No. 48 Captain: Kevin Roberts. June 2004.

ANDY HEY WINS ON VICE-CAPTAIN’S DAY.

Vice-Captain John Yemm won a host of new friends when he not only provided a scintillating array of out-of-the-ordinary prizes on his big day but also toured the course handing out bacon butties in the morning and sandwiches in the afternoon to all ninety competitors.
The early starters had to endure a torrential downpour but conditions later improved immeasurably – and the final outcome was a fine win for 13-handicapper Andy Hey with rounds of 81 and 72 (net 127).
Paul Rowbotham, who plays off just two, twice broke par with superb rounds of 65 and 67 but fell one short of equalling Hey’s net score.

Because his dad won the runners-up prize, Lee Rowbotham’s rounds of 70 and 71 were sufficient for him to take home the best gross award.

Mark Abbott’s sub-par 66-3-63 won him the first division prize in the morning with Terry Wroe (84-20-64) taking the second division honours.

Danny Wilkinson (70-8-62) was the first division’s champion after lunch with Paul Higgins (79-14-65) the second division star.

VISITOR SHOOTS A GROSS 62.
Scratch golfer Alan Jones carded a gross 62 – seven birdies and eleven pars – and his 24-handicap partner R. Gregson chipped in with the odd net birdie to win first prize with 47 Stableford points when Hyde’s Brewery staged their annual event at Werneth.

Jones’ individual score was only one more than the course record set by Lee Rowbotham when winning the Grasshopper Trophy last year.

The winning pair represented Hyde’s Plough Inn.

Despite these heroics, our own Curt Helme (16) and Wayne Whitworth (9) were only denied the top prize after a card play-off.

Young Jack Suttie, who stood in at the last minute when his dad’s partner had work commitments, won the nearest the pin prize on the 15th, with Noel Tracey hitting his ball nearest the pin with his second shot to the 13th.

Inevitably, Lee Rowbotham was not to be denied, winning a mountain bike with the longest drive on the 18th.

AN ACE FOR GARFORTH.
Roy Garforth celebrated his recent recovery from a broken arm by holing his tee shot with a 7-wood at the 197-yard sixth.
Unfortunately, Roy was putting his club away when the ball dropped into the hole and so missed witnessing his first-ever ace. He had to rely on the evidence of his partners, Steve Britt and Alan Rothera, who had tried to warn him that his drive was looking distinctly promising. “I shall keep my eyes open in future,” said Roy.

SENIORS.
JACK HULLEY WINS VETERANS’ TROPHY.
Jack Hulley, with a round of 76-14-62, was a worthy winner of the Veterans’ Trophy on June 8th but the real drama was played out by five competitors battling it out to try and thwart him.

Eventually, Joe Smith, who faltered over the closing holes, took second place with a score of 79-16-63, disappointing Adrian Brierley, Peter Cameron, Jack Cooper, and John Littleford who could not match Joe’s back-nine score.

ABBOTT SPOILS FAMILY PARTY!
Mark Abbott unwittingly spoiled a remarkable Rowbotham family celebration when taking second place in division one of a low-scoring June Monthly Medal, and 1st Captain’s Day qualifier, with a score of 66-4-62.

For the winner, after a card play-off, was 15-year-old Junior Captain Aaron Rowbotham (70-8-62), with dad Paul (66-3-63), in third place and big brother Lee (65-2-63), in fourth.

The second division title went to Mike Carr (80-20-60), with Simon Tessier (78-16-62), in second place.

Paul Rowbotham has been in blistering form so far this season, regularly recording sub-par scores.

He won a medal round played at the same time as the Veterans’ Trophy with a score of 65-3-62 – a net score matched by five-handicapper Michael Hulme, who had to settle for second place on a CPO.

Along with his partner, John Armstrong, Rowbotham also won a fourball Stableford with 46 points, one better than the Vice-Captain and Terry Marner.

And, again partnered by Armstrong, plus Paul Higgins, he helped to win a 3-man team event with a massive 99 points.

Runners-up were youngest son Adam Rowbotham, Alan Palmer, and the Vice-Captain (again!) with 91 points.

GREAT WIN IN ARCHIE PRESTON.
Werneth’s team in the Archie Preston mixed foursomes achieved a fine 4-3 home victory over a strong Mancheter G.C. (Hopwood), team to advance into the fourth round of the competition.

…BUT NO JOY IN BATLEY LEAGUE.
Having got off to a flying start in the Lawrence Batley Seniors’ League with three wins, a draw, and only one defeat, Werneth’s men came down to earth with a bump this month, losing all four matches to Hebden Bridge (H), West Bradford (A), Branshaw (A), and Blackley (A).

Some clubs have now decided to serve bacon sandwiches and coffee before matches – instead of scones and tea afterwards – to enable visiting teams to beat the rush-hour traffic on the way home.
This has proved extremely popular with many players (including Werneth members), but there are no plans follow suit at this club following a decision made at the last AGM.

WHO IS THE MYSTERY MAN?
Take a look at the official handicap list in the locker room and cast your eyes over those whose surname begins with the letter N.
And there you will see this entry: No Name(o), J. playing off 20.
Who can he be, and what does the (o) signify? Any clues?

LADIES.
IT’S VICE-CAPTAIN PAT REDMOND.
Congratulations to Pat Redmond, who had been named as the ladies’ Vice-Captain elect.

Others with good reason to celebrate include Marilyn Griffin and Sylvia Haq who were runners-up at North Manchester in a competition for past Lady Captains from Greater Manchester clubs.

In the Scott Legatt Foursomes, Sylvia and Brenda Martin, along with Nadine McNamara and Vivienne Leaver, qualified to represent the club in the next round but failed to qualify at Saddleworth for the regional final at Penwortham.

Torrential rain caused the cancellation of the first round of Lady Captain Jane Clark’s day, and rain was still falling when the event – reduced to 18 holes – got under way a couple of days later.

Jane Fletcher emerged the winner with a round of 76-6-70 with the in-form Sylvia Haq taking second place, carding a score of 90-19-71.

The first division honours went to Hilda Garner (93-20-73), and Barbara Whiting (93-19-74), with the second division prizes going to Sheila Waterhouse (110-31-79), and Anneliese Bradbury (115-34-81).

Brenda Kingham won the putting event.

An LGU Medal and the Grandmothers Trophy went to Brenda Jarvis (89-21-68).

AARON, MICHAEL BREAK PAR.
Junior Captain Aaron Rowbotham shot a fine 65-3-62 to win a medal round, defeating Michael Hulme, who also broke par with a round of 67-5-62.
There was a three-way tie in a fourball Stableford with Alan Rothera and Ian Hartley edging out the pairings of Brian McCabe and Kevin Clarke and Jonathan Dooley and Adam Rowbotham on a CPO. All scored 46pts.

Steve Hamer won a Fairway Cup qualifier with a score of 69-7-62, beating 11-handicapper Dave Murphy on a countback, and a full handicap Stableford went to Steve McNamara (44pts) from Adam Brown (43).