February 2002
Ex-journalist Brian Hope, addressing the Annual General Meeting after assuming the captaincy of the club, expressed the wish that the Golden Jubilee Year weather would be much kinder this coming season.
He also pledged that he and the incoming greens’ secretary would do all in their power to ensure that the course is in first class condition as often as possible.
And he had nothing but praise for his predecessor, Bill Waterhouse, who, he said, had been an exemplary captain – never failing to chair a meeting of the council, missing only one Tuesday prizegiving, and spending almost every evening in the club.
“In moving a vote of thanks to him at the annual dinner, I said he would be a hard act to follow,” he said. “I’ve since changed my mind – he and his indefatigable wife, Sheila, will be an impossible act to follow.”.
He said he could not hope to spend as much time in the club during the evenings as he lived five miles away (and opposite a pub!), and was also an elected committee member of another organisation.
But he pointed out he could be found on the course five afternoons a week (weather permitting), or busy compiling the Werneth Wedge in the computer room before going out to play.
“And I’m always willing to listen to any constructive suggestion or complaint – even if I am on my backswing,” he said.
Mr Hope said he was delighted that Alf Selby had agreed to be his vice captain, and reminded the members that, at this time last year, Alf and his wife, Margaret, had demonstrated immense courage and dignity when their son Tim was taken captive by guerillas in Bangladesh for a month and a day.
The new captain said he was equally delighted that he would have Jane Fletcher, the new lady captain, as his partner in mixed competitions.
“No matter where I hit the ball, her reaction is always the same,” he said. “She just says ‘No problem’ and puts the where it should be.”
Twenty things you probably never wanted to know about your new captain:
1 Born Leigh, Lancashire, 1932. Moved to New Moston two years later. Now lives in Alkrington.
2 Educated Hulme Grammar School, Oldham.
3 Married to Olive. Three sons, Carl, Mark, Simon.
4. Reconnaisance photographer in RAF (National Service).
5 At one time active in amateur dramatics – including panto dame!
6 Played soccer for several local teams until aged 40.
7 Journalist with Manchester evening news for 40 years, mainly as industrial editor and leader writer.
8 In early days, based in Oldham office and covered Latics for football edition.
9 In 1960s was weekend TV interviewer on ABC of the North.
10 In 1966 seconded to Football Association as Chief Press Officer for World Cup matches played at Old Trafford.
11 For twenty years broadcast weekly from matches at Old Trafford and Maine Road for local radio stations.
12 Reviewed Oldham Coliseum productions for MEN from 1956-91.
13 Regional Industrial Journalist of the Year three times in 1980s.
14 First played golf as teenager at Heaton Park.
15 Discovered Werneth Golf Club by accident when wife organised car treasure hunt, whose route included Coalpit Lane.
16 Retired from MEN 1991.
17 Won monthly medal in October, 1994.
18 Veterans Trophy winner in 1998.
19 Hole in one at 16th, May 1998.
20 Initiated club’s Parmaster course planner (see Pro.) and founded Werneth Wedge in 2000.
Harry Butterworth, ex-Desert Rat and veteran of the D-Day landings, whose famous chip shop on Union Street achieved legendary status, has been granted life membership.
Harry, who joined the club fifty years ago and is still a keen player, was captain in 1970-71 and later a founder and long-serving chairman of the veterans’ section.
A four-player team event, with both ladies and gents eligible to compete in any formation – mixed, all men, or all ladies – is planned for Tuesday, June 4th, to mark the Queen’s Golden Jubilee.
The exact format will be announced nearer the time but will be similar to that employed on the Captain’s Fun Day when the winning team was Fiona Dooley, Lee Rowbotham, Frank Moran and Alan Cowling with 57 points.
Runners-up, with 53 points, were Isabel Wright, Bob Thompson, Roger Buckley, and David Barnes.
A raffle for a figurine donated by Les Lawton raised £90 for the captain’s charity.
Mail on Sunday Team Triumphs.
On a home course resembling the Lake District, Werneth won an extraordinary first-round victory over Breightmet in the Mail on Sunday match play classic.
After trailing in three of the four ties, our men fought back to win by two and a half matches to one and a half.
Peter Griffin showed his class when defeating Stephen Hare, another 6-handicapper, by 4 and 3, and Adrian Brierley ground out a 2 and 1 victory over Nigel Hunter, a 3-handicap man.
Les Dooley, up against ex-pro. Warren Laverty, playing off 4, was behind in most of his match but held his nerve on the18th green to sink an eight foot putt and secure a much-needed half.
First man out, 65-year-old Terry Marner found Breightmet’s 19-year-old assistant pro., Shaun Owen, a long-hitting 1-handicapper, too hot to handle and lost 4 and 3.
No Excuse for Tuesday Winners.
In order to make it easier for winners of Tuesday competitions to make arrangements to collect their prizes, council has decided that presentations will be delayed until the following Tuesday in future.
Under the old system, with the prizes presented on the same evening, some winners found it impossible to attend, or were unaware they had actually won. There is no change for Saturday prizewinners.
Congratulations to Peter Davies, the only man to hand in his card following a pro’s comp.on a saturated course on February 9.
The other three entrants were sunk without trace.
Ex-captain Pete Griffin, holed his tee shot from the forward tee on the 3rd during a pro’s comp. on February 16th – the third ace of the 6-handicapper’s career.
Handicap secretary Jack Cain, with 41 Stableford points, achieved his second successive victory in one of the few competitions which survived the February monsoon. Second, on a card play-off, was Danny Wilkinson.
Mr Cain later had a word with himself and, after much deliberation, knocked himself one shot.
These are the answers to last month’s soccer club clues:
1. Watford. 2.Queen’s Park. 3.Brechin. 4. Stoke. 5. Arsenal.
6. Motherwell. 7. Celtic. 8. Leeds. 9. Bolton. 10. Preston.
11. Mansfield. 12. Liverpool. 13. Leicester. 14. Wrexham.
15. West Ham.