
Next in were Norman Haslam (Stand) and Gary Greenhalgh (Knott End) who won a cpo on 43 from several other pairs.
It was much closer in the individual professional category as Graham Cox (Lymm) marked a welcome return to Alliance action and showed his local knowledge of the Warrington course to lead in with 41, one more than Callum Blinkhorn (Leigh), Jamie Howarth (Davenport) and Andy Palmer (Chorley).
It was even hotter in the pro-am section with three pairs locked on 45- Tony Stevens and Aiden Hanbury (Davenport), Matthew Saville and Alistair Upton (Bolton Old Links) and Andy Palmer (Chorley) and Paul Ralph (Hazel Grove).
The winner of the Nearest the Pin prize was Dexter Moult (Mellor and Townscliffe).
Alliance President Ian Brooks (Bolton Old Links), with his two admin colleagues far away in foreign climes put in a great stint to ensure that everything on and off the course went like clockwork- with some late help from a tired Chris Bibby.