October 2002
By Terry Marner‘A’ team captain.
On a bright and sunny Sunday afternoon, Werneth ‘A’ team won the Oldham and District League Knockout Cup at Stamford Golf Club, beating a strong Denton ‘A’team by three and a half to one to bring the silver trophy back to Werneth after an absence of ten years.
All the games were closely fought with excellent wins for the pairings of James Buckley and Lee Rowbotham, and Mike Cassidy and Paul Rowbotham.
Shaun Rattigan and Grahame Holt also played well but went down to the superior golf of their opponents.
The team of brothers Saul and Ivan Slater, playing the strongest Denton pairing, were one up playing the 17th, but the hole was won by the opposition with an eagle three.
The last hole was halved to send the match down the 19th, and a win had to be achieved unless the last pair, John Yemm and Les Dooley, could give Werneth the third victory needed to secure the trophy.
News came through that the Denton pair had birdied the 16th to make that match all square with two holes to play, so that there was still everything to play for.
Saul and Ivan halved the 19th, 20th, and 21st holes and, having played excellent tee shots at the par three 22nd, news was brought down the course that John and Les had halved the 17th and then won the 18th to ensure Werneth’s victory.
The support from the twenty Werneth members, who caddied or watched, was much appreciated by the team – the fact that Denton had only one supporter does much to emphasise the importance of team support.
As non-playing captain, I was nicknamed Spartacus by the team – a name they had embroidered on a sweater they presented to me just before the match.
I shall wear it with pride.
Holidays and work commitments played havoc with arrangements for the major board competitions with the result that only two matches took place on Major Finals Day on September 21 – for the Mellor Cup and the Hetherington Trophy.
In the case of the Dail Mail Foursomes (not a board comp. but one which enables the winners to go forward to the inter-club knock-out stage), the final was eventually played on the morning of the Annual Presentation Night three weeks later.
The failure of several competitors to play their matches before the stipulated dates, throughout the various rounds, is causing concern for council and action may be taken against transgressors in future.
The final roll of honour is as follows:
Club Championship – Lee Rowbotham.
Challenge Cup – Mike Cassidy.
Hetherington Trophy – Ged and Michael Hulme.
Mellor Cup – Peter Davies.
Fairway Cup – Steve Winfield.
Grasshoppers Cup – Dave Huxley.
James Waterhouse Trophy – Nadeem Ayyub.
Captain’s Day – John Barlow
Mixed Foursomes – Les Dooley and Sheila Waterhouse.
Veterans’ Trophy – Clifford Fletcher.
Daily Mail Foursomes – Gary Seville and Nick Dobrowolski..
Eclectic – Div 1: James Buckley.
Div 2: David Nield.
Nine-handicapper Terry Marner was the winner with a splendid 40 Stableford points on chairman Albert Kingham’s Day.
Runner-up, just a point behind, was Tom McNamara, who plays off 13.
The over-70s prize went to Joe Swindells.
At the dinner which followed there was a surprise for Doug Owen when he was presented with a framed photograph of him removing the ball from the cup at the 176-yard 16th at Castletown Golf Club, in the Isle of Man, after scoring a hole in one with a five iron while on one of Tom’s Tours.
At the AGM, held on the same day, it was reported there are currently sixty members in the section. It was decided to retain the £4 subscription after treasurer Alan Milligan reported £33o cash in hand.
Mr Kingham expressed disappointment that some members playing in inter-club and Lawrence Batley matches leave for home after finishing their rounds.
He made it clear: “I would prefer you don’t put your name down if you are not prepared to stay for the meals which follow.
“It is not good form when one of us has to entertain our two opponents – it’s a matter of manners.”
The Seniors’ Open, held in May, was a great success, making a profit of £480, of which £470 was donated to the ladies’ section and the club in lieu of green fees for Lawrence Batley matches.
All the officers were re-elected without opposition.
Ron Beresford, with a score of 73-12-61 was the first division winner of the October monthly medal, with Mark Abbott (69-5-64), the runner-up.
The second division title went to Peter Haq (77-14-63), who was also promoted to the first division. Second place went to Neil Pickering with a score of 85-21-64.
An earlier medal round was won by assistant professional Lee Murray with a sub-par round of 65 (net 61) . Quentin Cartwright was second (79-16-63).
Tony Bozward (78-17-61), took the honours in another medal comp., defeating 10-handicapper Mike Cassidy by a single shot.
There were two pro’s comps during the month won by Lee Rowbotham – 28pts in a 13-hole Stableford event – and Les Dooley, who amassed 38pts over 18 holes off a handicap of two.
The respective runners-up were Dale Hobson (25pts) and David Nield (35pts).
Life member Clifford Hill celebrated his 90th birthday on October 9th to join Fred Walton and Norman Ayrton on this great landmark.
Failing eyesight has brought Clifford’s golf career to a halt but, in his heyday, his name appeared on the honours board seven times over a 41-year period – first as a 32-year-old and lastly as a 73-year-old OAP!
He won the Challenge Cup twice (1969,1975), The Grasshoppers Trophy twice (1978,1985),the Captain’s Prize (1966), The Vice-Captain’s Prize (1944), and the Hetherington Trophy (1973), with the late George Cattlin.
To no-one’s surprise, Lee Rowbotham added the junior section’s Challenge KO title to his Club Championship, beating his 12-year-old brother Aaron by 2 and 1.
Lee beat his other brother, Aaraon, in an earlier round.
The Captain’s Prize went to Jonathan Wilde (81-16-65), with Lee (71-4-65), and the Lady Captain’s Prize was won by Michael Farrimond (85-20-65), from Aaron Rowbotham (81-14-67).
The inaugural Junior-Senior comp., played in bitterly cold conditions, was won by Jonathan Dooley and Lee Murray (74-7-67), from Lee Rowbotham and Terry Marner (74-5-69).
Congratulations to big-hitting Fiona Dooley on clinching the Ladies’ Section Championship.
Other results: LGU Medal – Angela Whaley (92-27-65).
LGU medal – Joan Hughes (89-26-63.
2-ball Stableford – Fiona Dooley (35pts)
3-ball Alliance: Jane Clark, Betty Keating, and Lily Bevins (58).
SATURDAY, JANUARY 11. 7-30pm for 8pm.
A splendid meal with close-up table magic by ANTHONY GREENWAY
Tickets £15 each, restricted to a total of 32 (four diners at each of eight tables).