Golfing skills writ large in family tree
THE Procter family has enjoyed great times at Heaton Moor Golf Club and none more than John Procter who joined Heaton Moor from Stockport
His wife Judith is a past Captain of Stockport and their son Danny joined Stockport for a few years as a junior before becoming assistant pro at Davenport.
He was then the professional at Flixton and Bury before returning to amateur status at Heaton Moor when his young family came along and he continues to terrorise the members at Heaton Moor with his golfing prowess!
John has been doing research into his family’s golfing history and his grandparents James and Florence Amy were top players in the early years at Prestwich Golf Club which was founded in 1908.
Amy was a low singlefigure handicapper and was Lady Captain in 1920 and three years later James was the Club Captain.
They were both prolific winners of ‘major’s but the Prestwich honours boards show their names spelled as Proctor – a common mistake with the Procter family name.
John inherited four prizes won at Prestwich, three by Amy (including a beautiful silver bonbon tray awarded by the 1924 Captain W Greenhalgh), six monthly medal teaspoons and a 1927 Captain’s Prize.
From his grandfather James he has also inherited a ‘hole-in-one’ trophy comprising three silver clubs enclosing the ball used by him for the ace.
Prestwich honours boards show that James also won Captain’s and President’s prizes but the family has also been unable to trace them.
John’s uncle, also called James, did not play at Prestwich but was a member at Broughton.
John remembers his father Gordon, living in Kearsley near Prestwich but his first club remains a mystery for, as a 21-yearold, he was conscripted into the RAF and may not have played before the war. John has always thought that he did.
John has had a very successful golfing career, clearly making the most of his family genes and in 1991 at Heaton Moor he won the Eldridge Cup for the third time- a nett 36-hole competition now played over the same weekend as the club championship originating from about 1905.
Mr Eldridge, the donor of the cup, stipulated that anyone winning the cup three times could keep it.
This caused something of a dilemma and either the competition would have to end or a new trophy acquired.
John agreed to return the cup so that the competition could continue in perpetuity and in return the committee suggested that if the Procter family would like to provide a trophy the September medal would be played for as The Procter Trophy.
In John’s father’s loft he found Amy’s cup from Prestwich and had it reengraved and so the Prestwich Captain’s Prize became the Procter Trophy – his parents would have been justly proud!
Honours boards are full of history and there are such stories behind every name- but what really intrigues John is how his family came to take up golf 100 years ago and whether his grandparents might have been founder members of Prestwich.
John would love to hear from anyone who might have family connections there and now that his grandson William has joined Heaton Moor he will be the fifth generation to take up the game and continue the long tradition of the Procter family.
John does not have the exact chronology of which Procter player where over the last 100 or so years but he will sit down one day and lay it all out to Danny and William.
Another exercise he would like to do is create a list of all appearances on Golf Club honours boards and Captains, Lady Captains and Presidents from all of the Procter family at all the six clubs where they played- Now that is a real task!!
This years competition for the Procter Trophy was won by Joseph Shaw with 70-6-64 ahead of Jon Beckett 66 and Lee Milner, Alan Worswick and Paul Higgs, all 68.
A BB Stableford for Moor’s men needed a cpo on 33 points to see Dave Magrath and Mike Shaw home from Gerry Lunt and Dave Larner.
A Scotch Trot at Moor was won by John Gough and Pete Jordan with 33 points, one more than Frank Oliver and Steve Moor.
Bramhall ladies were looking to top up their festive cellars in a bottle competition won by Kath Kirwan with 22 points from Frances Gell 21 and Gill Gee, Claire Eyre and Claire Fitzpatrick, all 20.
Marple’s men were also in festive mood in a Turkey Trot with the biggest bird being picked up in division one by Stuart Mellish with 33 points from Craig Murray 32 and Thomas Svensson 31.
It needed a cpo on 35 points to see Richard Newton into top spot in division two from Stan Hall with Stuart Needham and Mark Oldfield both two points adrift.
Marple ladies played a Three Clubs and a Putter Stableford and Kay GouldMartin showed her adaptable skills with a top score of 27 points, two more than Joan Vaughan and Linda Rogers.
A 15-hole Greensome for Stockport’s men saw the family pair of Andy and Zac Smith win a cpo on 35 points from Paul Atkinson and Bob Coley, three more than Nic Cox and A Hewett and Tom Clarke and Paul Holtom.
The second Winter Stableford for Hazel Grove’s men was won by Shaun Leonard with 37 points from David bell 36 and William Sutton 35.
Grove’s ladies were in singles Stableford mode with Jean Brain on top with 34 points, five more than Louise Hayden.
A Three Man Team Stableford at Reddish Vale had clear winners in D Walton, Steve Booth and Bob Kelsall as their 81 points took them three clear of Dave Hamilton, C raig Davies and Lee Addison, Crispian Logue, Michael Short and Thomas Beirne and P Coll, Ed Burke and Alan Malone.
Manchester Giants Basketball Club are looking for entries to a charity golf day that will support their junior teams which cover age-group for 12-18 years and currently have over 150 players.
The golf day will be at Withington Golf Club on Friday May 5 with a shotgun start from 12.15pm and for teams of four of any make-up - men, ladies or mixed.
For more information or to book a slot the contact is John Dwan on email jdwan@manchestergiants.com or tel 0161 945 9626.
There is also a Turkey Trot Golf Day for teams of four available at Tytherington Golf Club on Friday December 23 and for more details contact the events team on 01625 506012.
There also plenty of festive offers now available at Mottram Hall during December and January as well as their other QHotel golf resorts.
For more info check out the website www.qhotels. co.uk/offers/offer/golfoffers/twixmas-golfbreak.
Haydock Park Golf Club survived a night of torrential rain and the attendance of past Captain Doug Craig to provide a course in great condition and with superb greens for another strong and full field.
Birchwood’s Phil Archer kept up the form he showed at High Legh Park last week as he hit the bullseye of being top individual pro and winner of the pro am section.
He posted 40 points to top the individual pro section one point ahead of Colin Maroney (Bolton Old Links) and Olly Smith (Ashton-on-Mersey).
Then with his Dunham Forest partner Mark Harding Phil led in the pro am section with 45 points putting them clear of Chorlton duo Adam Hodkinson and Danny Gathercole 44 and Colin Maroney and Andy Fletcher (Bolton Old Links) 43.
The top assistant pro prize was shared on 38 points by Adam Hodkinson, Andy Palmer (Chorley) and Rob Batchelor (Stand), all 38.
Leading in the am am section were Stand’s powerful duo of Norman Haslam and James Parton with 43 points from Andy Charnock and Craig Cuthbert (Fairfield) 42 and Stamford stars Danny Fox and Steve Finan 40.
John has had a successful career, clearly making the most of his family genes