A lengthy newsletter this week, with several contributors. We include a job advert for secretary of the senior section: Rob Taylor will step down in October after a long and dutiful tenure, which goes back to the very foundation of Lymm’s senior section. Of course, the few seniors who love to complain are welcome to apply, but we won’t hold our breath. According to Isaac Newton’s first law of inaction: those who complain the most are likely to do the least.

Well, there are only 2 weeks remaining of summer, according to the (arbitrary) date of 1st September that the meteorologists insist is the first day of autumn.

The summer weather since June has not been great for golf, and even worse for cricket, including the new franchise of ‘The Hundred’ (eight city-based teams of English and international players), which takes place throughout August, the idea being that the loud music, fireworks, smoke-bombs and flame throwers attracts new audiences including families whose schoolkids are on their summer break. Sadly, The Hundred has been severely disrupted by the rain so far, with some matches being cancelled, and others reduced to as little as 40 balls per innings.

My nephew Max Holden (Middlesex top-order batsman) was selected by ‘Manchester Originals’, whose captain is Jos Buttler. In the first match against ‘Welsh Fire’ at Cardiff, Max and Jos (pictured left) both scored 37, and coincidentally, both off 18 balls. Here are the highlights on YouTube (the Manchester innings begins at about 6 mins 30 seconds into the video).

My wife and I went to watch Max last Monday at Old Trafford, but he was out first ball, attempting a reverse sweep. That’s cricket!

Cricket was my first sport in my youth. I played as an all-rounder for various teams, including Leeds District Colts. My golf back then was limited to bashing it around the municipal courses of Leeds with my brother, always fighting a massive block. (As all former cricketers who now play golf will testify, a straight drive in cricket converts to a massive block in golf!)

Here I am at Headingley in 1977, age 16. I hope I’m still recognisable enough to pick out on the back row!

Peter Herrity Trophy, this Friday!

Reporter: Rob Taylor

It’s our annual Charity game ( in support of Prostate Cancer Support). We usually charge £2.50 for this game but as we could not play it last year (half the course was closed due to the irrigation failure), the senior section still paid out an equal amount out of our funds. The small charity we support relies a lot on our donation. So this year we are asking for £5.00 entry fee.

Fee must be paid IN CASH when you get in and register with the Pro shop.

18 holes, WHS, Yellow tees,  95%.

As the Wednesdays comp, a form will be stuck to the table for the early birds. Put your name down as registration. If you do not pre-register, Steve and Fizz are not allowed to enter you into this WHS-qualifying competition.

Happy Mondays – 14 August

Charlie Heath reports that only 10 turned up on Monday, which is not surprising in view of heavy rain forecast.

The game was ‘Shambles’ and Charlie Heath was on the winning team with Charlie Hill and John Booth, amassing an impressive 57 points!

In 2nd was Eric Cox and Tommy Lawless with 46 points. In 3rd was Alan Thomas and Colin Chisnall with 45 points.

In 4th was Dave Waggitt, Steve Barlow, and John White who decided after 9 holes it was too wet to play golf. According to reports, Steve said, “this is the weather for highway robbery, and so I think I’ll go home and get my mask”. And Dave said, “this is the weather for scouring the rough for lost golf balls, and so I think I’ll go home and get my ferret”. And so Mr White was left isolated while Messrs Barlow and Waggitt had a profitable afternoon doing their thing: banditry and ferreting for golf balls.

Unfortunately Waggitt, Barlow and White forgot to pay their £1 competition fee. Charlie Heath is on the debt-recovery case.

Inter-club Friendly Match, Home versus Ringway

Reporter: Mike Bennett

Lymm lost match  6-2, which was only slightly better than when we played them away, when we we lost 6.5 to 1.5

Bob Mycock & Mike Bennett. Lost
Steve Gosling & Pete Broady.  Lost
Phil Ormesher & Jeff Ashurst.  Lost 
Paul Collins & John Armstrong.  Won
Dave Meir & Mark  Marsland.  Lost 
Dave Craggs & Phil Lomas.  Won
Rob Taylor & Richard Yates.  Lost
Peter Wilson & Ron Thornton.  Lost

We all had a good day’s golf, despite losing.

Ringway thought the course was in great condition and the food was excellent.

Inter-club Friendly Match, 15 August, Away at Heyrose

Reporter: Steve Gosling

The match Vs Heyrose lived up to expectations.
The rain stayed away. The course was playing long with no run on the fairways, and Lymm were giving the opposition a net 76 shots !

So it was no surprise that only one match went to the 18th hole , we had one victory, plenty finishing before the 14th hole and even a “dog license” ( and that was not the worst score).

So our away form continues , an honourable draw (7-1) to Heyrose was the end outcome.

Any Timms & Paul Lennie.       Loss 5/3
Steve Gosling & John Armstrong    Loss 8/6
Rob Taylor & Jeff Chapmam.   Loss 6/3
Steve Barlow & Pete Broady   Win. 6/5
Phil Lomas & John Higgins   Loss 5/4
Dave Craggs & Sammy Lee   Loss 7/6
Ron Thornton & Paul Collins. 2 Down
Arthur Laird & Michael John. Loss. 2/1

So on to the next match !

Wanted! Secretary

Due to an upcoming retirement , a vacancy for the position of Secretary to the Senior’s Section Committee will soon become available – starting date will be in October 2023.

The Committee meets bi-monthly and transacts all the business needed for the running of the Senior’s Section.

The Secretary is  focussed on organising  and documenting these 6 meetings a year. Simplistically , the role revolves around :

• Taking the action notes at each Committee meeting.
• Produce a set of  formal minutes ( templated format – fill in the boxes), 
• Distribute these minutes to all the members and finally, a week or so before the next meeting due date,
• Write up  and send out the agenda ( again a template) – and on it goes.

Applicants will need to be able to demonstrate:

• The ability to read ( up to year 3 skill level minimum)
• The ability to write ( at least legible enough to read your own notes)
• The ability to stay awake for short periods. (Up to an hour usually – without nodding off).
• Look good in a mini skirt . ( Sorry. Editorial copy error)

Hours are– not very many, and the salary is  . . . competitive  (Actually – there isn’t one – honestly . None at all. Nothing. Nada. )

Please apply to the Chairman Mike Bennett. If you prefer  e-mail:  bennett10@aol.com. Or better still, sidle up to him or any other committee member in the car park and whisper in their ear.

Seriously everyone – this section doesn’t run without volunteers. Time perhaps to consider giving a little bit back?? The clock is counting down.

Tee booking schedule for tomorrow (Thursday 17th August) 

This is the tee booking schedule for play on Friday 1st September. We have a home match against Davyhulme. The rest of the field plays for a bottle of wine.

If your name is in the left column, please book for your group. 

New Member

Steve Gosling informs me that we have a new member of the senior section: Robert Wooldridge. I’ll ask Robert if he can send a photo and a short self-introduction for next week’s newsletter.

Bob Ellison’s round with a 39 handicapper

Reporter: Bob Ellison

Last Friday I started off in a four ball, on the 2nd tee, I noticed we were being followed by a two ball. Graham Utton and a gentleman from the Emerald Isle, the one and only John Boyle. So I decided to drop back.

John was struggling up to the 3rd tee, where is your battery for your trolley? The reply came “it must be in my garage, I thought the trolley was hard to push”.

On the round went, with John playing very steadily as I was marking his card off 39!!!!!

John is this handicap correct? “I am not sure”, have you checked it from the list on the Seniors Notice Board? “Where is that, I have never seen it”

It turned out he should have played off 31 not 39. The next time anyone is playing with John, will you please show him the Seniors Notice Board?

I have been playing golf for over 50 years and this was one of my most enjoyable games. Chatting with John after, with his pint of Guinness, “what else”. Whether you played well or badly, this is what golf is all about. A lovely golf course, a very well organised section and delightful company. Thank you Graham and John.

Newsletter Editor: Mark Pickles