Warhurst gets set for EuroPro Tour
STEPHEN Warhurst has enjoyed a successful time in golf at Marple and Stockport Golf Clubs since he began playing ten years ago at the age of 11.
He played alongside his dad Paul and his two elder brothers at Marple and enjoyed great success setting a new course record of 63 and winning a range of club ‘majors’.
Stephen also played at Stockport Golf Club where he was the junior captain, won a junior scratch competition and was the East Cheshire scratch league order of merit winner.
He represented Cheshire at both boys and men’s level and played numerous times on the Northern Order of Merit picking up some solid finishes and at national level he played in the Brabazon Trophy and the Welsh Amateur championship.
Stephen has just joined the EuroPro Tour and will be playing in their Qschool and he is also a member of the 1836 Tour and will be aiming to qualify for the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.
Stephen said: “I have many people to thanks for my progress in golf and they include Marple legend Sid Hodkinson who was very supportive from an early age playing with as my partner in the Winter League at the age of 13 when many players would have avoided doing that because of my age!”
Sid commented: “Stephen was a natural golfer from the start of playing and in my opinion he was the best player ever to come out of Marple Golf Club.”
Stephen continued: “I would also like to thank Tony Stevens, the highly respected and experienced professional at Davenport Golf Club for courtesy of the course and use of their excellent facilitiesit is an honour to be attached to Davenport.
“I would also like to thank Scott Howarth, my long time coach, for his continuing support and knowledge.”
“Scott, also a former Marple junior and is now based in the state-of-theart coaching studio at Davenport, said: “Stephen and myself have been working together over the past two years in preparation for him to turn professional – I set a programme covering all aspects of Stephen’s game from technique to fitness for him to follow.
“We have carried out intensive swing work over the winter months and he has a great understanding of his own swing so that he can compete in the paid ranks.
“He has a hard working and focussed attitude and understands that he needs to constantly be improving each day in order to compete at a high level.
“I enjoy working with Stephen and look forward to seeing him progress in the future.”
The final word came from Stephen’s dad Paul: “Stephen works part-time with me in the family painting and decorating company and is looking for sponsorship in his professional career and anyone who thinks that they can help can contact me on 077251 25921.
“He is a very dedicated person- very single minded and knows what he wants and has great focus on his golf every day.
“Stephen is teetotal and ●●Stephen Warhurst works out daily and his golfing idol is Tiger Woods.”
An informal singles Stableford for Stockport ladies was won by Natasha Brown with 22 points from the ever consistent Linda Bolt 19 and Pat Gemmell 17.
The third Winter Stableford for Hazel Grove’s men needed a cpo on 35 points with Duncan Cocker getting the nod from Gordon Brady and Ian Barwell.
A Texas Scramble for Grove’s ladies was won by H Hill, J Hare and D Heywood with 36.3 from June Dawson, M Morley and K Deakin 38.8.
Marple seniors played a Three Mulligans Stableford and in division one Bob Newcombe won a cpo from David Wilson on 37 points, one more than John Keelan.
In division two Richard Miller was a clear winner with 34 points from Tony Hurst 33 and Stuart Hope 32.
Marple ladies played a singles Stableford and it was won by Sarah Beard with 28 points from Jennifer Jones 27 and Sheila Leigh 23.
A Three Man Texas Scramble at Reddish Vale was won by the hot trio of Dave Hamilton, Criag Davies and Lee Addison with 47.1 just ahead of Ryan Jackson, Dean Martin and Mike Thompson 47.6 and John Schofield, Stuart Wilde and Gareth Jones 47.7.
A Sunday pro’s Stableford at Vale was led in by John Devenney with an impressive 41 points one more than Pete Woodfinden and Paul Bruckshaw 39.
Manchester Alliance Captain Dave Smith, the Swinton Park professional, returned to his Captain’s role after a golfing competition in The Algarve with several more Alliance players and brought the sun back with him on a glorious day at Romiley Golf Club.
All of the players enjoyed the sun and well presented course reflected on another day of top scoring.
It was close in the individual pro section as Steve Parry (Hart Common) and Andy Palmer (Chorley) tied on 41 points as they look to close the gap on Order of Merit leader Phil Archer (Birchwood).
They finished one clear of Dave Smith with Davenport’s Jamie Howarth winning the assistant pro prize with 39 points.
The sun continued to shine on Dave Smith as he found an excellent partner in club colleague Jimmy O’Reilly to post 45 points to top the pro am section ahead of Tim Maxwell (Knutsford) and Dave Antrobus (Vale Royal Abbey) who won a cpo on 44 points from Steve Parry and amateur Order of Merit leader Vinny Doyle (Leigh).
The am am section was won at a canter by Lee Warren (Northenden) and Dave Hemingway (Chorley) with their 44-point haul taking them five clear of Phil Major and Geoff Haddon (Cavendish) and Marcus Corfield (William Wroe) and Dave Smith Ellesmere.
The Balfour and Houldsworth Golf Competitions were established in 1897 with the aim of encouraging and promoting amateur golf within a 20-mile radius (recently extended to 25 miles) of Manchester Town Hall.
The original founders were Hon AJ Balfour and Sir William Henry Houldsworth and the voluntary B and H committee now organises five top-class competitions for amateur golfers each year drawn from the 171 eligible clubs.
The competitions in 2017 begin with the Balfour Cup, a singles medal, at Stand GC on May 21 and continue with the Houldsworth Cup, a BB bogey, at Worsley GC on June 18, the GS Lancashire Trophy, mixed BB Stableford, at Davyhulme Park GC on July 9, the Seniors Balfour, BB Stableford, at Northenden GC on August 16 and finishing with the Junior Balfour, singles medal for boys and girls on September 10 at Flixton GC.
To find out more or book a slot check out the website www.balfourandhouldsworth.co.uk.