July 2001
It is probably unique in the annals of golf – a husband and wife sharing course records at the same club.
Almost exactly three years after Les Dooley set a gents’ record of 63, wife Fiona equalled his feat by breaking the ladies’ record by two shots with a gross 71 – one over par - in the opening round of the 36-hole Lady Captain’s Day.
And it might have been even better. She bogeyed the first and three-putted the third and the 14th.
But birdies on the 7th, 16th and the last enabled her to post her record score.
Inevitably, Les had a hand in her success. Fiona had “borrowed” his Taylor Made driver for the day. “He’s not getting it back,” she has since made clear.
Despite her round of a lifetime, Fiona, who plays off six, could only claim second place with a two-round net score of 140, four shots more than 26-handicapper Denise Fletcher.
The first day prize was won by Sylvia Haq, with Irene Mageean taking the honours on the second day. The best gross prize (equalling Fiona), went to Jane Fletcher, and the subsidiary event for those with a 37-plus handicap was won by Sheila Waterhouse, who also won an earlier LGU event.
It’s been quite a month for Fiona, who triumphed in two major events – the Marie Hufton trophy (after a three-way tie with Ann Fallows and Nadine McNamara), and the Mrs Bottoms Cup, with a net score of 68.
The Grandmothers Trophy was won by Pat Wilkinson (98-27-71), and Noreen Butterworth (96-32-64), won the accompanying LGU competition.
The Lady Vice-Captain’s Day also resulted in a tie between Hilda Garner and Pauline Seville, with Pauline eventually winning the play-off.
Two better-ball Stablefords were won by Nadine and Ann, and Sally Newton, with a net 66, beat Joan Swindells on a CPO to win an LGU qualifier for the Frances Smith Trophy to be played at Grange-over-Sands.
John Kingham took the honours with a fine 36 hole total of 128, including a first round 76-18-58, on Vice-Captain’s Day.
Runner-up, two points adrift, was Mukhtar Hussain, who said he might have some explaining to do if he was spotted taking home his prize – a decanter set and a bottle of whisky!
The best gross,.a splendid 144, was posted by five-handicapper Paul Rowbotham, with other prizes going to Duncan Hough and Alastair Gillian (1st and 2nd division winners, first round), and Nigel Wareing and Duncan Firth, the respective second round winners.
Congratulations to 11-handicapper Shaun Rattigan, who scored his first hole-in-one with a nine-iron at the 135-yard third at Douglas Golf Club while on holiday in the Isle of Man.
There was a tight finish to the popular Hyde’s Brewery Open, with only two points separating the first seven places.
B. Lomax and A. McConnell, of Greenmount, claimed first place with 44 pts, edging out Daisy Hill’s L. Nuttall and J. Barr on a countback.
Three pairs tied with 43 pts, with Werneth’s Duncan Hough and Steve McNamara keeping the home flag flying when settling for fifth place.
The day was voted a great success, and the condition of the course was praised by both the organisers and their guests.
Talented juniors Alan Palmer and Lee Rowbottom showed the way to their elders in the second Captain’s Day qualifier – though both are ineligible for the event itself.
Alan, who plays off 15 went round in 74, for a net score of 59, with six-handicapper Lee having to be content with second place despite carding a level-par 68, leaving him three shots adrift of his young rival.
The first qualifier was won by another youngster, 18-year-old James Buckley, who recently joined the ranks of full members, with a score of 72-12-60.
Runner up was Shaun Rattigan (73-12-61).
Lee and James later joined forces to win a fourball Stableford with 46 pts – two better than Ray Edwards and John Dolan.
Lee’s dad, Paul, joined forces with John Armstrong to win a Dovetail Medal Fourball (sponsored by Lee and Paul’s dad, Tom!), with a score of 56 net, one better than the pairing of Grahame Holt and Alan Palmer.
A three-man Texas Scramble was won by Clifford Fletcher, Joe Smith, and Stephen Burton, with Tony Roddy, Jonathan Wild, and Steve Britt in second place.
Roger Buckley and Geoff Dawson (57 net) beat Peter Griffin and Dale Hobson on a CPO in a fourball betterball medal, and a fourball betterball and aggregate Stableford competition was won by Peter Davies and Dale with 56 pts.
Runners-up were Curt Helme and Wayne Whitworth with 55 pts.
In recent months, our course has suffered from torrential rain, frost, snow, vandalism, theft, and the odd burned out car.
But, just when it seemed that nothing else could possibly go wrong, stewardess Carole Buckley and her husband Roger awoke to find a herd of cattle wandering over the greens, fairways, and the car park – and doing, in vast quantities, what cattle are prone to do.
Professional Roy Penney ruled that a ball on a cowpat could be designated as animal scrapings (almost an anagram for what they really are, when you think of it), and that a ball could be lifted and dropped not nearer the hole without penalty.
As everyone knows, a two-shot penalty is imposed when a ball is struck in motion!.
Just before the prizegiving following the Hyde’s Brewery Open, it was discovered that one of the greenkeepers had collected markers naming competitors who were eligible for nearest the hole and longest drive prizes – and had locked them away in the machinery store.
Greens secretary Alf Selby, who suffered agonies earlier this year when his son, Tim, was taken hostage for a month in Bangladesh, went to find them, armed with the necessary key and knowledge of the alarm code.
Unfortunately for him, on his way out – after setting the alarm – the up-and-over, self-locking, door slammed shut trapping him in the dark inside.
As the alarm sounded in the club, no-one was sure what was causing the problem – and Alf was left banging on the door and calling for help for around ten minutes before he was eventually freed.
Another case of all’s well that ends well for the Selby family.
Roy Garforth, with 44 pts, pipped Ross Rosengrove and Austin Hall on Seniors’ President’s Day. The over-70s prize went to Joe Smith.