September 2001
He’s only just 20 years old, but Ivan Slater has proved himself to be a master golfer by winning three major titles this season – equalling Paul Rowbotham’s 1999 record.
Ironically, the young 5-handicapper defeated Paul in the Mellor Cup final by three and two in a round which included an eagle three at the 483-yard 8th.
A couple of days earlier, partnered by elder brother Saul, he won the Hetherington Cup, defeating Paul Walker and John Littleford, again by three and two.
And, as reported last month, Ivan also won the club championship, carding gross scores of 73 and 70 for a total of 143.
To keep things in the family, Saul won the August monthly medal with a score of 72-8-64 following a card play-off with his younger brother.
Paul Walker made up for his disappointment in the Hetherington final by winning the Fairway Cup 24 hours later with a score of 76-15-61. Second was Andy Hey (82-16-66), on a CPO with Gary Seville.
John Booth and Joan Hughes won the Mixed title, defeating Danny Wilkinson and Heather Lockett.
In the Challenge Cup final, 11-handicapper Nigel Wareing was in cracking form against Geoff Dawson (7), whose putting was not up to its usual standard.
Nigel won the first two holes (Geoff went out of bounds on the second), and was still two-up at the turn.
Geoff found his putting touch on the 13th with a winning 25 footer but then lost the 14th to go four down with four to play.
He kept the match alive by winning the 15th but eventually succumbed when missing a shortish putt on the 16th.
In the Daily Mail Foursomes final, played simultaneously, Lewis Cordwell and Terry Wroe got off to a flying start against Andy Barlow and Fred Whittingham, winning the first three holes.
They were still two-up at the turn but lost the 11th and halved the 12th with birdie threes.
Andy and Fred finally went ahead at the 14th, and went further ahead at the 15th. Their dogged opponents won the 16th when Andy completely duffed his drive, but Fred made sure of the title by chipping in for a birdie three at the 17th.
The Grasshopper Cup was won by ex-greens chairman David Bielby (74-11-63), who defeated 24-handicapper Darren Andrews by a single shot.
And the James Waterhouse Trophy went to Ian Turner with a round of 71-8-63. Runner-up was Steve Oldham, a shot adrift, who edged out Rick Dobrowski on a CPO.
Former Central Lancashire League cricketer Alf Selby, a teacher by profession, has been named as the club’s next vice captain
An all-rounder with Ashton in his cricketing days, he was deputy head at Kaskenmoor Comprehensive School when he retired.
He and his family made national news earlier this year when son Tim was held captive in Bangladesh for just over a month.Four soccer fans successfully bid £420 for a tour of Old Trafford football club, a match-day meal, and a seat in one of the executive boxes – and then gave away their day out at the Theatre of Dreams.
It happened when ex-Bolton and Burnley star Paul Fletcher auctioned the much-coveted prize at Beer Sellers’ charity day at the club.
Among those present was the late Phil Dear’s widow, Kim, and other members of her family, who had donated a trophy in his memory, and who had asked that the £1000-plus raised at the event should be donated to the NSPCC.
A team comprising Werneth’s Roger Buckley and Shaun Rattigan, Howard Kelly (Brookdale), and Wayne Green (Oldham), outbid the hundred or so other guests and immediately donated their purchase to the Dear family – a generous gesture equally generously applauded.
The trophy itself was won by Werneth’s Chris Stringer with 37 Stableford points.
The team prize went to the Werneth quartet of Simon Stott, Duncan Hough, Bob Barrington, and Steve McNamara, with a score of 89 points. Another home team – Peter Davies, John Yemm, Dale Hobson and Tommy Dware – were four points adrift in third place.
Peter also won the prize for the longest drive on the 18th hole.
The day was a great success and Paul Fletcher was an entertaining speaker with some hilarious reminiscences of his playing days.
The dreaded wooden spoon has been “won” by Saddleworth for the second successive year.
Our heroes this year, in an annual event involving all five local clubs – Werneth, Brookdale, Oldham, Crompton and Royton, and Saddleworth – were captain Bill Waterhouse and Tom McNamara, who scored 29 pts in gale-force winds at Outlane GC, Huddersfield.
Saddleworth managed a mere 23pts.
Vice-captain Brian Hope changed the holiday arrangements of four couples in order to partner the captain but was unable to do so when the traditional date was changed.
To add insult to injury, Bill later won Saddleworth’s closing invititation day event, partnered by the home club’s 5-handicapper, Marcus Wray.
But Bill held his own, contributing 24 or the pair’s 47 points, and grabbing a two.Jane Clark and Joan Hughes defied January-like temperatures to win the Cheetham-Dugdale Trophy when defeating Brenda Jarvis and Sheila Whittingham.
Jane had previously won Mr Captain’s prize with a round of 84-17-67 and Joan, partnered by Denise Fletcher, won the Daily Mail Foursomes.
Denise went on to win the LGU Pendant comp. with a score of 93-23-70, and there was another double for Angela Whaley, who won an LGU Surprise with a score of 34 pts (despite an eagle at the 17th by Ann Fallows), and a two-ball Stableford with 34pts.
Les Dooley and Sheila Waterhouse came second in an open mixed event at Ingle GC, near Preston, with 41 Stableford points.
Despite a double-bogey 6 at the 18th, Les shot a level-par round on a course he had never played before.
Paul Barrington, partnered by Saddleworth’s David Pullen won the closing invitation day comp. with 45 pts – one more than Adrian Buckley and Brookdale captain Mark Riley.
Four pairs shared 43 pts but a countback decided places three to six as follows: Mukhtar Hussain and his brother Alyas (Royal St David’s, Harlech); Ian Turner and Eric Hyland (Brookdale); Chris Stringer and Ernie Tighe (Bacup); and Paul Gough and J. Glover (Oldham).
Duncan Hough, with a round of 75-12-63 was the first division winner of September’s monthly medal, defeating assistant pro.Lee Murray (7) on a CPO.
The second division title went to Peter Haq (80-14-66), with Ian Grant (83-16-67) the runner-up.
The Werneth Spoon winners were Tony Roddy and Sid Jolley with 68 pts – two
better than John Yemm and Peter Davies.
Winners of the club’s Open Mixed event was the home team of Bob Thompson, Joan Hughes, Danny Wilkinson, and Yvonne Evans with 86 pts.
Runners-up were Werneth’s Alan and Hilda Garner and Fred and Sheila Whittingham with 84 pts.