Scott and Jamie share top prize
THE penultimate Manchester Alliance fixture before the midwinter break saw the excellent Warrington Golf Club course make light of some horrendous conditions in the region, which had closed many courses, and provide another great contest for the prizes.
In the individual professional competition the scene for the day was set as the top spot was shared by Jamie Howarth (Davenport) and Scott Jackson (Disley) with 40 points, one more than Dave Green (Dukinfield) and Steve Parry (Hart Common). The top assistant pro not in the main prizes was Alex Elliott of Bramhall with 38 points.
The battle for the pro am prizes was unprecedented in the long history of the Alliance with a huge logjam of seven pairs locked on 43 points.
The nervy cpo went in favour of Alex Elliott and Bramhall club colleague Simon Hemsley from Anthony Millar (Ellesmere) and Don Milligan (Cheadle) and Gray Brown (Marple) and Richard Blackwell (Mottram Hall).
New amateur and true golfing legend Denis Durnian showed his enduring class as he partnered Chorley team mate Ian Braddock to 42 points to have a clear win in the am am section.
They finished two shots clear of Marcus Corfield (William Wroe) and Terry Gilbert (Davyhulme Park) and Chorlton’s Mark Gauci and Peter McManus.
Disley’s men played a singles Stableford and a congested leader board saw four players locked on 37 points. Getting the nod in a tense cpo was Paul Angus from Chris Hurst, Neil O’Brien and Jonathan Booth.
Disley ladies played a 14-hole Stableford and I Fell was a clear winner posting 31 points to finish ahead of D Eyre, 28 and L Lush and J Sandrey, both 27.
Cheadle ladies played a 9-hole Stableford led in by Jacquie Popplewell with 16 points, two more than Chani Ganatra.
The latest Junior Winter League Stableford at Romiley was won by Brooke Snape with 20 points, one ahead of Matthew Murray and Alex Jones.
A Four Man Team Stableford for Romiley’s men had the fab four of Chris Broster, Jim Millington, Graham Couser and Steve Kidd cruising to a formidable 98 points edging out A Walker, Nick Madden, M Hanson and R Hewitt 97.
Gatley’s men were in festive mood as they played a Xmas Fayre Stableford with Gary Clarke winning a cpo from Eric Griffin on 33 points and a point off the pace was Phil Rodman.
A singles Stableford for Gatley’s ladies had a runaway winner in Marie Gordon with her 30 points seeing her well clear of Angela Griffiths 26 and Pamela McKeon 25.
Heaton Moor’s men played a BB Stableford with Andy Camilleri and Tom Coffey posting 37 points to finish ahead of Chris Antonio and Alan Rothwell 34.
Mellor and Townscliffe’s men were stocking up their festive cellars in a Bottle BB Stableford and filling their boots after a cpo on 35 points were David Mellor and David Allcock from Lee McLachlan and Peter Varley with Mark Rowden and Russell Gould and Paul Todkill and Nicholas Marsland also in the prizes with 34.
M and T ladies were also in BB Stableford action with Karen Jones and Lesley Howarth first past the post with 34 points.
Next in were Janet West and Pat Phillips 33 and Pat Daniels and Christine Bartlett, G Southworth and Paula Ryan and Jyoti Axon and Sue McDiarmad, all 31.
Styal Golf Club’s junior star Will Dodds is delighted and proud to have been chosen as the Cheshire Union of Golf Clubs Junior Captain for the coming season.
The 17-year-old is currently studying Chemistry, Maths and Economics at Wilmslow High School Sixth Form and has achieved a handicap of +1.3 after enjoying successes with his club and county teams for several years and he sets a new record for his club bt becoming their first-ever junior to be the Cheshire Junior Captain.
Will said: “It is a great honour to be chosen as the County Junior Captain for myself, my club and my family and I am looking forward to leading out the Cheshire Junior Team in big fixtures such as the Four Counties and the ‘Boys Big Six’ which Cheshire are hosting at Warrington Golf Club.
“I got into golf at nine years of age encouraged by my dad who plays at Sale.
“He took me to Styal where I had numerous junior grouped lessons and I got my first handicap of 28 at the age of 11.
“Since then I have won multiple board competitions at Styal, the Mottram Hall Junior Open and the Hillside Junior Open and had plenty of great matches for Cheshire including the Boys Big Six.
“I would like to thanks the coaching team at Styal and especially Simon Forrest as since I started seeing him three years ago I have got my handicap down from six to +1 and the effort he has put in has been unbelievable.
“I’ve also had great support from the Styal members over the years and I would also like to thank Cheshire junior organiser Mike Jones for all of his help and also for giving me this opportunity.
“I would like to thank my parents for supporting me, taking me to places and giving up their time.
“During the coming season I would like to get my handicap even lower and also achieve a WAGR (world amateur golf ranking) and ultimately I would like to turn professional, hopefully making it on to the European Tour.”