Paul ends Major wait with two on bounce
EXPERIENCED golfer Paul Bayley waited a long time to win a golfing ‘major’ and was delighted to claim two in quick succession.
Paul explained: “I joined Bramall Park four years ago and after 47 years of playing I have won a ‘major’ finally getting my name on a golf club board.
“I won the Men’s Seniors KO Final and followed it up by winning the Cyril Goodchild Trophy which is the Open Age KO.
“The club was formed in 1896 and this has never been done before in the same season. I got to the final of the Seniors KO in 2022 and lost. I was determined to win the following year but can’t believe I won both KO’s in the same year and I will be looking to retain in the coming year.”
A Stableford at Hazel Grove saw division one topped by Jon Davies with 32, two more than Nicholas Elliott and Steve King.
In division two Bernard McDonald was the main man with 30 from Ian McIntyre 29 and Ian Penney 28 and in division three Peter Allen led in with 32, one more than Stuart Drummond and Graham Tye.
Grove’s ladies were also in Stableford action with division one led in by Christine Jones 22, just clear of June Dawson and Eliane Beswick by a point.
Topping the other divisions were Margaret Farrell 25, one more than Barbara Allen and Maureen Silcock21, two more than Catherine Buggy.
Plenty of action at Avro with the Winter League and Stableford won by Andy Withington 41 from Roy Whalley and Curtis Fisher, both 38.
It was close in the Wednesday Roll up with Colin Quinn winning a cpo on 37 from the ever consistent Neil Flood.
A Seniors Texas Scramble had the hot trio of K Morrison, C Burnett and J Wetherell on top with 47, one more than I Anderson, T Bochenski and A Wright.
Avro ladies were back in action a singles Stableford topped by Sylvia Christelow 35, one more than Janet Scull and Kirsty
Balderson.
The 9-hole winner was Hazel James 16, three more than Helen Jervis.
It was tight in a ladies Stableford at Marple with Elaine Jones leading in with 23, one more than Karen Graham and Kay Gould-Martin.
A Stableford for Marple’s men had Bob Allcock out on his own with 28 from Simon Jeffs 25 and Philip Goodwin and Robert Wilkinson, both 24.
A Stableford for Marple seniors had division one led in by David Robinson 29 from Jonathan Vaisey 27 and Richard Kershaw 25.
In division two a hot cpo on 26 was won by John Ashton from David Tetley and Martin Bradshaw.
The Fifth round of the Seniors Winter Stableford at Reddish Vale had Bill Graty in top spot with a fine haul of 44 from Robert Pennington 43 and Patrick Coll and Alan Malone, both 41.
A Winter Order of Merit Two from Three Team Stableford at Vale was close with S Dickinson, D Breen and R Toye on top with 87, one more than J Barnett, D Flisk and R Armstrong.
A Team from three Winter OoM Bogey at Vale was won by R Mcnerlin, C Biddle and A Grinnell with +13, three more than cpo winners K Barthram, A Covell and G Hughes.
It was wall-to wall smiles from a full field of over 130 players as they enjoyed a sunny day and a course drawing deserved praise from all of the players.
Vale Royal Abbey’s scenic course, with a very historic and spectacular clubhouse, is handily placed in the middle of Cheshire and hosts many top competitions.
Their scenic and challenging course was in fantastic condition, after the recent awful weather clubs have endured in recent months, being superbly presented with smooth greens and the quality provided was reflected with some great scoring.
Leading the way in individual pro section was
Alliance legend Phil Archer (Poulton Park) joining Andy Palmer (Chorley) in top spot on 42 points, two more than Phil Kelly.
Phil Archer made it a double as he partnered club colleague Rob Wolf to top spot in the pro-am section with a great haul of 45.
Chasing them hard in a cpo on 44 were Scott Howarth (Davenport) and Mike Lamb (Bramhall), Gabe Bagshawe and MDGA Captain Don Milligan (Ashton-on-Mersey) and Stand’s dynamic duo of Mark Hancock and Gareth Mawdsley).
In the am-am section former amateur OoM winner Bob Barrow (Flixton) and Keith Middleton (Flixton) were clear winners with a best-of-the-day 46 from Darren Tickle and Stephen Lloyd (Blackley) 43, two more than Stamford’s reliable double act of Ian Fearns and Steve Finan.
The nearest the pin prize went to Poulton Park’s Tom Butterworth to completed another good day for their club.