Maxitours at fabulous Formby

Maxitours visited Formby Hall Championship golf course and all my players enjoyed the dry warm conditions. The course was excellent considering we are in late March when most golf courses are notoriously looking tired and in need of some growth. Indeed, many courses in Cheshire were closed today after recent monsoons.

The course has held some big events and the last time I played here was in a European Challenge Tour event in 1998. My Dad caddied for me and there were hundreds of people following me around. To be perfectly honest there was an old man and a dog following me around but playing in the group behind was Justin Rose who had nearly won the Open as an amateur down the road the previous year. The scousers had come out in force to follow their man. He narrowly beat me by 16 shots if anyone is remotely interested.

I set my registration desk up at the entrance to the bar and restaurant and had the shock of my life when a slightly luminous-orange skinned brunette with very plump lips and her blond pal who was an even brighter shade of orange and had even bigger lips came over and told me that their room number was one hundred and eleven. I nearly fell off my chair. It took me a few seconds to realise that they were trying to check-in for breakfast.

Scoring was tough on this Championship golf course. The wind picked up on the back nine and the course really showed its teeth.

It was good to see Richard Blackwell back playing Maxitours after a recent boozy trip to Dubai. He had a huge bandage on his hand but that didn’t stop the golf mad businessman from teeing up today. He fell over while holding a glass of red wine and cut himself. ‘It cost me £500 to get stitched up -not too bad really as it works out than less than £20 a stitch!’ Said the quick minded and extremely positive New Mills man. His team finished 7th.

The breeze didn’t faze Mike Hill from Bramall Park who had his first ever hole in one today with a well struck 6 iron on the sixth hole- brilliant. It helped his team into 4th place.

Stamfords Steve Moores(6), Paul Traynor(5), Rick Margreave(7) and Ian Fearns(14) were out last in the wind and they played superbly to finish in 3rd place.

Late in the day Birchwood Captain Dave Monk, retired Barry Wilson, eighty year old John Lynsky (who looks about sixty), and Simon Wilkinson (looks eighty but is only sixty) scored 88 points to narrowly miss out. Retired coach driver Wilson was on fire scoring a career best 4 over on this proper golf course. They were happy to finish second.

Jim Caldwell(9) was out early and he played alongside John Sherrington(12) who seems like a really nice bloke. I have only seen John three times at the local driving range and he is always very friendly but each time he has told me that he is going to the Masters. When he checked in today he told me that he was off to the Masters next week. I can’t wait until he gets home so he can tell me all about it… (I’m only jealous.) John knocked in five huge putts to give his team an early lead. Peter Griggs(11) and John Roome(15) completed the quartet. Well played chaps.

Thanks for your 100% attendance everyone. Class.

Naerest the pin 13th Matt Hughes Doz AD333

Nearest the pin 16th Paul Rudkin Doz AD333

4 pro v1 or 9 AD333 per two

2’s £200 Mike Hill hole in one (x2 balls ) Andy Parrington x2 Simon Moorhouse Fred Bridge Graham Wilkinson Paul Wrigley John Roome Tony Hope Glenn Mills Ian Fearns Rick Margreave

	Formby Hall			16th March
Pos	Team Players	Score	OoM	Comment
1	Jim Caldwell, John Sheringham, John Roome, Peter Griggs	89	12	Maxitours Chill out top
2	Simon Wilkinson, Barry Wilson, Dave Monk, John Lynsky	88	10	FJ shirt each
3	Paul Traynor, Steve Moores, Rick Margreave, Ian Fearnes	84	8	Callaway shirt each
4	Jon Hudson, Rob Blain, Andy Corner, Mike Hill	82	6	Callaway shirt each
5	Gary Neiles, Alan Giles, John Longworth, Rick Shaw	82	4	Maxitours cap each
6	Gav Sutcliffe, Paul Wrigley, Brett Sutcliffe, Aiden Hoosen	81	2	Maxitours cap each
7=	Richard Blackwell, John Hilton, Gary Smith, Andy Hamett	81
7=	Martin Humphries, Keith Shale, Adrian Brown, Barry Caldwell	81
7=	Steve Heywood, Janet Heywood, Richard Wakefield, Jim Wardle	81
7=	Martin Prescott, Chris Adams, Nick Hargreaves, Geoff Bickerton	81
11	Jimmy McEwan, John Harker, Tony Hope, Steve Woods	80
12=	Pete O’Neill, Alan Leigh, Matt Hughes, Steve Dawson	79
12=	Jim Clarke, Graham Jackson, Paul Moonan, Chris Clarke	79
12=	Kev Hart, Paul Yearsley, Carl Marginson, Alan Vaughan	79
15=	John Harrop, Gary Berrisford, Chris Burnett, Paul McDermott	78
15=	Dave Blood, Jim Cox, Ian Smith, Colin Gallimore	78
15=	Paul Rudkin, Mike Lomax, Graham Butler, Craig Gorton	78
18	Dave Hughes, Steve Lamont, Pete Gold, Steve Rawlinson	77
19=	Ed Pysden, Henry Petrie, Fred Bridge, Simon Moorhouse	76
19=	Paul Price, Colin Brown, John Richardson, Steve Jackson	76
21=	Gareth Bradley, John Coop, Alex Fau Goodwin, Steve Brown	75
21=	Andy Taylor, Andy Parrington, Andy Strickley, Chris Perry	75
21=	Phil Dickens, Lewis Marland, Neil Evans, Dave Whaley	75
21=	James Mooney, Steve Grady, Ian Cash, Adam McKenna	75
25	Gary Phillips, Pete Maher, Charlie Beadle, Nigel Hall	74
26=	Steve Aspinall, Graham Wilkinson, Mark Dignan, Colin Berry	73
26=	Paul Brown, Dave Carlile, Dale Wallace, Howard Johnson	73
28	Tim Spencer, Paul Higgs, Steve Marshall, Barry Pendlebury	72
29	Alan Konasky, Glenn Mills, Alan Sadler, Bill Martin	70
30=	Mick Mahon, Andy Faulkner, Munro Donald, Gary Hodkinson	69
30=	John Bradbury, Norrie Erwin, Jim Meldrum,	69

Prestatyn start sheet

Thursday 23rd March

10.04 Simon Hemsley x4

10.12Jim Caldwell x4

10.21 Colin Roberts

10.29 Dave Blood

10.38 Dave Goodwin x4

10.46 Jim Clarke x4

10.55 Paul Fell x4

11.03 Martin Humphries x4

11.12 Mick Mahon x4

11.20 Dave Sully x4

11.29 Kev Hart x4

11.38 Neale Laurent x4

11.46 Paul Salt x4

11.55 Dave Monk x4

12.04 Steve Aspinall x4

12.13 Richard Blackwellx4

12.21 Gary Neiles x4

12.30 Sam Leach x4

12.38 Roger Percival x4

12.47 Peter Maher x4

12.58 Lee Tilley x4

1.07 John Hunt x4

1.15 Simon Ashton x4

res

Nathan Mills

Roy Ainsworth

Ed Pysden

Garry Owen