Space for 4 at Helsby next week and please check as slightly earlier times! 3 buggies also available for hire!

Maxitours at magnificent Manchester Golf Club

Head greenkeeper Matt Shinwell has presented Hopwood in great condition this season and the golf course was really enjoyed by all our players today.
‘That was perfect!’ Declared Rob Kenyon.
‘For September that was amazing!’ Announced Richard Wakefield.

Thanks to everyone at this lovely Club for your hospitality. Steve is a great catering manager and the food and service is possibly the best we get all year.

I have heard some excuses in my time but Jim Hodges is now right up there with the very best. He hit his second shot to 6 inches on the 1st hole and fluffed the tap in. He immediately blamed his hip.
I’m having an operation in the Winter’ He explained.
That will really improve your putting Jim.

Unlucky Mark Saxon had a proper excuse for scoring no points on the stroke index 1. He hit his best drive straight down the middle of the fairway on this tough driving hole. His ball hit the marker post and flew straight left finishing less than a foot in bounds in an unplayable lie!

Good luck to Graham ‘The Pie’ Jackson and all his Heyrose team who play in the Manchester alliance seniors finals day here at Hopwood tomorrow.
Graham was busy making some important notes on his way around:
1 Keep out of the rough.
2 The nearest Greggs bakery is 1.5 miles away in Middleton

There were absolutely no excuses for playing bad golf today. Clear blue skies, perfect fairways and greens, not a breath of wind and warm sunshine on your back. Even Jack Colemans team played well.

As I put the nearest the pin markers out first thing Mark Timperley appeared into view through the early morning mist hitting a large basket of balls on the driving range. He was preparing for his round like a tour pro. He got off to a great start as his team went out in a best of the day 46 points but they could only manage 35 on the tougher back nine. Paul Fells team had an even more spectacular collapse. They were 47 points going out and came home in a paltry 34. The bar was quieter than normal.

Richard Williamsons(12) team took second place late in the day with 85 points. Dave Goodwin(11) has a heart of gold but never looks very happy. He was smiling in the bar after his performance today. ‘Crikey even Daves smiling !’ I joked.
His team reassured me that it was just wind.
Paul Woodbine(9) and Phil Robinson(10) were his teammates.

Three Dave Smiths played today. There were two rubbish ones and then there was Ellesmere’s Dave Smith(8)representing John Kilners(7) team. Smith is a retired professional poker player and he knows the course well. They used their knowledge to great effect today with an excellent 85 points. Smith didn’t have his poker face on as he sat in the bar. He just had a big daft grin as he celebrated with a large San Miguel. Well played chaps. Great score. Tom Baker jnr(12) and retired John Kilner and Tom Baker senior(16) completed the team

Thanks to everyone for your support and integrity. Yours in friendship, Tim.

Congratulations to Tom Dobbins who had a hole in one on the 6thlate in the day.

Nearest the Pin 13th Terry Benson 15 inch Doz AD333
Nearest the Pin 16th Nigel Hall 12 inch Doz AD333

2’s £182.50 5 pro v1s or 12 AD333s Jim Kenyon Graham Jackson Simon Hemsley Richard T-Carr Jonny Barton Ian Hellens Stan Devlin Paul Fell Tom Baker jnr Tom Dobbins x2 (hole in one)!!

Maxitours at Helsby
Thursday 26th September

9.55 Simon Hemsley x4
10.04Colin Roberts x4
10.13 Jim Caldwell x4
10.22 Jim Clarke x4
10.31 Lewis Marland x4
10.40 Mick Mahon x4
10.49 Ian lilley x4
10.58 Peter Maher x4
11.06 Sam Leach x4
11.14 Paul Gilbert x4
11.23 Chris Adams x4
11.34 Simon Taylor x4
11.40 Dave Sully x4
11.48 Les Russon x4
11.57 Roy Ainsworth x4
12.06 Roger Percival x4
12.15 Jim Lindsay x4
12.24 Brian Greenbank x4
12.33 Pete Dobson x4
12.42 Nigel Hallows x4
12.51 John Hunt x4
1.00 John Dickenson x4
1.09 Paul Fell x4
1.18 Dave Bentley x4
1.27 Pete Cotton x4
1.36 Paul Rudkin x4
1.45 Simon Ashton x4
1.54 Joe Yates x4
2.03 Richard Blackwell x4
2.12 Dave Goodwin x4
2.21
2.30 Brian Hopkins x4
2.39
2.48 John Newton x4

Winter/Spring Schedule is being released this week!

Maxitours at Pleasington

Pleasington was in superb condition for todays high quality Maxitours event.

According to their members the golf course is in the best condition it has ever been. I played here twenty years ago and the greens were disappointing but for the past two years they have been absolutely class. The whole course was pristine.
‘What a course! Those are the best bunkers I have ever played from!’ Said well-travelled five handicapper Tony Jennison.

Thanks to the chef who provided great food throughout the day. He sold at least 30 portions of his excellent curry and chips. ‘I’m shattered’ He told me at the end of the day ‘I didn’t sleep well last night. The wife was snoring. It sounds like a motor boat repair yard in our bedroom. I can’t believe it.’

Train spotter Tom Hughes was in the rough off the tee all day. The only time he hit the short stuff was on the 11thhole when his vicious hook onto the railway line ricocheted back into the centre of the fairway. He made a solid par.

Steve Halliwell never wins a bean but this morning he was nearest the pin in two shots on 18th hole.
He could barely eat his bag of crisps as he sat in the clubhouse watching approach shots narrowly finishing outside his marker. ‘Are we going home Steve ?’ his team asked after four hours. ‘Let me just watch this next group…’ Late in the day Gareth Lewis’ approach nestled three feet from the hole to spoil Steve’s day.

Famous wealthy Bolton dentist Derek Scoular played with Ferrari and Lamborghini driving father and son Colin and Jon Lynch -two of his best clients. There were plenty of bright white teeth on show on the 18th green after the two Lynchs rolled in nice putts on the 18th to pick up 6 points for the team.

In today’s event scores were much better in the morning before the late afternoon rain started to fall.

There were several teams who played at both Clitheroe and Pleasington and winning the two day prize as well as finishing 1st today was the popular team of Gareth Bradley(+2) Ian King(6) Joe Kirwan(6) and John Owen(11) with an excellent 88 points today to add to their 78 at Clitheroe. Well played chaps.

Two day Lancashire Classic.
Gareth Bradley team 166 points
Peter Maher team 162
Mick Mahon team 156

Bramhalls’ Peter Maher(16) Gareth Lewis(10) Nigel Hall (9) and Russell Humphries(14) picked up a Maxitours record equalling nine points on the 7th hole and that helped them finish in 2nd place today.

Davenports Paul Robinson(7) Dave Slater(9) Phil Housley(5) and Charles Waldron Kelly took 3rd place. They had a best of the day 46 points on the front nine before stalling on the tougher back nine.

John Farnsworth plays bad golf on Maxitours most weeks There is not an ounce of fat on him -he looks like a walking one iron. Today he turned up and he looked like he had put on three stone. ‘Ive just taken some gout pills and they’ve made my face swell up!’ explained the likeable Lancastrian.
The new fatter Farnsworth played much better and they were delighted to finish in 4th position

Thanks to everyone for your 100% attendance yet again.

Tim

Nearest the Pin 16th Roy Sinclair Doz AD333
Nearest the Pin in 2 18th Gareth Lewis Doz AD333

2’s £170 4 pro v1s or 9 Srixon AD333 Roy Sinclair Derek Scoular Stuart Blake Paul Robinson x2 Mike Tarrant Steve Halliwell Dave Greenwood Steve Lamont Dave Monk Eugenio Fernandez Kev Doublard

Hopwood start times
Thursday 19th September
10.00 Simon Hemsley x4
10.09 jack Coleman x4
10.18 Jim Clarke x4
10.27 Lewis Marland x4
10.36 Mick Mahon
10.45 Paul Cooper x4
10.54 Dave Stanhope x4
11.03 Martin Bramwell x4
11.12 Pete Dobson x4
11.21 John Hilditch x4
11.30 Nigel Hallows x4
11.39 Roger Percival x4
11.48 Peter Maher x4
11.57 Sam Leach x4
12.06 Dave Sully x4
12.15 Les Russon x4
12.24 Tim Spencer x4
12.33 John Hunt x4
12.42 Brian Hopkins x4
12.51 Ian Hellens x4
1.00 Mike George x4
1.09 Neil Edwards x4
1.18 Neil Edwards x4
1.27 Paul Fell x4
1.36 Craig Rea x4
1.45 Richard Blackwell x4
1.54 David Smith x4
2,03 Steve Parle x4
2.12 Gaordon Warke x4
2.21 Bill Melia x4
2.30 David Smith x4
2.39 Dave Goodwin x4
2.48 Darren Booth x4
2.57 Lee Tilley x4

*Room for 2 teams at Pleasington this Thursday (early and late time available)

Maxitours at Classy Clitheroe

Once the atmospheric early morning Autumn fog lifted then wall to wall sunshine greeted Maxitours competitors at Clitheroe today. The course is a beauty and a firm favourite with our players. Even Barrie Simpson went home happy.

Rachel the new bar ‘person’ is the best in the business and Secretary manager Susan is a real pleasure to deal with. Paul McEvoy is also a top pro and his shop is brilliant. He has even more stock than I have in the back of my car.

Graham Jackson is famous throughout the North West for his love of pies. He never misses an event if there is a decent pie shop on-route. He will even make a twenty-mile detour if a highly rated pie shop is not too far away.
There is a sign on the back of his car. ‘No pies kept in this vehicle overnight.’
He has recently started eating fruit as he tries to change his pie loving image and at the same time wean himself off the shortcrust pastry Today he even refused to have the famous Clitheroe steak and ale pie after play.
‘Its ok I’m full up after my banana.’ He claimed in the bar.

After a couple of pints of bud-light he set off for home in convoy with his team mates however they lost eye contact with him at the roundabout next to the local Blackburn McDonalds drive thru.

Roy Ainsworth was aiming to win a pair of socks playing with Barrie Simpsons team. ‘A pair of socks is all I could ever think of winning with this hopeless crowd. I need a new pair as my old ones have worn out carrying Barrie around.’

Tony O’Donnell seems like a nice fella and he had never played Maxitours before. He entered the twos sweep. They had a record eight 2’s between the four of them. Unfortunately, it was a desperate eight 2 pointers as the finished in last place with 58 points. He did manage a ‘real two’ on the 5th and that earned him 24 balls.

The 17th hole is a cracker and even though it was playing just 135 yards long plenty of teams really struggled.
Unsurprisingly Barrie Simpson’s team scored 1 point but it was Mick Mahons team who gave us the best display of terrible golf as they actually failed to score. A couple of his team were actually getting strokes as well. After decent tee shots one of the quartet thinned his simple bunker shot into the steam, another putted from the fringe into the greenside bunker and to cap it all Mick hit his putt into the stream.

Third place went to Knutsford businessman Jim Clarke(10). He teamed up with Abersoch’s Pete Ledger(17) Turtons Dave Greenwood(11) and the pie eater(6). They had a solid 80 points.

Gavin Spencer(15) had a strange day. He arrived wearing one of the worst golf sweaters I have ever seen in my 32 years in the golf business. It looked like the board out of the popular 1980’s game show ‘blockbusters’. All Team mate Rob Kenyon could whisper at registration was ‘embarrassing.’ Gav also had a two but forgot to enter the sweep. He then went home distraught after he thought his team would finish middle of the field with 81 points. Incredibly they were leading for most of the day and he goes home with a very useful prize- a new sweater…

Chorltons likeable quartet of Dave Griffiths(14) Police dog handler Andy Hall(5), Chris Bracchi(14), and Hugh Bilbey(20) were all surprised and delighted to win with just 81 points. Despite yellow tees and preferred lies this course still takes some playing and these four were up to the job.
Well played chaps, great victory.
Thanks to everyone for your 100% attendance. Outstanding.

Yours in golf, Tim

Nearest the pin 5th Chris Adams Doz AD333
Nearest the pin 17th Mike Priestley Doz AD333

2’s sweep £220 11 pro v1s or 24 srixon ad333’s per 2!
Stuart Blake Chris Adams Sarah Ormrod Harvey Mattison (this is not a mis-print) Pete Walters Tony O’Donnell

Maxitours at Pleasington
Thursday 12th Sept

9.30 Gareth Bradley x4
9.39
9.48 john Newton x4
9.57 Mike Tarrant x4
10.06 Chris Chidley x4
10.15 Steve Foxcroft x4
10.24 Bob Sutton x4
10.33 Nigel Jenkins x4
10.42 Mick Mahon x4
10.51 Jim Rymer x4
11.00 Paul Robinson x4
11.09 Phil young x4
11.18 Bob Kwan x4
11.27 Nigel smith x4
11.36 Steve Finnan x4
11.45 Steve Finnan x4
11.54 Roy Sinclair x4
12.03 Kev Hart x4
12.12 Peter Maher x4
12.21 Richard Blackwell x4
1.30 Steve Aspinall x4
1.39 David Carlisle x4
1.48 Nigel Hallows x4
1.57 Paul Fell x4
2.06 Steve Lamont x4
2.15 Steve Lamont x4
2.24

Dear Maxitours player
There is Room for 2 players tomorrow at 10am it 1.36pm at Clitheroe Forecast excellent !
Please text me and I will get back to you at 5.30!
(I am playing golf 😉)

Clitheroe (Tuesday 10th ) and Pleasington (Thursday 12th) start times below – room for 2 teams

Maxitours at delightful Davyhulme

Another brilliant days’ golf was enjoyed by all at our latest terrific new Maxitours venue – Davyhulme.
Only about 10% of my players had played here and they were all really impressed with the Golf Course and Clubhouse. ‘I hope we are back here next year’ was the overwhelming consensus.

‘The greens were really super’ Declared Les Russon.
‘What a building!’ Admired Drew Norman. ‘Fantastic!’

Thanks to Jane and all the excellent staff at this very friendly Club.

Highly respected PGA professional Martyn Hamer also does a great job at Davyhulme and he enjoyed Maxitours visiting his home Club.
’What a lovely bunch of guys’ He commented at the end of the day.
He took a real shine to Gary Holt who cleaned him out of Mars bars before he went out to play. Martyn sped off to cash and carry on the off chance that the portly Lancastrian got peckish half way round.

In today’s event one handicapper Steve Walmesley had a Maxitours record NINE gross birdies! Yes nine birdies!. His team need shooting as they could only manage 81 points. Steve is hoping to be released in the next transfer window.

Barry Jackson also had a Maxitours first when he arrived at Davyhulme on his bike. He played like a ‘Chopper’ today. ‘I’ll probably get run over on my way home the way my luck is going.’ Said the likeable Davyhulme member.

It was breezy on the course and Dave Smith tried to hit a couple of Tiger Woods stingers but failed miserably. The closest he got to hitting a stinger was when he got bitten by a wasp on the 12th.

In todays event the windy conditions and tricky pin spots meant scoring was tough. Once again the competition was extremely close.
Dr Alison(15) and Dr James Shipstone(10) teamed up with John Hunt(18) and Liz Halliwell(13) to take 4th spot on 83 points

Ashton on Mersey housewife favourites Jimmy McEwan(6) John Harker(19) Ste Woods(16) and Jimmy Shirley(13) had a better back nine to take 3rd spot also on 83 points.

Tom Baker(17) and his son Tom Baker junior(14) played alongside John Kilner(7) and David Smith(9) they were delighted to score 84 points despite collecting just two points on the easy 17th hole.

Taking first prize and earning a second win of the summer were Hale’s charismatic Chris Brown(5) Ian Goulty (9) and the Veitch brothers Peter (10)and Andy (19). Despite a shot reduction from their previous success and also scoring just two points on the 17th they battled to a hard fought victory. Seventy year old Peter made a valuable birdie on the last to show his class. Well played chaps!
Thanks to everyone for your continued support.

Yours in golf, Tim.

Nearest the pin 4th Mike George Doz AD333
Nearest the pin 17th Paul Garrity Doz AD333

2’s £210 15 pro v1s or 32 Srixon AD333 Chris Brown Martin Schofield Paul Fell Richard Palmer Rick Guyeski

Clitheroe start sheet Tuesday 10th September

10.00 David Kelly x4
10.08 Colin Roberts x4
10.17 Simon Hemsley x4
10.26 Jim Clarke x4
10.34 Ed Pysden x4
10.43 Mick Mahon x4
10.51 Paul Cooper x4
10.59 Chris Adams x4
11.08 Jack Coleman x4
11.16 Lewis Marland x4
11.24 Brian Greenbank x4
11.32 Peter Dobson x4
11.40 Barrie Simpson x4
11.49 mil georgex4
11.57 Peter Maher x4
12.05 Rob Kenyon x4
12.13 Les Russon x4
12.21
12.29 Simon Poucher x4
12.36Dave Sully x4
12.42 Nigel Hallows x4
12.51 John Dickenson x4
1.00 Pete Walters x4
1.09 Richard Blackwell x4
1.18 Paul Fell x4
1.27 Steve Halliwell x4
1.36 Brian Hopkins x4
1.45 Tim Spencer x4
1.54 Darren Booth x4
2.03 Chih Hu x4
2.11 Dave Griffiths x4
2.19 Simon Ashton x4
2.28 Lee Tilley x4

Pleasington start sheet Thursday 12th September

9.30 Gareth Bradley x4
9.39
9.48 john Newton x4
9.57 Mike Tarrant x4
10.06 Chris Chidley x4
10.15 Steve Foxcroft x4
10.24
10.33 Nigel Jenkins x4
10.42 Mick Mahon x4
10.51 Jim Rymer x4
11.00 Paul Robinson x4
11.09 Phil young x4
11.18 bob Kwan x4
11.27 Nigel smith x4
11.36 Steve Finnan x4
11.45 Steve Finnan x4
11.54 Roy Sinclair x4
12.03 Kev Hart x4
12.12 Peter Maher x4
12.21 Richard Blackwell x4
1.30 Steve Aspinall x4
1.39 David Carlisle x4
1.48 Dave Randles x4 2pm
1.57 Paul fell x4
2.06 Steve Lamont x4
2.15 Steve Lamont x4
2.24
2.33 Bri Hopkins tbc x4