| Maxitours at stunning Stockport
Heavy overnight rain soon eased and a great day was enjoyed by all at Stockport Golf Club in today’s Maxitours event. The course looked a real treat despite the downpour with lush green fairways lined with gold coloured Autumn trees. As well as an exceptional golf course and greens staff the Catering at Stockport is also marvellous. Thanks to Paul and Sue for looking after us so well today. They never charge me for my lunchtime steak pie and chips but I look after them at the end of the day. It is a beautiful relationship. It was great to see Andrea Holt (number 1 table tennis player in England for many years) playing today. Andrea is an Olympian and she shared a lift with top athlete Linford Christie during the ’82 Olympics in Barcelona. She shared the Stockport revolving door with team mate Richard Blackwell today but is unlikely to remember the experience. Roy Ainsworth looked confident as he checked in this morning. A couple of lovely senior Stockport members were in the clubhouse with me enjoying the excellent cuisine and commenting on shots that were being hit off the 17th tee. Nigel Hallows teed off wearing shorts. Kev Hart is always struggling for partners and I often team him up with any spare pairs. He was having a sociable chat with Maxitours player in the changing rooms and asked him where he was from. In today’s event Ex head teacher and all round nice guy Nigel Ashton(13) ticked all the right boxes as he helped his team into 3rd place with 86 points. Dave Cooper(16) Paul Fell(6) and Tony Hereford(16) completed the quartet. Denton mechanic Jim Cox (5) always enjoys playing at Stockport and he led his team into 2nd place. Gary Bennell(13) Steve Jenkinson(10) and Manchester Airports Ian George (7) also landed 86 points but had a strong back nine. Justin Rose returned to the top of the world ranking at the weekend with his victory in Turkey and Graham Jackson returned to the top of the Maxitours Stuburt Order of Merit after just two events as he followed up a good performance last week with victory today. ‘My chipping was awesome’ reported Jackson. ‘I was great today!’ We are all delighted for you Graham. Well played. Jim Clarke(12) Mark Hagarty (13)and Pete Ledger(19) completed the team. Great performance chaps. Thanks to everyone for your support today. Yours in Golf, Tim Nearest the Pin 11th hole Doz AD333s 2’s sweep £145 4 pro v1s or 10 srixons Ed Wilkinson Brian Yarwood Paul Dalby Mike Sutton John Pratt Mike Dean Mike Masser Barney Ross Graham Jackson
Fairhaven 1a Brian Hopkins x4 |
Category Archives: Golf
Results from marvellous Mottram Hall
| Maxitours at marvellous Mottram Hall
Maxitours visited my old Club Mottram Hall in todays Maxitours event. Perhaps the best back nine layout in Cheshire and a very enjoyable front nine always makes this a popular venue. The tough Summer saw us playing off forward tees whilst repair work is taking place so scoring was excellent. Champneys have just purchased the hotel and there are plans for a huge lake in front of the 18th green next year as the course continues to improve. Shotgun starts are now underway after the clocks have gone back and check-in is always a busy time for me as I have to register and hand cards out to over 100 golfers in just over an hour. I don’t have time for the usual banter and try and run a tight ship so there is no queue for my players. There were still a couple of daft enquiries to handle. At my peak period Rob Hands asked me ‘Does tee 12b go before or after tee 12a?’ Take a wild guess Rob. ‘Will it be frosty next Thursday Tim?’ Asked Gareth Holmes. I have no idea Gareth. Remind me to bring my crystal ball with me next time. When I worked at Mottram Hall twenty years ago the shop was always busy and I had a chap phone up for a tee time. He asked for a 12 o’clock start. ‘I have 12.02pm still available’ I replied. He then asked me ‘Do you have anything slightly earlier?’ It’s Guy Fawkes night next week but Dave Booth is staying at home. I don’t need to go out for Bonfire night I.ve just watched these 3 dummies feeling the heat and burn on the back nine – our score went up in flames! Mike Spencer loves his golf and the Bramall Captain played at St Andrews yesterday and then drove 300 miles to play Mottram St Andrews today. ‘I enjoyed both courses equally’ said the diplomatic wealthy ex banker. In today’s event Lee Tilley was delighted to report that his good friend Dave Sarsfield made a par from a bunker. Usually if his ball finishes in a bunker ‘it’s curtains for Dave’ ‘Finito’ ‘Pick your ball up time’ ‘Get out your hamlets.’ Today he reportedly hit something that resembled a splash shot and then rolled his putt in. The last sand save he recorded was in 1989 when he was playing football on Rhyl beach with his kids. Congratulations Dave. In todays event the scoring was excellent. Les Russon’s Bramall team and Brian Greenbanks Hale team finished in 5th place with 88 points. Second place was decided on a card play off with 3 teams scoring 89 points. Neil Edwards(8), Ste Woods(23), Jason Atherton(9) and Matty Holland(16) from Ashton in Makerfield finished in 4th place with 8 points. They celebrated with a few beers in the Mottram bar. Third place went to badly dressed Graham Jackson(8) Norrie Irwin(13) Mark Hagarty(14) and Paul Whalley(17). Jackson is a fierce competitor and had three birdies to help his team. Leigh golf Clubs Joe Yates(15) Gary Neiles(6) John Longworth(14) and Alan Forber(15) took 2nd place after they scored 46 points on the tougher back nine. Winning the first event of the Stuburt Winter series was Wilmslows’ Jim Caldwell.(11) Peter Griggs(15), Lee Charnley(6) from Prestbury and Liam Pilkington(12) . The likeable quartet started on the 1st hole and went out in a best of the day46 oints and returned in 45 points. Great golf chaps well played!! Thanks for your support, Tim 2’s £167.50 4 pro v1s or 10 srixon AD333s per 2. Mick Mahon Steve Heywood John Delaney SteveSutcliffe Dave Goodwin Matt Holland Bob Whittle Ben Davies Eddie Ellis Pete Norbury Alison Shipstone John Hunt Nearest the Pin 3rd hole Steve Heywood Dozen AD333 Nearest the Pin 11th hole Phil Vokes Dozen AD333
Next week at Stockport 8th November *The course and greens are excellent on fourteen holes however after maintenance work temporary greens will still be in operation on holes 2, 5,6,and 16.- sorry for any inconvenience. Let me know ASAP if this is an issue for your team- AM AM Start sheet 1a Phil Vokes x4 1b Mick Mahon x4 2a Lewis Marland x4 2b John Hilditch x4 3 Dave Sully x4 4aPaul Fell x4 4b John Hunt x4 5Chris Adams x4 6aNigel Hallows x4 6bJoe Yates x4 7 Mike Dean x4 8Paul Gilbert x4 9a Roy Ainsworth x4 9b Peter Maher x4 10a Roger Percival x4 10b Jim Clarke x4 11 Richard Blackwell x4 12a Les Russon x4 12b Ed Pysden x4 13a David Kelly x4 13b Dave Sarsfield x4. 14 Sam Leach x4 15a Rob Kenyon x4 15b Ian Hellens x4 16 Brian Hopkins x4 17a Colin Roberts x4 17b Simon Hemsley x4 18 Dave Blood x4 res Brian Greenbank x4 |
Maxitours at fabulous Dunham Forest
| Room for 2 teams at Mottram Hall next week!
Maxitours at fabulous Dunham Forest Another great day was enjoyed by Maxitours players at Dunham Forest. Friendly members, great pro, fantastic food and a class golf course always make this a wonderful venue. ‘Those Greens were fantastic’ Announced Cheshire golf legend Gareth Bradley(+2) who has played on some of the best courses in Europe this year. ‘The greens are better than my carpet at home!’ said Mike George. If his sweater is anything to go by; his carpet might be a little bit frayed at the edges. Dave Wainwright was also very impressed: Many thanks to head green keeper Dave Lippiate and his excellent staff who have done such a fantastic job to get the course so playable after such an incredibly dry summer. Dunham only had 1cm of rainfall between April and the end of July! Great work chaps. Dunham do a popular Winter membership for just £400 for 5 months – offering great value golf at this terrific Winter venue. Contact Paul in the pro shop for more details. Colin Roberts has got a new top of the range £80,000 Mercedes. It is all singing and dancing. Unfortunately. he doesn’t know how it works. He teed off today with his engine still happily running in the car park. Postman Ed Coggins has a rural round in Lancaster and each day he drives his van 42 miles and has over 240 drops. He had a day off delivering post today and was hitting his golf ball for miles instead -he also had a few drops from behind the ancient Dunham oaks. Sixty eight year old Tony Evans played today despite last weeks report when I accidentally called him a seventy year old. Tony has kindly forgiven me. Many apologies Tony it won’t happen again- it was a genuine mistake as you look about seventy five. John Berry hadn’t played in a Maxitours event since Portugal in January. He told me that himself and the missus’ have had three new kids since he last saw me. I was trying to work out the maths but even I couldn’t figure out how quick swinging John managed that particular feat. The big hearted Sale man informed me that they have just fostered a 1, 2 and 3 year old. – Brilliant. Mark Hagerty was nearly in tears after his Jim Clarke team could only collect one point on the last and still recorded an excellent 86 to narrowly miss out on the prizes. He is off to watch the new Freddie Mercury film tonight to cheer himself up. All he could mutter to his team mates in the bar after their round was ‘Another win bites the dust’. My old science teacher Neil Drummond was playing today and there was plenty of Chemistry for his team as they combined to finish in 4th with 87 points. Brendan Lieghton(18) Andy Stone(14) and Callum Cook(20) were the other three elements. Pete Atherton(12) is a lovely bloke but he has been struggling for form recently. When I asked him if he was playing better said he had a great round last week until the 17th hole when the wheels came off. Unfortunately, it was a shotgun start and Pete teed off on the 16th. Things were better today and he helped his Lymm team of Roger Percival(6), Martin France(3) and Andy Wright(6) take 3rd place. Graham Littlers'(18) retired Leigh team of Alan Wain(7), Jim Doran(14) and Pete Dolan(17) were beaten into 2nd on a card play off. They also struggled over the four fantastic closing holes failing to improve their 17 under total after an exceptional start. Winning their second Maxitours event in ten years were Ray Jones(16) Dave Drury(16) Ray Massey(5) and John Gleave(16). These top lads all do shift work at Kelloggs in Trafford Park and are cereal losers. Even a blind squirrel finds a crunchy nut and today all the puts dropped. I asked Jones what he thought of his teams performance. Thanks to everyone for your 100% attendance once again. Yours in Golf, Tim Nearest the pin 8th Andy Wright Doz AD333s 2’s £230 5 pro v1s or 12 srixons per two Martin Bramwell Stuart Reynolds Richard Brewster Mike Sutton Andy Wright Roger Percival Jim Caldwell Bob Picthall Ray Massey Dave Goodwin Miles Chilton Graham Davenport Alan Pengelly Dave Blease Alan Vaughan
Mottram Hall AM AM |
Maxitours at superb Hazel Grove
| Maxitours at superb Hazel Grove
A stunning Autumn day greeted Maxitours competitors at Hazel Grove. The links is a cracker with great views as it nestles between the Penine foothills and the Cheshire plain. The Club is very forward thinking with and has the best young pro in the North in James Rowlands and they even have their own on site Golf specific Physio George Bresnahan whom I can highly recommend. The food presented by Martin Swindells is also top notch- are these the best toasties in Cheshire? The new bypass had opened on Monday and everyone was delighted at the speed of the journey. A 40 minute trek for locals to Manchester Airport has now been reduced to a leisurely 15 minute drive which is good news for those travelling to future events in Stockport. Mark Greening got a frosty reception when he got home late last night after his boys trip to Portugal and told his long suffering wife that he was playing golf today. He also got a cold reception at Hazel Grove this morning as freezing overnight temperatures led to the first frost of the year. Richard Palmer has just bought a new ram for £1800 and he is hoping it will do the business with his Leicester blue-face flock of sheep this Spring. He nearly spent that much on a new set of Callaways last year but they have been firing blanks for the past twelve months. They failed to perform today and Richards impotent team scored a very limp 70 points. Roy Ainsworth finally dropped Brian ‘Scrape the bottom of the barrell’ Ankers for todays event. He drafted in Pete Atherton from high flying Maxitours regular Roger Percivals team . When I asked Roy if the new signing played well Roy rolled his eyes. ‘He didn’t perform to our expected level. You have to take your chances at this level and Peter just hasn’t taken his. My team doesn’t settle for second best.’ Roy had to accept mid-table mediocrity once again. Mike Wainwright told me that he was having a Seve Ballesteros day. ‘Did you have a magical short game?’ Robbie Williams from Stoke on Trent played today. It wasn’t the Take That legend but a much older less charismatic version. Unfortunately, this Robbie’s Greatest hits saw his ball slicing deep into the Cheshire woods. Jan, Barbara, Margaret and Martin and all the volunteers in the Half way house did a great job looking after our guys today and raising a little for the Lady Captains charity. Thank you. The best scores in todays event came in the last two hours of play. Alan Drew(6) and Alan Simpson(14) from Birchwood were teamed up with Heyrose duo Chris Chidley(13) and Duncan Cameron(14). The two Alans were on fire and Simpson recorded his first eagle for over 10 years to finish in 4th with 86 points. Mellor and Townscliffe husband and wife team Simon(9) and Kaye(31) Conway took third place alongside Irishman Pat O’Dowd(18) and John Hitchenor(18). Hitchenor was hopeless on the front nine before spectacularly arriving on the scene when he holed his nine iron approach on the 12th. Simon played great as he was just one over par on his front nine. It’s been a very long time since anyone asked for Don Campbell’s(2) phone number but Mike George’s(10) attractive wife Caroline(20) did today after the low handicap Scotsman joined them at late notice and had the round of his life. He helped the Sale team into second place after he made a birdie and a gross eagle on his two shot holes to pick up 9 shots. Chris Kelly(20) completed the quartet. Winning today on a card play-off for their second win of the season was Mottram Hall’s Richard Blackwell(12), Tony Jennison(5) John Hilton(12) and Chris Marshall(12). Richard played with a friend of mine in an event at Helsby yesterday and he couldn’t hit a barn door with a banjo but today he couldn’t miss. Funny old game. Once again there was a 100% Maxitours attendance at this quality Cheshire venue- thank you very much for your reliability. Nearest the pin 2nd Tony Jennison Dozen AD333 2’s £245 4 pro V1 or 10 srixon per 2
Dunham Forest start sheet Nic Hercules x2 |
Hazel Grove news!
Spaces available!
Still Room for 2 teams of 4 (or 2 players)
Dear Maxitours player,
Thursdays event at Hazel Grove is looking good with an excellent weather forecast all week.
For your information some of the tees have suffered from this summers’ heat wave and they have had extensive repair work so 8 mats will be in operation.
The Club have kindly let us play off a mixture of mainly white and some yellow tees on the remaining ten holes. I went to the Club last week and the fairways and greens looked excellent.
Entry fee will be reduced to £22.50
See you on Thursday!
Tim
Hazel Grove start sheet
Thursday 18th October
8.50 Simon Ashton x4
9.00 Colin Roberts x4
9.09 Jim Caldwell x4
9.18 Simon Hemsley x4
9.27 Ed Pysden x4
9.36 Brian Greenbank x4
9.45 Rob Platt x4
9.54 Mike Stuart x4
10.03 Dave Bentley x4
10.12 Richard Blackwell x4
10.20 Paul Fell x4
10.28 Chris Adams x4
10.37 Neil Edwards x4
10.46 Lewis Marland x4
10.55 Mick Mahon x4
11.04 Chris Chidley x2 Alan Simpson x2
11.13 Steve Heywood x4
11.22 John Hilditch x4
11.31 Chris Gregory x4
11.39 Simon Poucher x4
11.48 Roy Ainsworth x4
11.57 Kevin Hart x2
12.06
12.15 Simon Taylor x4
12.24 Ian Hellens x4
12.33
12.42 Mike George x4
12.51 Nigel Hallows x4
1.00 Pat O’Dowd x2 -Simon Conway x2
1.09 Peter Meyer x4
1.18 Simon Ashton x4
1.27 Dave Goodwin x4
1.36 Alison Shipstone x4
1.45 Brian Hopkins x4
1.54 Lee Tilley x4
Maxitours Golf 