Maxitours at lovely Helsby

Helsby in deepest Cheshire was the lovely venue for today’s Maxitours event. Playing off lovely parkland turf amid mature oak trees was a pleasure for all. Many thanks to all the green staff.

Cheshire golfing legend Gareth Bradley has had more than a few bacon butties in his time but he rated the Helsby baps as the best on the Maxitours circuit. The catering and service really was first class. Barman Rob was incredibly friendly and their stewardess Julie never sat still or stopped smiling all day – brilliant.

Everyone was around in less than four hours – thanks guys that’s excellent.
Big Man City fan Joe Kirwan made the ten minute journey from his golf club to his house in Bramhall last night to watch his favourite team and missed four goals. He didn’t miss many putts today though as he helped his team into a solid 82 points.

Barry Wilson chipped in for a two in front of the Clubhouse which overlooks the green. None of his team witnessed it as they were busily raking bunkers or searching in the scrub. Barry came in the clubhouse which happened to be nearly empty.
‘Did anyone see my two?!’
No.

Graham Jackson looks like he enjoys a pie and he arrived an hour earlier than normal for his tee time today. I asked him why he was so early.
‘I called in at the famous local bakery on the way I wanted to make sure they didn’t sell out.’ After his round he told me that he had actually bought me a pie but got peckish on the back nine and ate it himself. Thanks Graham.

Congratulations to Stephen White who had a hole in one on the 11th to win nearest the pin. I don’t like talking about myself as most of you know but I also had an ace on Monday in a tournament. Maxitours players Roger Percival and Roy Ainsworth kept congratulating me which I thought was very nice of them until I realised, they were only after a free drink in the bar. No chance.

Hazel Groves Ian Walters is a good man. He kindly supported his home Club who were buying some course furniture last year. There is a lovely large bin on the 15th tee at Hazel Grove which announces ‘sponsored by Ian Walters -because I am rubbish.’ He was less trash than usual today and finished 6th with 83 points.

Preston based nice guy John Dickenson(20) and his team took 5th place with 83 points, Roger Percival’s(6) Lymm team took 4th place with 84 points and Gary Neiles(6) Sandiway men took 3rd with 85 points.

Wilmslow’s Jim Caldwell(11) teamed up with John Hume(14), Andrewe Aherne(18) and Manchester City in house football commentator Liam Pilkington(12). Pilkington looked in despair this morning after last nights events but his mood improved with a spirited performance on the course.

Shrigley Hall’s Darren Whittaker(15) has played Maxitours for twelve years but has been without a win for the last five. His dreams came true with a terrific team performance today, team Captain Brian Hopkins(4) shot level par and Neil Worthington(18) and Charles Herbert(14) also chipped in well. Great golf chaps well played!
Thanks to everyone for your support today, Tim

Nearest the pin 11th Stevephen Whire (hole in one) Dozen Ad333
Nearest the pin 18th Dave Stewardson Dozen AD333

2’s sweep £195 6 pro v1s or 14 srixon Ad333s per two
Andy Wright Geoff Dykens Barry Wilson Pete Bpoth Stephen White hole in 1 (2 x2s) James Shipstone Peter Maher Janet Heywood Paul Higgs Dave Lowe

Maxitours at lovely Llangollen

Llangollen was the beautiful venue for todays event. It really is the most stunning setting for a golf course is a firm favourite with Maxitours players. Thanks to Bob Hardy and his team for their hospitality today. Once more the course and Clubhouse were first class.

There was a welsh joiner fitting some new lockers in the Llangollen ladies changing room. He was smoking away while using a huge noisy circular saw. I had a chat with him as he downed three pints of stella during his lunch break before heading back out to his circular saw. I noticed that he only had four fingers on his left hand and was wearing a plaster on his right hand.

Andy Veitch had to be ushered away from the deadly saw after his desperate finish. His team also phoned his house and his wife has removed all sharp instruments from the family home. Andy three putted the last four greens to miss out on the prizes and is in a very unstable mental state.

Stuart Hibbert has an interesting approach to his golf game.
‘Do you want a spare scorecard?’ I asked him before his round.
‘No I don’t like to know where I am going.’ He answered.

Mike Masser was talking to his team about the Masters after watching it on telly last night. ‘Can you imagine how badly our team would putt on those greens!’ he chuckled.
I don’t have to imagine then struggling at Augusta. I watched them all taking plenty of putts on the 18th hole at Llangollen.

I asked Simon Poucher if he played well today. He had a long think and replied ‘I had a putt for a two.‘ The answer should have been a simple ‘No’.

John Hilditch was wearing some more designer clothing in today’s event. ‘Another smart outfit John’ I admired.
‘Thanks very much, I like to look good in between shots.’ He replied.

Martin Higgins(11) and Peter Maher(16) are lovely guys who play most weeks without a great deal of success. They would give their right arm just to win a maxitours scorecard. Today they teamed up with Maxitours star player Gareth Bradley (plus two) and Ian King (7) and were emotional after taking fifth place.

Nathan Pugh(2) from Heyrose is another Maxitours player whose career earnings are zero. That changed today after he brought out his Dad(11), Stuart Birrell(16) and Brian Yardley(11) and they teamed up superbly to take 4th spot.

Phil Gow(7) and Chris Evans(21) from Heswall were teamed up with Sarah Ormrod(16) and Dave Greenwood(11) late yesterday afternoon when both teams were short of two players. They had a great day and were surprised and delighted to finish third with a score of just 85 points.
’ Can you put us with them next week!’ said Gow who knows a good golfer when he sees one. Well played chaps great score.

Sandiways Gary Neiles (4). Joe Yates (13) John Longworth (12) and Keith Chapman (21) took second place with 86 points. Neiles was around in a personal best 1 under par 71 to guide his team to an excellent finish.

Late in the day the senior Liegh team of Jim Doran(14), his son Chris(16), Pete Dolan(17) and Neil McCloud(20) recorded 88 points to earn their first win of the year. McCloud rolled in a terrific birdie on the last as they picked up 6 points on a hole that most teams were struggling to record a par. Well played fellas- great golf.

Thanks to everyone for you 100% attendance – Brilliant.
Tim

Nearest the Pin 14th Pete Dobson Doz AD333
Nearest the Pin 18th Sean Dobson Doz AD333

2’s £185 Phil Gow Stuart Birrell Pete Tomlinson Peter Dobson Sean Dobson Neil McCloud nine Pro v1s each or 20 srixons each

My home course of Knutsford proudly hosted todays Maxitours singles event. The weather just about held off and nearly sixty players enjoyed what Ex European tour star Denis Durnian describes in his opinion as the best nine hole course in the world.
Thanks to hard working Head Green keeper Mark Dingle for presenting his course in its usual excellent condition.

The catering has always been superb at Knutsford and new stewards Ceri and Rhiannon are doing an absolutely fantastic job producing great food as well as being lovely people- Thanks for looking after my guys today.

Peter Farmer was proudly telling his four ball that he was heading off to Celtic Manor this weekend. His team mates told him to play the Roman Road course as the Ryder Cup course would be much too long for him. Then they warmed to the subject:
‘In fact there is an excellent crazy golf course there which might suit you better the way you played today.’
‘There’s a good Go Ape there, leave your clubs at home and climb a couple of trees instead.’

It is always nice listening to conversations in the clubhouse and Ian Handy was telling his team how his life had been transformed recently. I listened in as I thought he may have had some form of interesting operation or perhaps a hair transplant -but he was just talking about the new Bramhall bypass.

I use the event at Knutsford to sell some stock that I have. For some unknown reason I bought a pair of tangerine Galvin Green pants a couple of years ago and I haven’t had a sniff of selling them to my very reserved Knutsford Members. I knew that snazzy dressing Mark Hagarty was playing today and he will buy anything as long as it is visible from over a mile away. The trousers were his size and right up his brightly lit street. He was my final hope.
‘Hi Mark I have got these great pants for you and they are half price!’ Was my opening line when he walked in the Clubhouse.
‘I’ve already got a pair of those.’ Came his immediate reply.
Gutted.

In todays event Didsburys Simon Wells took 4th place with 35 points.
John Hume(12) was out early and he had a terrific 38 points which looked good enough to win.

The rain fell in the afternoon but Lymms battling Marc Morris(18) posted an impressive 39 points to take 2nd place. Late in the day Sandiway’s John Hunt (18) had a steady 17 points on the front nine and then bogeyed the 10th and 11th . Suddenly he then hit what can only be described as the purple patch of his life playing the next five holes in one under par to cruise through the field.

Well played to all competitors. The rain came down later in the afternoon so the Stuburt shootout will be rearranged for a later date.

Thanks to all who played I hope you had a great day despite a damp afternoon, Tim

Nearest the Pin 3rd Dozen Srizon AD333
Nearest the pin 5th Dozen AD333

2’s sweep £75 3 pro v1s or 6 srixons
Rob Whittle Paul Fell Ed Wilkinson Roger Percival Graham Jackson Jim Clarke Chris Church John Hunt