Dear Maxitours Golfer,

Many thanks for your support of this trip which should be fabulous.
We have forty really nice guys already signed up and looking forward to breaking up their Winter by getting some warm Mediterranean sun this January. There is now room for just 4 more teams.

All this INCLUDING FLIGHT + CLUB CARRIAGE for £599!!

Itinerary

12th Jan depart Manchester 14.35pm arrive 17.35pm

15 minute Airport transfer to hotel

Welcome drinks reception.7.30-8pm in the lovely 5* Vilasol bar

8-8.30pm Teams depart at leisure for evening meal in Vilamoura or Almancil

13th Jan Tournament round 1 +50 Free range balls + free bar 5.30-6.30pm

14th Jan Tournament round 2 +50 free range balls +free bar 5.30-6.30pm

15th Jan tournament round 3 + 50 free range balls + free bar 5.30-6.30pm

teams to tee off in reverse order on final day.

7.30pm Presentation dinner, prize giving and free wine/beer.

16th dep Faro 11.00am arrive 14.10pm

Here are the teams so far signed up so you can check the form guide of the forty Maxitours players over the next few weeks!

Yours in holiday mood,
Tim

Maxitours at Perfect Prestbury

Maxitours players were greeted with firm fairways and hand cut greens as Head Green Keeper Mark Crossley continues to impress. The free draining Prestbury course looked stunning as the late Autumn sunshine picked out the colours of the bronzing trees.

‘It’s like playing in Summer out there’ said Marriott’s Dave Wilson. ‘Those greens were brilliant’

Thanks to General Manager David Holmes and his very professional team for all their excellent help today – brilliant.

Les Russon really looks after his team. He makes the bookings each week and tells the guys where to be and at what time. Today he even provided his team with pork pies half way around and then handed out some home-made parkin over the closing holes to give them an energy boost. Unfortunately the only thing he didn’t provide was any points for his team as partner Steve Merrick did the business.

John Hilditch turned up without his usual low handicap and talented partner Iain Bartholomew. ‘His back has finally packed up after carrying me around for the last couple of years. ‘ Admitted the likeable but sad estate agent.
Paul Clay is the Maxitours one-liner king and he always has a few for me when he picks his card up each week. He apologised to me at check in and said he was sorry that he hadn’t played recently but he had just setting up a successful business building small yachts in his bedroom. Apparently ‘ The Sails have gone through the roof. ‘

Before that he told me that he was a bus driver but he had to pack it in because he thought people were talking behind his back.

It was great to see the Alsager veterans Dave Marchant(15) and Bob Sinclair(15) back in the prizes after an excellent 42 points saw them finish 6th.

Jim Hodges(6) regularly pops up on dodgy freeview channels as he is a specialist in renovating old motorbikes. There was no signs of any rustiness on the course as he took 5th place on 43 points alongside Chris Burrows(12) .

YThe Knutsford maestros David Kelly (11)and John Atkin(20) are becoming a force to be reckoned with as the smooth swinging duo finished 4th also on 43 points.

Great blokes Dave Bowers(10) and Hugh Mullen from Didsbury had their first podium of the winter with a better back nine to seal 3rd place on the card play off.

Vale Royal member Mark Patten(10) has played regularly and never won a prize except for single victory at Prestbury last time we came here. He nearly repeated the feat today with an excellent 44 points. ‘I love it here!’ said the driving instructor. Damien Bateson(14) was his partner.

As the last cards were handed in on a tough scoring day Sale Golf Club’s Simon Poucher(13) and Macclesfield Golf Clubs Brendan Leighton looked slightly bashful. ‘We had a day out today!’ Simon admitted. Sixteen handicapper Leighton had 4 gross birdies as they scored a cool 48 points to beat a high quality field by four shots. The best of these was a three wood to four feet into the wind on the 18th. Well played chaps – great score.

Thanks to everyone for playing, I hope you had a magical day out there!
Yours in golf, Tim
Nearest the Pin 7th Simon Walton Doz AD333
Nearest the Pin 17th Brian Greenbank Doz AD333
2’s sweep
£150 2 pro v1s or 6 srixons per 2
Steve Foxcroft Rob Weston Stuart Blake Roger Percival Frank Hindle Paul Clay Jason Henderson Mark Birtwistle Bob Kwan Chris Burrows Ryan Bancroft John Bancroft Jim Hodges Hugh Mullen Simon Woof Simon Walton x2 John Bent Alan Smith Andy Wallace Roger Percival Brendan Leighton Tom Griffiths Dave Wainwright Brian Greenbank

Sandiway start sheet
Tuesday 29th November 11am shotgun

1a Mick Mahon x4
1bTrevor Foster x4
2a Ian Ainsworth x4
2b Roger Percival x4
3 Frank Stapleton x4
4a Simon Poucher x2 Terry Rathbone x2
4b Bob Picthall x4
5a Jim Caldwell x2 Lewis Marland x2
5b Martin Bramwell x4
6 Gary Neiles x4
7a Phil Vokes x4
7b Jason Henderson x2 Pete Cleaver x2
8 John Hilditch x2 Paul Smith x2
9a Colin Roberts x4
9b Ian King x4
10a Simon Hemsley x4
10b Dave Blood x4
11 Steve Aspinall x4
12 Mark Williams x4
12b Gary Hunt x2 Phil Cross x2
13a Simon Ashton x4
14a Eddie Jordan x2 Simon Wilkinson x2
14b Steve Lambert x4
15 Paul Rudkin x4
15 Eddie Jordan x2 Steve Johnson x2
16 Ray Jones x4
17a David Kelly x4
17bBrian Hopkins x4
18 Les Russon x4
res Richard Johnson x4
Dale Beaghan x4
Garry Dowdle x2/4
Chis Unsworth x4

Maxitours at Fabulous Fairhaven

Maxitours golfers enjoyed perhaps the best day out of the year at Fairhaven. It was almost sunbathing weather for our players as the November temperature was touching 20 degrees. The Fairhaven Golf Course is a superb layout which has improved tremendously over the last five years or so and our players were raving about the quality of the venue.

‘What a terrific day!’ Said Rob Little
‘That was outstanding- a day in a million and what a course!’ praised Dave Beard.

Thanks to Lindzi Stone and her hard working team for looking after us so well throughout the day.

After the cards were handed out and I had sampled a Fairhaven bacon butty I took advantage of the glorious sunshine and was practising my wedge shots on the practice ground beside the 10th tee. I have heard many interesting excuses over the years for bad golf shots and have even been known to use a few of them myself. Today there was a new one for me.
I couldn’t see who actually hit the shot but I heard a whoosh followed by some gentle swearing then I heard a golf ball scuttle deep into the undergrowth. ‘That ladybird put me off!’ came the complaint.

Staffordshire nice guy Richard Williamson turned up just in time for the 11am shotgun start. He was delayed after an articulated lorry crashed across the M6 near Knutsford spilling its load and blocking all Northbound traffic . The radio reported that ‘cold syrup’ had been spattered onto the carriage way. ‘What’s cold syrup ?’ I asked ‘ Its a bit like hot syrup but not as warm ‘ Craig Wilson kindly informed me.

On the golf course Richard and his team got into a few more sticky situations as they finished last with 70 points.

In today’s event the still conditions, reachable par fives and superb greens led to excellent scoring opportunities.
Postman Martin France(3) and his Lymm Golf Club team delivered the goods and they finished in 5th place with 85 points.

Les Russon(11) and his Bramall team finished in 4th with 87 points this was despite having Rob Kenyon(14) in the team.

Third place went to Mottram Hall’s ‘well spoken’ wine expert Richard Blackwell(13), and his red nosed team of Steve Austin(14), John Hilton(13) and Mark Jones(15). They played some vintage golf to score 89 points.

The ‘not quite as well spoken’ but far more talented Duckenfield quartet of Gareth Winston(10), Mark Phillips(12), Gareth Kershaw(13) and Josh Ainscough(3) thought they had done enough to win scoring 91 points. Mark was on fire and he made the most of the perfect conditions to pick up nine shots for the likeable team. Josh works in the Pro Shop at Duckinfield and he is obviously not selling enough Mars bars as he recorded five gross birdies in an impressive display of golf.

First place went to the Clitheroe trio of Munro Donald(14), Nigel Clowes(6), Phil Hanson(8) and Pleasington’s Nigel Comsty(11). Munro is a highly respected GP who worked in the Burnley area. He is enjoying his retirement and uses his hefty pension to play plenty of golf. Reading his scorecard was very hard but I think the scribbles added up to an impressive 92 points! Well played Doc- great score.

Thanks to all who travelled to this great course today, I am sure you enjoyed this class venue, yours in golf, Tim

Nearest the Pin 10th Alan Vaughan Dozen AD333s
Nearest the pin 17th Trevor Foster Dozen AD333s
£120 2’s sweep 12 srixons each
Barry Jackson x2 Andy Hale Trevor Foster Dave Beard Munro Donald Mick Jones

Prestbury start sheet 24th
November 11am shotgun
1a Colin Roberts x4
1b Mick Mahon x4
2b Phil Vokes x4
3 Dave Bowers x4
4 John Bancroft x2 Wayne Colclough x2
5 John Stubbs x4
5b Ian Nielson x4
6a Gary Hunt x2 Eddie Jordan x2
6b Roger Percival x4
7 John Hilditch x2 Jp X2
8a Rob Weston x4
8b Dave Blood x4
9a Brian Hopkins x4
9b Jason Henderson x2 Lewis Marland x2
10 David Kelly x4
11 Mark Williams x4
12a Jim Caldwell x2 Eddie Jordan x2
12b John Berry x4
14a Sam Leach x4
14b Simon Poucher x2 Gary Neiles x2
15a Steve Aspinall x4
15b Les Russon x4
16 Craig Dyson x4
16 Mike Fenton x4
17Dave Goodwin x4
18a Trevor Foster x4
reserves
Dave Wainwright x4
Dale Beaghan x4

Maxitours tournament in Portugal!!!

36 players confirmed – room for 12 more.
*Join us on the best value trip of the year on a quality oversees course- £599 including flights, golf, 4 nights accomodation, breakfast, gala dinner all at the fantastic Vilasol hotel , free bar each night for an hour, prizes, free range balls, golf club carriage and tournament organiser. I played in two events at Vilasol last January and can recommend the superb weather, golf course and hotel facilities!
**one team need 2 players if you are a single or pair and fancy some golf in Portugal to break up the winter!

***Dunham Forest 11.30am Shotgun next week- times below
***Fairhaven 15th Novemnber is 11am shotgun not 11.30am as advertised

Maxitours at Wonderful Wilmslow

Another dry (but slightly chilly) day greeted Maxitours competitors at the classy Wilmslow Golf Club.

Thanks to everyone at this great, great Club for making us feel so welcome. The stewards are a delight to deal with and can’t be more helpful and the green keepers could not have presented their course to a higher standard- many thanks indeed.

‘Wow, Another great venue’ declared Terry Rathbone after his round.
‘That’s probably my favourite Cheshire course’ announced Simon Burgess.
‘It’s posh around here.’ observed Stoke-on-Trents Gav Dixon.

Peter Cross from Clitheroe played with Terry Crossley . They both mark their golf balls with a cross. When they finished their round it was hard to decide who was the crossest after they missed out on the prizes by a single shot. ‘You are still getting Across the line at the top of your swing.’ Peter informed his partner before adding ‘Oh yes- and you are also cutting Across your putts’
‘Do something useful for once and pass that pint of lager Across here’ said Terry. ‘You don’t mind if I Cross you out as my partner next week?’ he added.

Ian King turned up without his very nice but slightly temperamental regular partner Darren Whittaker who was on holiday in Florida. ‘He’s gone to the world club throwing championships- he’s the favourite !’ His usual four ball all agreed. Rather like Dan Fosbury who developed his own high jump technique to win the 1968 Olympics, Darren has taken club throwing to a new level and made it an art form. The ‘Whittaker whang’ is a very efficient throwing action and the club is always tossed forward towards the hole in play. This saves any unnecessary waste of energy on the golf course when going to pick it up. Good luck Darren.

Top french chef Olivier Troalen played again today and he cooked up a less than tasty score of 34 points alongside Garry Dowdle. Troalen owns a very successful french bistro in Lymm which has a growing reputation for producing superb food. He opened an Italian restaurant called Calzone a few years ago but unfortunately it folded.

In today’s event the tees were forward and the fairways were firm and fast, the greens also rolled extremely well and this was reflected in the best scoring for nearly eight years as Maxitours players went to town!

Well known Macclesfield Father and son plasterers Sam and Pete Cleaver played smoothly and finished in 5th place alongside Staffordshire’s Terry Rathbone and Keith Tunstall with 46 points.

Fourth place went to likeable Brian Hopkins and Alan Smith from Shrigley who were convinced they would win with an impressive 47 points. Classy Hopkins has been on fire recently and the four handicapper shot level par – well played Bri.

Bromborough’s Phil Ashworth and Gary Garner scored 48 points which was good enough for 3rd place. They lost out on a card play off to the Didsbury low handicap pairing Barney Ross (5) and Paul Dalby(5) who eagled both the 7th and the 18th hole during his round.

It sounds like I am covering for them but Maxitours players Richard Palmer and John Farnsworth have played EVERY week in my events for the past nine years. They are lovely men but they have had very limited success. Last time out as a pair at Prestbury they scored 30 points to finish 47th out of 50 pairs. Today the Lancastrians recorded the best Maxitours total for over 8 years as they accumulated an incredible 53 points. I got a text message at 2pm from their playing partners informing me they had scored 29 points on the front nine!
‘I can honestly say I have never played that well before’ admitted a shell shocked Farnworth.

‘I can honestly say that you will never play that well again!’ added their scorer Mick Mahon. Great golf chaps- tremendous golfing!

Thanks to all who played today- terrific!
Nearest the Pin 9th Jimmy Cox Dozen AD333s
Nearest the Pin 17th Clive Evans Dozen AD333s

2’s £170 4 pro v1s each or 10 srixon AD333s Andy Dunn Pete Atherton Jim Hodges John Hilditch ClIve Evans Mark Bulman Billy Rawsthore Jim Hodges Simon Poucher Peter Cross Trevor Foster Gary Garner Gav Sutcliffe

Dunham Forest Pairs Thursday 10th November
*11.30am shotgun
1a Frank Stapleton x4
1b Colin Roberts x4
2a Mark Jones x2 Eddie Jordan x2
2b Mick Mahon x4
3 Phil Vokes x4
4a Trevor Foster x4
4b Roger Percival x4
5 Lewis Marland x2 Gary Garner x2?
6a John Hilditch x2 Paul Smith x2
6b Phil Cross x4
7 Leigh Smart x4
8 Dave Blood x4
9a Richard Blackwell x4
9b Sam Leach x4
10 John Wallace x4
11a John Dickenson x4
11b
12 Nigel Oakes x4
12b Les Russon x4
13 Alan Vaughan x4
14 Danny Ritchie x4
14b Gav Dixon x4
15 Mark Williams x2 Ian Kirkland x2
16a Pete Tinkler x4
16b Robert Blane x4
17 Steve Aspinall x4
18a Jim Caldwell x4
18b Ian King x4

Great Maxitours winter venues
3rd November Wilmslow -times below- room for 1 pair
10th November 11.30 start Dunham Pairs -last couple of spaces
15th November Fairhaven -full ** now 11am start NOT 11.30am**
24th November Prestbury- 11am spaces
29th November Sandiway – 11am last 2 spaces
8th December Stockport -11am spaces
14th December Vale Royal 11am spaces
22nd December Ringway Christmas Cracker 11am – spaces

Maxitours at superb Stockport

It was great to see one of Cheshire’s premier courses prepared to such a high standard for today’s Maxitours event. The closely mown Stockport fairways looked immaculate and the freshly rolled and ironed greens were running at nearly twelve on the stimp meter. We are less than a week away from November – incredible. Many thanks to Adam Harrison and his staff for all their work.

Stewards Sue and Paul are famous throughout Cheshire for their high quality food and they were delighted to see so many of our players enjoying their menu. Thanks to everyone at this lovely Club for making us feel so welcome.
‘Those greens are fantastic’ said Colin Roberts who was first out this morning.
Brian Hopkins was last out and when I asked him if the greens were still good he also replied ‘Fantastic!’

Stockport has a big wooden revolving door which you pass through as you enter the Clubhouse. This provides hours of entertainment for retired children Brian Ankers and Peter Heald. Their favourite trick is trapping chunky Roy Ainsworth as he eagerly makes his way to the breakfast lounge.

Over 100 Maxitours players did safely negotiate the revolving door however wealthy estate agent John Pratt was the only player to get stuck without the help of any mischievous team mates. He could be seen pulling on the door and scratching his head. At one point he even seemed to be looking for a door bell. ‘I don’t sell many houses with revolving doors.’ Explained the likeable West Ham fan.

I pretended to be interested in regular Maxitours player Nick Monk’s game and I asked him if he was playing well at the moment.
‘No.’
When he finished his round I asked him if things had improved.
‘No.’
End of conversation.

Geoff Andrews doesn’t hit many greens with his irons. ‘How was your approach play today? I enquired. ‘The pointy bits on my pitch mark repairer are still razor sharp. ‘ he muttered in despair.

Ian Buxton owns a top local bakery in Darwin and he was up at 2am baking bread, cakes and pies for his shop. He started the day well when he hand delivered an apple pie and a warm small white loaf to the tournament organiser (me). The problems began when he overcooked his approach into several of the firm greens and he had his fingers burned when he misread the fast greens. He failed to rise to the occasion more than once and didn’t put any icing on the cake after a last hole bogey when he only kneaded a par.
In todays event scoring was close. Third place went to the Mottram Hall/Flixton team of Richard Blackwell(13), Tony Jennison(6), John Hilton(13) and Steve Bullock(10). Hilton was European table tennis champion in the early 1980’s and is a top competitor. He has not featured in the prizes for a few months after recent illnesses but it was great to see him back to his best.

Wilmslow’s Jim Caldwell(11) is well into his seventies but he is a fit as a fiddleand has a mind as sharp as a razor. Once again he rolled back the years and played great golf on the back nine to help his team into second place with 84 points. Bob Picthall(18), Andrew Aherne(18) and Nigel Compsty(11) completed the prosperous quartet.

The Didsbury Golf Club team of Hugh Mullin(8), John Bent(9) and father and son Dave(10) and Simon Bowers (5) came in late in the day with a solid 85 points to take first place. Simon is a primary school sports coach and he is good at telling children what to do. He helped his team around today. ‘The big difference was John Bent who is normally a waste of space but he played unusually well today.’ reported Simon.

Well played chaps, great golf. Thanks to everyone for your terrific support. Yours in Golf, Tim

Nearest the Pin 16th Anthony Wilson Dozen Ad333s
Nearest the Pin in 2 on 18th John Farnworth Dozen AD333s
2’s sweep
£225 (Maxitours will also donate £225 to the keeping Kate campaign) Please log on if you wish to give to this worthwhile cause.
Keeping Kate Campaign https://www.gofundme.com/2q8y9rs4)
Steve Hall Jim Caldwell Paul Wild Pete Atherton Colin Davies John Pratt Colin Davies John Bent 9 pro V1s or 21 srixon AD333s each

Wilmslow Golf Club Pairs
Thursday 3rd November
1st tee
9.45 Colin Roberts x4
9.54 Ian King x4
10.03 Phil Vokes x4
10.12 Mick Mahon x4
10.21 Lewis Marland x2 John Hilditch x2
10.30 Roger Percival x4
10.39 Dave Blood x4
10.48 Pete Ledger x4
10.57 Trevor Foster x4
11.06 Richard Blackwell x2 Gary Garner x2
11.15 Alan Vaughan x2 John Hunt x2
11.24 Brian Hopkins x4
11.33 Gav Dixon x4
11.42 Dave Sarsfield x4

10th tee
9.45 Garry Dowdle x4
9.54 David Kelly x4
10.03 Paul Browne x4
10.12 Wes Colclough x2 Martin Callahan x2
10.21 Pete Cleaver x2 Terry Rathbone x2
10.30 Ray Jones x4
10.39 Frank Stapleton x4
10.48 Simon Poucher x4
10.57 Leigh Smart x4
11.06 Graham Bates x2 Pete Short x2
11.15 Simon Burgess x4
11.24 Dave Goodwin x2 Eddie Geary x2
11.33 Les Penson x4
11.42 Eddie Jordan x2 Ian Ritchie x2