Welcome return to action for Alliance
DAVENPORT Golf Club’s’s dynamic professional duo Jamie and Scott Howarth got the Manchester Alliance season back on track after the wettest-ever February and a great lack of golf playability across the region.
The first two fixtures had been postponed at Hart Common and Stand Golf Clubs but great work at Bury by course manager Dave Berry and his staff saw 18 holes available for play and this was backed by friendly and efficient hospitality in the clubhouse.
There were plenty of smiles and friendly banter as a busy Alliance field enjoyed the return to action.
Dominating the early scores were Poulton Park’s Alex Pritchard and Terry Broadhurst 42 and Alliance legend Phil Archer and his Leigh partner Mark Pasquill (Leigh) 42 with Phil putting the individual pro target of 38 at the top of the table.
Then the Howarth brothers stepped in with Scott combining with club colleague Dave WaldronKelly to win the pro am section with 46 four more than Alex Pritchard and Terry Broadhurst.
In joint third place on 42 were Andy Palmer (Chorley) and Paul Barlow (Stamford), Phil Kelly and Martin Dwyer (Stamford) and Phil Archer and
Mark Pasquill. Scott Howarth made it a double in the individual pro section with 39, one more than little brother Jamie, Phil Archer and Phil Kelly.
The am am section also produced some hot scoring led by home duo Mick Holmes Cheadle and late substitute Colin Stephenson (Bury) 46 ahead of Richard Blackwell (Mottram Hall) and table tennis legend John Hilton (Davenport) 44 and Ian Taylor and Keith White (Ashton-in-Makerfield) after a cpo on 43 from Criag Gilligan (High Legh Park) and Leigh Centurions rugby league star John Asiata (Hart Common).
Taking the final prize for Nearest the pin was Scott Jackson (Disley).
Macclesfield’s men played their seventh round of the Winter League and Neil Mutter showed his enduring class winning a cpo on 32 from Mike Baker and Ken Brown, two more than Barry Sutton and Martin Perry.
Macc ladies also got back into action in a Winter Stableford and in a close contest Carol Hyde led in with 25, one more than Georgina Whalley, Wendy Higgins and Jean Duncan, all 24 and Rita Barton 23.
A Sunday Stableford at Styal was won by Steve James 24 by two points from Anthony Guy.
Styal’s ever-busy seniors played two competitions and a 15-hole Winter League had division one won by Michael O’Donovan 33 from Nick Gillings 30 and Stephen Atherton and cricket legend Dave Rice, both 29.
In division two John Pickerill won a cpo on 30 from Brian Gray, six more than David Tomlinson and Ian Mills.
Two days later a 12-hole Stableford needed a cpo on 26 to take Stephen Atherton to top spot from Brian Gray with Paul Hill 25 and Dave Rice 24 also in the frame.
Alderley Edge professional Charles Le Seur gave his latest Winter League report: “Despite the course being very wet we had a cracking morning for it as the Captain and I took on the league leaders, Paul Gosling and
Bob Anderson.
“It was a tight game with the first six hole being halved. (4th hole closed!). The Captain knocked his tee shot onto the 8th green and two putted for a nett birdie to take the win.
“Going onto the last hole we knew a birdie from either of us would be enough and we narrowly missed out and both Paul and Bob made birdies to grab a half and maintain their two point advantage at the top with three matches to go.
“In the next fixture we are taking on Robert Jackson and Brian Pennington, it should be another tough game!”
The Archie Preston Trophy is one of the most popular Inter Club Knock Outs in the Manchester Alliance’s busy programme and for the first time has exceeded 100 clubs into the entry for this year’s competition.
It features seven mixed pairs led by their club’s Captain and Lady Captain in a Foursomes Match Play format.
This year’s final will be held at Wilpshire GC, last season’s champions who have a bye into round one.
The draw for the preliminary round featuring our local teams is: Alsager v Tytherington, Tunshill v Alderley Edge, Withington v High Legh Park, Styal v Ellesmere, Wilmslow v Harwood, Davenport v Pleasington, Lowes Park v Macclesfield, Mere v Leyland.