Great Upcoming Maxitours Events
22nd July Vale Royal Taylor Made AM AM-last 2 fourballs
Hopwood AM AM -29th July Thurs -full
Mottram Hall TBD Masters AM AM -6th August -last 3 fourballs
Prestbury Pairs Thurs 13th August – Full
Stockport Abacus Law Masters Pairs Monday 17th August-spaces
Sandiway Pairs Tuesday 25th-full

Maxitours Titleist Pairs at stunning Pleasington

Another full field enjoyed one of Lancashire’s finest golf courses as Maxitours visited Blackburn today. For the past few weeks the venues we have visited have all been presented to an exceptionally high standard and Pleasington Golf Club more than continued this impressive trend. Thanks to all staff and officials for your superb hospitality.

In an incredible coincidence good pals Dave Westwood and Munroe Donald teed off together at Pleasington this morning, within 20 minutes Lee Westwood and Luke Donald also both hit their opening drives in the 144st Open Championship at St Andrews. That is where any comparison ends between the four very different English golfers.

The weather was so nice in this part of Blackburn the large clubhouse patio doors were left open throughout the day. Gary Whittaker was delighted when he checked in and was given some golf balls he won in a recent event . He very nearly returned one of them to me as his thinned bunker shot careered into the Clubhouse as he played the 18th. ‘There was no sand in that bunker’ he claimed, clutching at straws.

Maxitours regular Steve McDermott brought along his new pal Steve Ratcliffe who is getting married tomorrow. ‘ Don’t bother getting his email address, he won’t be playing golf again for a long time.’

Happily married Seventy seven year old Neville Dennis still plays golf six days a week. His lovely wife wants a holiday so last night she asked him to find a quiet week this Summer so they could spend some romantic time together. Unfortunately after consulting his busy golf diary Neville advised her that she could write off 2015. He then had to retrieve his diary from his neighbours prize rosebush after it was hurled through the kitchen window. ‘It’s the 3rd time she’s done that’ he added.

Bald Gary Hempsted loves a bit of wildlife and he enjoyed playing average golf and keeping a look out for the resident peregrine falcons and wild deer which can be spotted on this terrific course. He was also absolutely delighted to spot a pair of house martins nesting under the eaves of the Clubhouse. He handed his card in and thanked me for a very enjoyable day before departing. Unfortunately he soon returned. ‘Where’s the gents- a bloody swallow has just s*** on my head.’

Chris Adams also had some bad luck when his best drive of the day hit the marker post on the par 5 fifth hole and came back thirty yards. He was playing with his 20 year old son Greg who found it all very amusing.

Four players from Ashton on Mersey finished their round and were shocked and impressed when they saw fellow member Mike Lynch move the ‘nearest the pin in 2’ marker post on the 18th green. They congratulated him as he entered the clubhouse. ‘No, I didn’t win nearest the pin, I was there in five- my putter was hitting the marker with my backswing so I took it out’ he chuckled.

Mirroring the Open Championship all today’s best scores were from players who teed off early. The scoring was once again very close with 5 pairs sharing 2nd scoring 43 points.

The best of these was Grange Park’s Steve Aspinall(9) and Barry Wellings(7). There were only 5 pairs in the whole field who scored better on the tougher back nine and their 22 points was good enough to win the card play-off.

Off duty Policemen Tony Stiles(12) and Gavin Connor (15)were up ‘beat’ about their round and were delighted to finish 3rd .

Tony Cooper(12) usually plays like Tommy Cooper however today he was on form. Every time a putt went in he muttered ‘just like that.’ (Incidentally Frank Howarth who went out earlier in the day played like Frankie Howard and every time he missed a putt he muttered ‘ooh er’) Tony was delighted to finish 4th in his first outing for a while playing alongside Phil Williams(17).

Dave Gavin(10) and Joe Shelley(10) from Hazel Grove are usually hopeless. They recorded their best ever finish and they were delighted to be just one off the pace also on 43 points.

Taking the honours today were High Legh’s Mark Hagarty(13) and Ed Cotton(9). After a great front nine things were looking shaky towards the end of their round. Ed eased their nerves when he hit a superb approach into the last. This sealed both a win and the nearest the pin in 2 award! Well played chaps.

Many thanks to all today’s players. In true Maxitours style there was not a single no-show – your integrity is really appreciated.

Yours in Golf, Tim

Nearest the Pin 16th Dan Percival Dozen AD333s
Nearest the Pin in 2 on 18th Ed Cotton Dozen Soft Feel

£140 2’s 24 srixon each or 10 pro v1s each Brian Kelly Tony Stiles Danny Ritchie Phil Cooney

Start Times at the Taylor Made AM AM at Vale Royal
next WEDNESDAY 22nd July
8.30 Colin Roberts x4
8.39 Ian King x4
8.48 Mike Gibbons x4
8.57 Andy Taylor x4?
9.06 Bob Sutton x4
9.15 Mick Fenton x4
9.24 Brian Greenbank x4

10.30 Brian Hopkins x4
10.38 Ken Chinn x4
10.46 Jack Coleman x4
10.54
11.02 Mick Mahon x4
11.10 Ian Ainsworth x4
11.18 Neville Dennis x4
11.26 Ian Lilley x4
11.34 Lewis Marland x4
11.43 Neil Laurent x4
11.51 John Hilditch x4
12.00 Tony Rains x4
12.09 Colin Baxendale x4
12.18 Hetash Patel x4
12.27 Nigel Oakes x4
12.36 Denis Whelan x4
12.45 Ian Buxton x4
12.54 Brendon Leighton x4
1.03 Nigel Eckersley x4
1.12 Roger Percival x4
1.21 Mike Dudley x4
1.30 Paul Browne x4
1.39 Roy Ainsworth x4
1.48 Tim Handford x4
1.57 John Stubbs x4
2.06
2.15 John Dickenson x4
2.24 Gary Bailey x4
2.33
2.42 Frank Stapleton x4
2.51 Dave Hillier x4
3.00 Simon Conway x4
Tom Butler x4