**This year my lovely home club Knutsford will be hosting four open competitions, we would like to extend a warm invitation to you to come and play our picturesque parkland course**
Entry for these events is ONLY via post. Entry forms on the website:

www.knutsfordgolf.com

Maxitours at superb Sandiway

Sandiway Golf Club Manager Yvonne Bould and her excellent team made us feel very welcome today. Thank you also to the Head Greenkeeper who was up bright and early rolling the greens before play and he presented his course in immaculate condition for so early in the season.

The stunning course was built by ICI in the 1920’s as a facility for its Cheshire employees and the wealthy Northwich middle classes. The Clubhouse was built in such a way that it could be turned into two semi-detatched houses if the Golf Club wasn’t successful! The Sandiway course has since matured into a classic and is now recognised as perhaps the best in Cheshire ?

John Royle was debating whether or not to tackle a Sandiway scone in the clubhouse after play, ‘he played like a pudding so he may as well have one’ muttered his long suffering partner John Stubbs.

Nigel Eckersley(13) this week retires after a very successful year as Knutsford GC Captain. With the pressure lifted he is already back to playing his best golf and despite being paired with Bob Sutton(18) he still managed to finish in a very commendable 6th place.

Seventy-seven year old Manchester golfing legend Neville Dennis(15) won on the horses at Cheltenham last week after he backed a couple of outsiders. Today he once again beat the odds and scored 43 points playing alongside carthorse Frank Massey(11) to finish in 5th place after a card play off.

There is a famous golfing phrase: ‘If you can’t play golf, get a good partner’. Wise John Hughes(9) played alongside Mark Ashworth(+2). They scored an excellent 43 points to finish in 4th position. John was delighted to get on the card three times.

Badly dressed Paul Dalby(4) and Phil Vokes(4) continued their recent good form as the two talented Didsbury men finished in third place with 43 points. Tytheringtons Andy Taylor(12)and Martin Firth(3) took second place. Firth made terrific birdies on the tough 14th and 17th holes to clinch the card play off.

Taking top spot was the unlikely sounding combination of ‘Tinkler and Hackett’.
Pete Tinkler(15) birdied the par three 6th and 11th holes however it was Steve Hackett(13) who was the main points scorer. The likeable Macclesfield GC steward celebrated his win in typical golf club steward fashion as he enjoyed tasting the wide variety of beers on offer in the Sandiway Clubhouse.

Highly respected Sandiway Club professional Bill Laird retires in a couple of weeks and I would like to take this opportunity to wish him a happy and healthy retirement.

Thanks for your support today,
Yours in golf,
Tim

Nearest the Pin 11th Bob Sutton- unbelievable but true
Nearest the Pin 18th Joe Kirwan

£132.50 2 pro v1s each or 4 srixon soft feel
Mick Mahon Paul Dalby Nigel Eckersley Malc Wells x2 John Bent Chris Cyprus Barney Ross Pau Griffiths x3!! Dave Wheeler x2 Mo Rawthore Simon Hartland Cath Rawthore John Hughes Pete Tinkler x2 Patrick Booth Blake Norton x2 Eddy Sterling x2 Steve Forde.

http://www.maxitoursgolf.com

Maxitours at wonderful Wilmslow

Wilmslow Golf Club was presented in tremendous condition for todays Maxitours event. Many thanks to Club Manager Keith Melia who runs a very tight ship. We were all made to feel extremely welcome today, the food, hospitality and golf course were all absolutely first class.

The well placed bunkers and hard to read Wilmslow greens got the better of Steve Rimmers team of nice guys from Didsbury Golf Club. They finished in last place with a paltry 69 points. Despite his poor showing Tony Fox was still in a positive frame of mind ‘I had a great day today apart from the golf’ he remarked.

Despite rarely hitting a green, optimistic Brett Sutcliffe always enjoys the challenge of the ‘nearest the pin’ competition. He really fancied his chances today on the easy, short, downhill, par 3 ninth hole. Unfortunately Bretts shanked tee shot missed the ninth green by some margin but he wondererd if he could still claim a prize as his ball scuttled next to the pin on the adjoining 18th green.

Well spoken Chris Brown(6) and John Webb(8) from leafy Hale were desperate for a game today so I teamed then up with Burnleys John Hilton(10) and Ron Jolley(16). Despite not understanding what the hell each other was talking about they overcame the language barrier and the two pairs combined tremendously to take second place with an excellent 87 points.

Paul Baxter (10) has played in many Maxitours events alongside Paul Taylor(13) and John Wraeg(8) with very little success. Today he brought along a talented golfer with a great swing, Nick Baxter (3) who he claims was his son. Nick who has the look of a Bolton Milkman made five excellent birdies as the team scored a terrific 87 points to finish third.

Talking of milkmen, retired Pete ‘milky’ Lloyd (14) has delivered plenty of pints to celebrities and bored housewives in Prestbury over the years. Today the cream rose to the surface as Lloyd kindly delivered his team two excellent birdies to help them ‘float’ away with first prize. Bill Ross (16) Mark Brierley (9) and my ex PE teacher Pete Holmes(13) made up the rest of the victorious Macclesfield team. Very well played chaps.

Many thanks to everyone for playing, I hope you had a great day, Tim.

Nearest the Pin 9th Bob Vickers Dozen AD333s
Nearest the Pin 17th Jimmy O’Reilly Dozen AD333s
2’s sweep £117.50
6 pro v1s or 12 srixon AD333s each
2’s Chris Brown Bob Vickers Martin Firth Steve Rhodes Matt Smart John Bent Roger Newall

http://www.maxitoursgolf.com

There are limited spaces at Sandiway next week.

Sandiway times Tuesday 19th March

9.25 Neville Dennis x4
9.34 Colin Roberts x4
9.43 Ian King x4
9.52 John Bent x4
10.01 Malc Wells x4
10.10 Bob Sutton x4
10.19 Richard Blackwell x4
10.28 Dave Blood x4
10.37 Geoff Haynes x4
10.46 Mick Mahon x4
10.55 John Stubbs x4
11.04 Warren Newtonx4
11.13 Iain Bartholomew x2tbc Gary Davies x2tbc
11.22 Sean Kirkby x4
11.31 Lewis Marland x4
11.40 Mike Daggitt x4
11.49 John Grint x4
11.58 John Grint x4
12.07
12.16 Moby Rawthore x4
12.25 Andy Taylor x4
12.36 Charles Herbert x4
12.45 Josh Garnett x4
12.54 Eddie Ellis x4
1.03 Gary Sinclair x4
1.12 Gary Garner x4
1.21
1.30 Alan Pengelly x2 Jim Caldwell x2
1.39 Pete Holmes x4tbc
1.48 Trevor Golds x2
1.57

Delamere Forest Thursday 21st March

10.00 Neville Dennis x4
10.09 Colin Roberts x4
10.18 Ian King x4
10.27 Woodcock x4
10.36 Dave Blood x4
10.45 Charles Herbert x4
10.54 John Bent x4
11.03 Carl Kennedy x2 Nigel Oakes x2
11.12 Geoff Haynes x4
11.21 Alan Pengelly x2 Roy Kenyon x2
11.30 Ron Sloane x4
11.39 Mark Wheeler x4
11.48 Richard Blackwell x4
11.57 Moby Rawthore x4
12.06 Steven Ballard x4

10.00 Malc Wells x4
10.09 Bob Sutton x4
10.18 John Hilditch x2 Ian Perkins x2
10.27 John Grint x4
10.36 John Grint x4
10.45 Giles Terry x4
10.54 Gary Garner x4
11.03 Neil Todd x4
11.12 Mick Mahon x4
11.21 John Stubbs x4
11.30 Sean Kirkby x4
11.39 Ron Hands x4
11.48 Ian Gauden x4
11.57 Pete Holmes x4

Roy Kenyon x2
Gary Davies x2
Paul Taylor x4
Ben Curtis x2
Eddy Strirling x4
Rob Tabbron x2
Noden x4
Dave Arthur x4
Andy Hallowes x4

Maxitours at wonderful Prestbury.

Prestbury Golf Club was the idyllic setting for todays event. The Harry Colt designed Cheshire course is a terrific venue with a great history. Many thanks to the excellent staff and friendly members who always make Maxitours players feel very welcome indeed.

Maxitours player and Dutchman Hubert Dunki-Jacobs buys truck-fulls of flowers from Holland to sell in the UK . He loves this time of year as it is the start of the golf season, it is also the time of year when we Brits celebrate Valentines Day and Mothers day. ‘Ze flowers are very expensive to buy zis year’ he informed me in the clubhouse before play. Hubert could not leave his work behind even during his game as he found himself mysteriously attracted to the wild flowers in the more wooded areas of the Prestbury course .

Wayne Rooney looked in deep thought today as he gazed out of his bedroom window to watch the Maxitours players tackle the 14th hole. ‘If these two fit strong guys can’t par this easy hole I’m going to sign for City’ he chuckled to himself. Unfortunately Andy Bethell and Andy Taylor fluffed their way to a bogey to leave Rooney looking bewildered.

Rory McIlroy lookalike Keith Fitzhenry is slowly getting used to his new clubs. Today he was in good form playing alongside Jim Furyk lookalike Richard Palmer. An excellent run of holes from the 14th helped them to record 43 points to finish in 4th place. The score could have been better had Keith not played the last two holes poorly. ‘My wisdom teeth started to hurt!’ claimed the likeable Lancastrian.

The overnight rain kindly softened the excellent Prestbury greens and the early starters made the most of the favourable conditions. Golf crazy Joe Kirwan and Mike Spencer were delighted to finish 3rd with 44 points. Joe made a superb birdie on the tough 18th hole as he gained some valuable order of merit points.

Fireman Darren Whittaker and oil magnate Ian King are also hitting some great form, their round ignited when Whittaker picked up 4 points after a birdie on the tremendously difficult 13th hole. Their 44 points was good enough for 2nd place.

Taking todays honours were Maxitour regulars Gary Garner and Mark Green who recorded 45 points to secure their first win of the winter season. Three team birdies and Greens majestic eagle on the 11th hole saw the Northern pair win in style.

Many thanks to all who supported todays event I hope you had a great day on the links.

2’s sweep £120 3 pro v1s or 6 Srixons each
2’s Frank Havard Moby Rawthore John Brazier Jimmy Murphy Gary Garner Stuart Pearson Andy Bethell Ray Standring Mike Brown Andy Burns Jasvinder Randhawa Adam Hart Bernard Fee Derek Fulluck Guy Hall

Nearest the Pin 7th hole John Brazier Dozen AD333s
Nearest the Pin 17th hole Moby Rawthore Dozen AD333s

There is still room for 1, 2 or 4 players in the pairs event at Prestbury golf club this Thursday, please email me if you wish to play,
Thanks Tim