Maxitours at Fabulous Formby Hall

The sun shone on the 100 or so Maxitours players who travelled to Southport today.

There was a refreshing breeze keeping players on their toes but the course was really dry and this great layout was enjoyed by more.

Dave Griffiths recently went on holiday and went into the sea four times. Today he visited the water five times as the likeable Mancunion rapidly ran out of golf balls.

Lovable old Arthur McMahon has had a bad week. On Sunday he spent all morning watching his floppy haired grandson play rugby, after the match finished he went over to congratulate him and realised it was a complete stranger. His grandson was on a nearby pitch. Today he hit the wrong ball twice as his team battled to a struggling 68 points.

Jack Coleman’s teams average age was over 82 years old! They all stopped buying green bananas years ago.

‘If we don’t come back with the card send a search party for us!’ He joked. But in all fairness Jack can still play and the team finished mid table with a respectable 73 points.

Rob Norbury played today. He is an actor and used to be a sex symbol on the channel 4 programme HollyOaks and has spent plenty of time in the gym over the years honing his body. He should have been at the driving range instead. Rob hits it miles but has no idea where it is going. He takes a mid iron off every tee but smashes it miles. He was on the tough 438 yard 5th hole with two flushed 7 irons today. Impressive.

Scoring was tough on the long championship Formby golf course but Richard Blackwells team came third after a battling 86 points. Steve Austin, his son Mark and Andy Hamlett were his team mates.

Fourth place went to Legh Parks Ray Tennant, Keith ‘Chalky’ White, Steve Shaw and Paul Woods with 85 points. Jim Caldwell, Lee Charnley and the returning Bob Pickthall and Peter Griggs took 5th place after another fine performance saw them record 84 points.

Second was the Ashton -on -Mersey quartet of Peter Fildes(10) Tony Hope (15) Ben Hope(5) and Joe Crumbleholme (8). They had a best of the day 44 pionts on the tougher back nine to take 2nd on a card play off. I asked them for any funny stories for my report but they didn’t have any.

Winning today was Dentons Olympic Taekwando statistician Gary Owen(5), Alastair Holloway(17), Alan Gayle(19) and Sam Beverley(15). The wind dropped late in the day and they had a terrific 88 points to take top spot. Owen did the damage with a couple of birdies on his shot holes. Well played chaps great score.

Thanks to everyone for your 100% attendance, Class.

Tim

2’s sweep £202.50 9 pro v1s or 21 srixon AD333 per two

Jim Caldwell Lee Charnley Steve Shaw Andy Newton Andy Parrington Warren Newton

Nearest the pin 13th Warren Newton Doz AD333

Nearest the pin 16th Lee Tilley Doz AD333

Reddish Vale start sheet

Thursday 31st October

8.40 Simon Hemsley x4

8.49 Rob Platt x4

8.58 Ed Pysden

9.09

9.17 Dave Goodwin x4

9.26 Paul Fell x4

9.35 Jon Hudson x4

9.44 Andy Taylor x4

9.53 Martin Humphries x4

10.02 Martin Prescott x4

10.11 Neale Laurent x4

10.20 Bob Pickthall x4

10.29 Graham Butler x4

10.38 Mick Mahon x4

10.47 John Gleave x4

10.56 Tony O’Gara x4

11.05 Kev Hart x4

11.14 Paul Salt x4

11.23 Paul Salt x4

11.32 Steve Heywood x4

11.41 Paul Price x4

11.50 Sam Leach x4

12.00 Dave More O’Farrell x4

12.09 John Hunt x4

12.18 Lee Tilley x4

12.29 Peter Maher x4

12.38 Gary Neiles x4

12.47 Richard Blackwell x4

12.56 Geoff Bickerton x4

1.05 Ian Reece x4

1.14

1.23

Tim Maxwell
Advanced PGA Professional
The Knutsford Golf Club
07810 887636

Results from superb Stockport – 14th October

It was a lovely start to the day at sunny Stockport for today’s Maxitour players. The course was in fantastic condition and it lived up to its reputation as one of the premiere clubs in the area with many commenting on the smoothness and speed of the greens.

Stockport’s catering staff were kept busy with a steady flow of breakfasts, bacon baps and coffees and a big shout out to the lady in the halfway house who kept players going mid round with snacks and drinks .

One of the stories of the day was Tony Leigh who couldn’t contain his excitement with a 1 over gross front 9 (best of his life) helping his team to a front nine of 46 points but unfortunately the adrenaline faded and he crashed back down to earth like an Elon Musk rocket with a 9 over back nine – that I’m afraid is golf Tony !!!

The scoring was super tight today with no less than 8 teams tied on 81 points just missing out on the main prizes.

Today’s winners with 85 points were Dave Marchant, Nigel Armitage, Andy Williamson and Mike Smith with a crucial 6 pointer on the last hole to snatch victory from Steve Heywood, Janet Heywood, Richard Wakefield and Graham Davenport on card countback.

In third on card count back with 84 points were Ian Goulty, Chris Brown, Martin Oldfield and Andrew Veitch who had the consolation of winning NP on the 16th hole with a shot to just 4 inches (that could have been costly in the bar Andrew !!!).

RESULTS

NP – 11th – Nathan Mills 1 Doz Srixon AD333’s

NP – 16th – Andy Veitch (4 inches) 1 Doz Srixon AD333’s

2’s £285 Pot = 4 Pro V1’s or 9 Srixon AD333’s

Mike Smith, Les Flower, Dave Carter, Andy Parrington, George Kerr, Matt Cheffins, Warrick Dawson x 2, John Hadfield, Dave Rhodes, Ben Jackson, Richard Catchpole, Graham Butler, Craig Gorton, Andy Veitch and Simon Ashton, Steve Heywood and Graham Davenport

Tim Maxwell
Advanced PGA Professional
The Knutsford Golf Club
07810 887636

Algarvian Classic 1 in Jan and Algarvian Classic 2 now nearly full – don’t miss out.

Thanks to PGA Professional Matt Turnock for running today’s event here is his report:

Results from delightful Davyhulme – 11th October
After a chilly start a lovely day all in all with spells of sunshine throughout the day for today’s Maxitour players at Davyhulme.
The course was in great condition considering the amount of rain over the past week with the greens running true according to Colin Roberts who holed several lengthy putts.
The course may be short but it plays tight with great accuracy required, certainly local knowledge can be a key which proved to be the case with the Davyhulme members team of Kev Hart, Paul Yearsley, Alan Vaughn and Karl Marginson as they tied the top score 85 points and were just pipped on a card count back into 2nd place by eventual winners Phil Harris, Simon McCoy, Mark Jones and Les Penson. Also on 85 and placed 3rd on count back were the team of Steve Heywood, Janet Heywood, Graham Davenport and Steve Proctor with Janet holing out for an eagle 2 on the par 4 12th with a full hybrid shot !!!!
Martyn Hamer the Club Professional at Davyhulme for the past 8 years recalled a great story to Matt about previous long standing Club Pro Hugh Lewis who was a legend of his era playing in Open Championships, was notoriously grumpy but had a wicked dry sense of humour. One day a visitor to Davyhulme had entered the shop and asked Hugh if he sold course planners to which Hugh replied “We don’t do those here I’m afraid sir”. Said player then proceeded to the 1st tee with his friends and duly sliced one massively out of bounds and into the local housing estate which Hugh witnessed. Quick as a flash he made his way out and before the player had left the tee handed him an A to Z and said, “Maybe this might be of help to you sir”.

A big thank you to my good friend and PGA Pro Matt Turnock for running today’s event, he’s so efficient with Richard Palmer even commenting “I’ve never seen Tim’s prize boxes look so tidy”.
NP – 9th – Pete Ledger 1 Doz Srixon AD333’s
NP – 17th – Gary Neiles 1 Doz Srixon AD333’s
2’s £197.50 Pot 6pro vs 15 srixons
Andy Taylor, Dave Greenwood, Graham Devenport, Janet Heywood (eagle 2 on par 4 12th), Norrie Erwin, Paul Yearsley, Phillip Cort and Phil Ranskill

Tim Maxwell
Advanced PGA Professional
The Knutsford Golf Club
07810 887636

Dear Maxitours players,

Unusually to family illness and work commitments a couple of spaces have come free foe teams of 4 at one of Cheshires finest clubs -Stockport on Monday.
Times available at 8.57am and 12.20pm

Thanks Tim

Tim Maxwell
Advanced PGA Professional
The Knutsford Golf Club
07810 887636

Room at Davyhulme next Friday 11th October – spaces for 3 teams on this Classic and very enjoyable historic Manchester venue.
Stockport Monday 14th October- Full -Please give me AT LEAST 7 days notice if you need to cancel. Thank you.
Maxitours at llovely Llangollen!

What a brilliant day. Glorious sunshine and a fantastically presented golf course with excellent fairways and greens. Who could wish for more.

The day started slowly for most teams as the Welsh aren’t keen on giving players many shots with crazy low course slope ratings and they also make you drive at 20 miles an hour on their empty roads.
Things soon warmed up though and it was lovely to hear so many positive comments about a golf club.

‘I loved it out there.’ Announced Sam Leach – he also played half decent for a change.
‘As this course was in a valley I was expecting it to be very wet!’ Declared retired Geography teacher Nigel Ashton. ‘But it was incredibly dry! Superb.’
Someone not quite as optimistic was Neil Tanner. Dave Cooper invited him to play in his first ever Maxitours and told me Neil was a really nice guy but incredibly negative.
‘He’s not got a positive bone in his body. He’s great at funerals though.’
When he checked-in I asked him if he was going to play well.
‘I hope so, but I very much doubt it.’

Rod Marsh also needs some positivity tablets. He didn’t know all of his team mates and was worried when he discovered that one was a three handicapper. ‘Crikey- what’s he doing playing with me?’

Bob Kelsall is a lovely gentle giant of a man but there was always something strange about him that I couldn’t put my finger. I found out what that was today -his wife is a much better player than him. The first rule of golf is to be better than your wife. Fiona isn’t just better than him, she is miles better than him and the attractive Bramall member played far better than her husband once again today as the team scored a solid 80 points
Steve Hall hit a great shot and knocked his ball close on par three 18th .It was debatable whether he won nearest the pin or not so had to measure. The whole clubhouse was watching but you can always trust a retired banker and he didn’t put his name on the marker but his hand was definitely twitching.

Scoring was good in today’s event with 4 teams tied in 2nd place on 83 points. Simon Poucher(7) (aka Aquaman due to his fondness for hitting the ball in the water) and his Sale team of Dave Carlile(13), John McCaffrey(7) and Andrew Stone(11) took 2nd on the card play off after an excellent back nine.
Winning was the Prestbury team of Chris Adams(9), Phil Singh(11), Steve Hall (14)and recently elected 2025 Captain of Prestbury -Martin ‘I’m not getting involved in any politics’ Prescott(6). A great team effort culminated in underrated Steve Hall making a great birdie on the last to secure a famous win. Well played chaps, great golf.
Thanks to all for looking after the course so well today. Impressive new course manager Rob has got Llangollen in great shape and he loves Maxitours visiting. You guys are brilliant and our reputation grows.

Tim

Nearest the pin 14th Keith Park Doz AD333
Nearest the pin 16th Steve Aspinall Doz AD333

2’s sweep £245 6 pro v1s or 14 srixon AD333 per two
Steve Hall John McCaffrey Andy Bethell Chris Bracchi Keith Park Sam Leach Jonny Barton Colin Bryan Ken Booth Nick Coleman Mark Austin

Tim Maxwell
Advanced PGA Professional
The Knutsford Golf Club
07810 887636