July 2002 Issue No. 27 Captain: Brian Hope
Lady Vice-Captain Ann Fallows was not among those whistling a happy tune when she attended an evening performance of The King and I at Manchester's Opera House.
For instead of occupying the seat next to her, husband Nick was battling it out with Bob Barrington in a six hole play-off on Vice-Captain Alf Selby's big day.
The two had tied on net 129 after 36 dramatic holes earlier in the day. Coming up the last, it was touch and go whether Nick, who plays off five, would be able to stave off the challenge of his 15-handicapper rival in time to accompany his wife to the theatre.
But it was not to be - and Ann had to make a last-minute dash to Manchester without him. To add to his woe, Nick then lost the play-off. At the prizegiving ceremony, he admitted that things could hardly be worse - the theatre visit was to celebrate Ann's 40th birthday and the couple's wedding anniversary!
The best gross score was 138 (70 and 68), by Les Dooley.
Another man who was celebrating was Steve Winfield, who holed in one at the 16th.
Werneth members had a share in four of the six major prizes on offer at the Hyde's Brewery Open.
The winners were Jim Mellor and Harry Wright (Prestwich), with 46pts, with Steve McNamara and Steve Shoreman (Crompton and Royton), in second place with 44pts.
The next four pairs also had 44pts but, after a countback, the placings were
as follows:
Third - Steve Wilkinson and Andy Thornton (Saddleworth).
Fourth - Denis Welsby and Arthur Roberts (both Little Lever Conservative
Club).
Fifth - Lee Nuttall and John Forest (both Daisy Hill Inn).
Sixth
- Shaun Rattigan and Grahame Holt.
Hyde's chairman, Chris Hyde, praised the state of the course but was tight-lipped about the brewery's future plans.
What is known is that a similar event will not be held next season.
The weather was kind and a large field thoroughly enjoyed the conditions on the Captain's Invitation Day.
Peter Davies, partnered by Royton's Jason Webster, took the top honours with 46pts, two better than Ian Gillies and Rob McGarrigle (Brookdale).
Third, with 43pts, were Mel Robinson and Shaun McEvoy (Brookdale), with Dale Hobson and Bob Rutter taking fourth prize after a CPO.
Fifth were Tim Barratt and John Brock (Crompton and Royton), with 42pts - the same as Fred Whittingham and Dave Wright (Manchester), who had to settle for sixth place after a countback.
With the Hyde's Open and Invitation Day taking place in the same week, the bar and catering staff - notably Carol and Jayne - faced a daunting challenge but coped superbly.
Out walking her dog on the Fairwood Park Estate, a lady resident found a set of golf clubs carefully hidden under a bush, obviously waiting to be collected later.
The police were rather less than keen to become involved, but she noticed a Werneth Golf Club tag attached to the back.
Secretary John Barlow was alerted and delivered the clubs to the professional's shop.
And when Roy examined the contents of the bag, he spotted some new balls which he recognised. "I sold those yesterday to Rick Dobrowolski," he said.
Meanwhile, Rick had discovered his car had been broken into and that his clubs were missing - only to be told they had been found.
Other than council members, only eleven people (including two couples), attended the open greens meeting on July 1, but a lively discussion ensued and some positive suggestions were aired for consideration by the council.
These included the provision of extra bunkers on the second, an internal out of bounds line on the eighth fairway for balls driven from the ninth tee, more trees, a less difficult cut of rough for ladies' Opens etc., fairway mats for use in the winter, and greater information for members about planned course improvements.
A wintry temperature greeted the players on Lady Captain's Day, but the prospect of picking up one of the glittering prizes provided by Jane Fletcher produced some hot competition.
Halina McGonagle finally triumphed with a two-round score of 181-44-137 to pip Angela Whaley (194-56-138), by a single shot.
The best gross was achieved by Fiona Dooley with two fine rounds of 79.
The event took place over two days with Thursday's prize going to Eileen Fallows (83-17-66), with Sheila Lees (96-27-69), winning on the Saturday.
Jane's decision to stage a social evening on the Saturday evening proved to be extremely popular.
An earlier Ladies' Open stroke play tournament was won by the trio of Sheila Waterhouse, Jane Clark, and Wendy Cash (Oldham) with a score of 65.
Second, with 69, were Lady Vice-Captain Ann Fallows, Linda Vipond (North Manchester), and Val Hall (Crompton and Royton), who defeated Denise Fletcher, Angela Whaley, and Debbie Wood (Crompton and Royton), on a countback.
Mrs Bottoms Trophy - Sheila Whittingham (92-21-71).
Texas Scramble - Lady Captain, Joan Hughes, Alice Nixon (73-6.7-66.3).
LGU Medal - Jane Clark (84-17-67).
Werneth member Don Gartside, who won the Mellor Cup in 1988, has now picked up an even greater prize - an MBE in the Queen's birthday honours list.
Mr Gartside, who plays off 10, was rewarded for his work as director of estates for the former Oldham NHS Trust and for services to Rochdale's hospitals, where he now works for the Pennine Acute NHS Trust.
Our congratulations to him.
Peter Haq, captain of the club's B team, would like it to be known that his men triumphed by 6-2 at Denton - their first win away from home for five long years.
But they were still unbeaten at home at the time of writing.
The club lost another popular member on June 19 with the death of Derek Ankers at the age of 72.
Former production manager for a local rubber manufacturing firm, as well as golf he also enjoyed snooker, quiz nights, horse racing, and soccer - he was a fine goalkeeper in his youth according to Joe Smith, who had known him since their schooldays more than 60 years ago.
Our condolences to Derek's widow, Hannah, and his family
Albert Kingham holed in one at Brookdale's sixteenth hole when competing in a past captains' competition.
Fletcher Thwarts Smith for Veterans Trophy
After a ding-dong battle
between two of the club's ex-captains, Cliff Fletcher, with a score of 77-10-67,
beat Joe Smith (82-15-67), on a card playoff, to win the Veterans' Trophy - a
board comp.
Who is the lady member who mistakenly proffered her 84-year-old mother's passport as proof of identity at a bank -