WERNETH WEDGE
WERNETH WEDGE No. 62 Captain: Shaun Rattigan March 2006
NEW CAPTAIN SEEKS CENTENARY IDEAS.
Taking over as Captain for the coming season, Shaun Rattigan told a well-attended Annual General Meeting: “In three years’ time it will be our centenary and it is vital that we start planning and raising funds now. “I’m sure we all have different ideas, but the more cash we raise, the more we can do.” The Captain said his vision was to see a balcony built on top of the clubhouse overlooking the eighteenth green, but he realised this was merely a pipedream at the moment. “But there is no reason why we shouldn’t have one at some time in the future,” he said. In fact, a Centenary Committee has already met several times and is considering a number of suggestions. The Captain made it clear: “I believe charity begins at home, so my charity for my year of office will be solely in aid of our Centenary Fund.” Mr Rattigan, a 47 year old officer in the Greater Manchester Police force, has been a member for thirteen years and lives with his wife, Lisa, near the course on Green Lane. A 6-handicapper, he is a regular member of the club’s A team, and shared in the Oldham and District Golf League Knockout Cup triumph in 2002. He said he was honoured and privileged to be Captain and pledged he would strive to uphold the traditions and values of the club whilst also keeping it moving forward. Much work had been carried out on the course, but improvements must continue to be made, not least to attract new members. The future of the club, he said, relied on the young, up-and-coming, golfers and in spite of Werneth’s limited facilities, compared with other clubs in the area, we had a healthy junior section. He promised: “I will do my best to see that the juniors are given every opportunity to be a credit to the club both on and off the course.” He hoped to live up to his chosen sobriquet of Captain Sunbeam and said he would always welcome approaches from members who had any topics which needed addressing. “In business or pleasure, it is nice to be important but it’s more important to be nice,” he said. His Vice Captain is Paul Higgins.CAPTAIN YEMM’S HAPPY TWO YEARS.
Bowing out as Captain, John Yemm said his two years as Vice Captain and Captain had been among the best of his life. “I’ve really enjoyed myself,” he said. And thanking ex-Captain Kevin Roberts for giving him the opportunity to take over from him, he said he considered it to have been a great honour. There had also been some memorable achievements. The A team, for which he plays as a 6-handicapper, had again reached the semi-final of the Knockout Cup as well as the last sixteen of the Dunham Forest Trophy. The Archie Preston team had also reached the last sixteen during the year. Wishing the new Captain and the Lady Captain every success, he made it clear he hoped the time would come when the two would be elected for the corresponding periods – at present the Lady Captain takes office in November.TREASURER REPORTS HEALTHY FINANCES.
Retiring from office after sixteen years as Treasurer, Andrew Vickers reported a profit of £11,383 over the past year, compared with £4,139 in the previous year. The improvement was largely due to an influx of new members, with subscriptions rising from £147,746 to £161,569. Recalling his years in office, he said he was pleased to leave with the finances in a healthy situation but made the point that, in those sixteen years, profit from the fruit machine had fallen from £15,000 to just £2,644, with rent and licence fees costing £4,000. Sky TV also cost £2,400. He thanked Alan Milligan (“A gift from the gods”), John Whittaker (for collecting machine takings), Secretary John Barlow, and the Stewardess (“Carol is a gem”), for all their help. He was presented with a watch to mark his retirement. His successor is 21 year old Lee Rowbotham, a trainee accountant, who was elected unopposed.ABBOTT, ROBERTS JOIN THE COUNCIL.
Mark Abbott and Kevin Roberts were elected to the council for three years, along with retiring councillor Bill Waterhouse. Roberts, Captain in 2004-05, had served for the last year in an ex-officio capacity.ADAM ROWBOTHAM - TABLE TENNIS CHAMP.
Fifteen-year-old Adam Rowbotham, who already has a golf handicap of nine, has proved himself to be a star in another sport – table tennis. He showed his elders the way by clinching the Under-19s title in the Manchester Boys Championships recently. Adam plays for the Honeywell Lane Club, along with his dad, Paul.BOOK NOW FOR SENIORS’ OPEN.
Arrangements have now been completed for the popular Werneth Seniors’ Open, to be held on Wednesday, May 17th. Entry forms are available in the clubhouse – on the seniors’ notice board – with an entry fee of £18 per couple. And organiser Albert Kingham warned: “Members are advised to book soon because there is a great deal of interest in an event which offers a prize on every hole.” As well as the top three prizes, there are also prizes for pairs with a combined age of between 130 and 138, and for those totalling more than 140 years.NO JUSTICE FOR ALBERT PARK.
Albert Park, a modest 21-handicapper, doesn’t often feature among the prizewinners. And, thanks to the interference of some mindless moron, his most recent triumph went unrecognised in the Werneth Wedge. For the record, Albert came second with 44 pts to Tony McNamara (47pts) in a Pro’s comp, but the Editor credited Arnold Parker with second place because someone had added a couple of extra letters to Albert’s surname on the notice board. Incidentally, Albert was also a prizewinner at Christmas with another 44pts round. Grovelling apologies, and well done, Albert. Harry Green, who recently finished second to Geoff Garner in a 16-hole club medal, went one better by winning a Pro’s Stableford comp. with 42pts, with Alan Cowling in second place. Les Smith won another Pro’s event with 42pts, two better than Mel Robinson, who edged out Alan Cowling, Rod Fenton, and Nigel Wareing on a countback. On a weather-shortened course, Pete Griffin beat Peter Hickey by 34pts to 32.LAWRENCE BATLEY FIXTURES.
Werneth’s seniors will embark on a new round of fixtures in the Lawrence Batley League with a home match against Halifax West End on April 21. The fixtures in full: April 28 - S. Bradford (a); May 5 - Silkstone (a); May 12 - Bradley Hall (h); May 19 – Marsden (h); June 2 – Hanging Heaton (a); June 9 – Branshaw (a); June 16 – West End (a); June 23 – S. Bradford (h); July 7 – Silkstone (h); July 14 – Bradley Hall (a); July 21 – Marsden (a); August 4 – Hanging Heaton (h); August 11 – Branshaw (h).SIX SIGN UP.
Despite the fact that the course was closed due to snow, there was a reasonable attendance at an Open Day this month. Five men and one lady decided to join. The club now has very few vacancies, unlike others in the area.