Maxitours at truly great Hazel Grove

Hazel Grove was SCORCHIO!
The sun was blazing down on our Maxitours players once again as the Summer of 2018 is becoming one to remember. The head greenkeeper is also on fire as he presented his course in tip top condition for our players today.

Club Professional James Rowlands is possibly the best young golf pro in the country, he is always great to deal with and has a very bright future -thanks James.

It was a really nice touch from Club Captain Iain Cole to meet me on arrival and the terrific Hazel Grove hospitality continued throughout the day. Thanks also to caterer and old friend of mine Martin Swindells and his attractive partner Clare for all their work.

Hazel Grove kindly opened their half way house to keep our guys refreshed. There were a couple of ladies serving who did a great job and they raised well over £200 for Christies- well done everybody.

The cakes were the highlight of the round for many players today including Steve Foxcroft and his upper class team. They enjoyed homemade scones, clotted cream and wild blueberry jam on the 8th tee provided by team mate David Wilkinsons lovely wife Sue. They then followed this up with chocolate cakes from the half way house. It is the first recorded incident of back-to-back cakes in Maxitours history.

Keith Rigby really enjoyed his first visit to Hazel Grove and he obviously likes sitting down a lot and giving directions as he commented on the quality of the course furniture. ‘The benches and signposts are excellent.’ He assured me.

The pin positions were set up for last Sundays’ Captains Day and there was plenty of three putting taking place. Graham Kaye drove the par four 15th hole and ended up requiring a ten footer to save his par-such were the difficulty of the greens.

Big Dave Greenbank says he only drinks water and eats salad at this time of the year as it is too hot. But a heat wave signals the start of meat pie eating season for chunky John Buckley’s team. They all had a big pie each to help them cool off after a tough day on the links.

In today’s event Andy Vietch is having a Yellow patch (the opposite of a purple patch). His team could only finish in 24th place.

Nigel Ashton lives in Saddleworth and he was up all night coughing on the fumes from the nearby moorland fire. He managed to battle through the flames to play at Hazel Grove but his golfing dreams went up in smoke after his team could only manage 72 points.

Hazel Grove member and top lawyer Simon Ashton(9) is intelligent and knows how to pick a team, Mick Jones(6), Duncan Cocker(9) played well but ex Cheshire amateur Andy Hill(scr) had no worse than a par as he recorded two birdies on his way to a gross 69 to help his team take 5th place.

The strange talking Staffordshire team of Tom Butler(9), Sean O’Conner(20). Matt Cheffins(11) and Lee Shenton(5) had a strong finish to take fourth place.

Neil Edwards(8) and his Wrexham men came over the border and nearly returned to Wales with all the spoils they finished in 3rd place with 81 points. Milkman Geoff Ratcliffe(7) was up at 2am this morning and he delivered four birdies as well as nearly 500 bottles of the white stuff. Steve Star(7) and Chris Bland(14) completed the team.

Second place went to Joe Yates(15)’ team. Joe ripped it on the course. Unfortunately it was Joe’s pants not his golf ball which ripped as he picked his ball out of the hole after a par on the tough 14th hole. Sandiways Gary Nieles(6) Paul Yates(9) and Alan Forber(15) completed the team.

Jim Clarke(10) is taking it easy at work and his son Chris (15) is on garden leave. They are down at Knutsford Golf Club practicing most days and this is reflected in an upturn in results. Jim has been useless for the past ten years but is now a match for anyone. Mark Hagerty(15) and Graham Jackson(5) also chipped in well. Great golf guys well played!

Nearest the Pin 2nd Stuart Blake AD333s
Nearest the pin 13th Gary Nieles AD333s

2’s £205 6 titleist pro v1 or 14 Srixon AD333s Lee Shenton Terry Jones Stuart Blake John Atkin Bob Forshaw Geoff Ratcliffe Steve Star Brian Hopkins Mark Johnson Mike Powell Gary Nieles

Davenport AM AM start sheet Thursday 5th July
10.00 Colin Roberts x4
10.08 David Kelly x4
10.16 Jim Caldwell x4
10.24 Jack Coleman x4
10.32 Dave Stanhope x4
10.40 Lewis Marland x4
10.48 Mick Mahon x4
10.56 Simon Poucher x4
11.05 Ray Massey x4
11.13 Paul Evans x4
11.22 Graham Pike x4
11.31 John Hilditch x4
11.40 Roy Ainsworth x4
11.48 Jim Clarke x4
11.57 Simon Taylor x4
12.05 Roger Percival x4
12.13 Steve Heywood x4
12.22 Sam Leach x4
12.31 Paul Fell x4
12.40 Paul Gilbert x4
12.49 John Dickenson x4
12.57 Nigel Hallows x4
1.06 Chih Hu x4
1.15 Barrie Simpson x4
1.24 Gary Bailey x4
1.33 Richard Williamson x4
1.42 Peter Maher x4
1.50 Chris Adams x4
1.58 David Smith x4
2.07 David Smith x4
2.16 Gordon Warke x4
2.25 Steve Parle x4
2.34 Bernard Wood x4
2.43 Chris Ernill x4
2.52
3.01 Joe Yates x4
3.10
3.18
3.33 Brian Hopkins x4
Don Campbell