The scene from my window, at about the highest point in the Altrincham area, is deep and crisp and even. And with a forecast of freezing temperatures for the next few days, the prospects of playing any golf this week are looking very slim.
Let’s hope that the forecasters have got it wrong, and things do thaw out by Friday, in which case we will be playing Round 1 of 10 of the Winter League.
Paul Foster has drawn up the rules for the league, and the handicapping system we will be using for each division.
Winter League 2025 – Handicap Rules
Reporter: Paul Foster
The winter league 2025 will be played over 12 holes
1st Division
Handicaps reset to the WHS 95% playing handicap.
After a score above 24pts: 0.5 a shot reduction for every two shots under par.
25pts – no change
26 or 27pts – 0.5 shot reduction
28pts – 1 shot reduction etc.
After a score of 20 to 24pts: No handicap adjustment.
After a score of 19pts or less, a single addition of 0.5 of a shot to be added to the handicap.
Handicaps that include 0.5 are rounded up to the next whole number
2nd Division
Handicaps to continue from as they were at the end of the Autumn league 2024.
After a score above 24pts: 0.5 shot reduction for every shot under par.
After a score of 20 to 24pts: No handicap adjustment.
After a score of 15 to 19pts: A single addition of 0.5 of a stroke to be added to the handicap
After a score under 15pts: 0.5 of a stroke added to the handicap for each point less than 15pts
Handicaps that include 0.5 are rounded up to the next whole number
The Divisions
Paul has also worked on resetting the divisions. The Div 2 list is slightly longer; this is because fewer people in Div 2 play in the winter league than in Div 1.
Handicaps
Go to the Handicaps page to see your handicap for Week 1 of the Winter League.
Tee-booking schedule for tomorrow (Thursday 9 January)
Happy Mondays tee-booking schedule for Sunday 12 January
Tee-booking schedule for tomorrow (Thursday 2 January)
Happy Mondays tee-booking schedule for Sunday 5th January
Friday 27 December
Here are a few snaps from Colin Hughes, who played in the mist with fellow members of the senior section last Friday. Colin has no idea why the police were searching the ship canal.
Game on Friday 3 January
This Friday will be an individual Stableford, using existing senior handicaps. A bottle of wine will go to the winner.
Individual Stableford. Played over the 8 holes open. Breezy, chilly but dry day whilst the game was played.
Players = 19 – but 8 handicaps incorrectly entered.
Winner: John White – 20 points 2nd: Peter Willson – 17 points – CPO over last 6 holes 3rd: Jeff Chapman – 17 points
Bottle of wine to John.
Tee-booking schedule for Thursday 26 December
Happy Mondays tee-booking for Sunday 29 December
Pub Crawl – 29 December
Paul Foster has organised a short pub crawl (maybe 2 or 3 pubs) in Lymm Village, to take place on Sunday 29th December. Meeting in the Sadlers Arms at 8pm. All invited.
Happy Christmas!
See the Calendar for 2025, recently completed by Dave Craggs, for a heads-up on our busy and diverse schedule of activities for 2025. Dave has also updated the Rules and Guidelines, to account for various recent changes.
Best Christmas wishes to all from the Senior Section Committee.
A still winter’s day for the final round, and once again some excellent scores from the 45 runners. All to play for.
Two ‘keep a 6 off your cards’ were handed in from Ian Whitehead & Paul Collins (that’s two for PC now).
2s from Mike Bennett, Duncan Clarke, Paul Collins, Michael John and Peter Willson. See George Osbourne aka Steve Gosling for your Christmas balls.
Division 1 Results Winner – Paul Collins with 36pts on a CPO 2nd – Colin Hughes with 34pts 3rd – Mike Kendal and John White 33pts
Division 2 Results Winner – Stuart Baird with 36pts on a CPO 2nd – Mike Bennett with 36 points 3nd – Dave Craggs with 35pts
Autumn League Summary
Reporter: Paul Foster
‘They think it’s all over… it is now’.
So we come to the end of the Autumn League. 71 competitors, 402 rounds, ten different winners in Division 1, but only five different winners in Division 2.
Mr Stewart Baird won 3 rounds and Mr Alan Copeland won 4 rounds. Thirty-one 2s scored, Best score was 41 points by, yes, Mr Copeland. Lowest winning score was 30 points in Division and 28 points in Division 2
Mark Pickles is Division 1 champion of the Autumn League, and richly deserved I must say. Mark lost 7 shots from his handicap over the Autumn League getting down to an all time senior’s low handicap of 1. Michael Johntakes second place, a solitary single point behind Mark in the league table. Martin Frankstakes third place, having been a leader throughout most of the Autumn League period. Congratulations to all three of you.
Alan Copeland is Division 2 champion. With a Christmas-cracker of a finish to his campaign, he has lost 8 shots in his final few rounds. Stuart Baird takes second place. Dave Craggstakes third place. Once again many congratulations to you three.
The seniors’ handicap system, and divisions will be amended for the Winters League starting on Friday 10th January. All will be revealed in due course.
Handicaps until Friday 10 January
The senior section competitions, including ‘Happy Mondays’, will be using senior handicaps for both Div 1 and Div 2. See the ‘Handicaps’ tab for the latest adjustments.
A new handicapping regime will apply from the first round of the Winter League, on 10 January.
Happy Mondays – 16th December
Peter Willson
Well …. Another Monday morning – chilly, damp with glowering clouds and a stiff breeze and because we’re the Senior Section plenty of clouds of confusion to see us on our way and to provide discussions in the Clubhouse afterwards.
The rules were changed in the car park by the earlier starters to play off WHS handicaps rather than the customary Lymm Seniors handicaps. Why this was suggested before we recalibrate the handicaps for the Winter League before WHS returns in the Spring – I’d prefer not to speculate. Some players played off WHS – some of the later starters were told to play off Lymm Seniors handicaps. I’ve checked the scorecards and adjusted the many incorrect handicaps when Seniors handicaps are applied – however amazingly the change to use the most recent SWHS handicap still brought out they same wining team
Game: Team Stableford
6 teams a total of 20 players
Winners: Grahame Brickell, Steve Gosling and Ken Pearce – a creditable 85 points or 28.3 points per player.
It was a close run thing though as 2 other teams came in with 28 ppp
No game for the next two weeks, but the draw for the 1st game of 2025 – 6th January will need to be done on Sunday (see below).
The new scoring system and which handicaps are to be used for next year’s Happy Mondays will decided nearer the time.
Merry Christmas!
A good time was had by all at our Senior Section Christmas lunch last Friday. Here are a few snaps from the event. There was an impressive array of Christmas jumpers.
There were big cheers when the amazing duo of Joe Priestner and George Allen were each in turn drawn in the first raffle tickets! Lucky Joe, whose number was the first to be drawn for the second year running said, “Is this a fix?”
Thank you to Karen and all the catering and bar staff for the excellent meal and service and smooth running of the afternoon.
Tee-booking schedule for tomorrow (Thursday 19 December)
Happy Mondays tee-booking schedule for Sunday 22 Dec
We’re a day early for this week’s newsletter. I will be away tomorrow. The website technology does allow me to schedule publication for any date and time, however, it makes sense to publish today to remind members that there is still chance to join us in our Christmas lunch, so long as you sign by tomorrow afternoon.
I played golf with my mate last-minute-Bob (Mycock) today. He said he “might join” us for Christmas lunch. I said you “might not” unless you put your name on the list today. He said he might do it tomorrow!
Christmas Lunch starting time is 2pm for 2:30pm.
The list of names on the senior’s noticeboard will be removed by Karen on Wednesday evening. Therefore, if you are hoping to attend Christmas lunch this Friday (13 Dec) and haven’t yet added your name, please do so as soon as possible.
Karen will be taking £18 from the bar account of everyone on the list on Wednesday evening. Therefore, if you have changed your mind, remove your name from the list by Wednesday afternoon, or alternatively phone Karen to say that you will be unable to attend. Once the food orders have been made, Karen will not be able to refund those who are listed who do not turn up, and the rest of us will be preying on the extra turkey, roasties and Christmas pud that you have kindly donated.
Please remember to make sure there is enough money on your card, otherwise, on the day, we’ll send ‘the Princess’ round to your table to give you a gentle hug.
The Princess of Oldfield Brow
There is no formal seating plan, but could all Manchester United supporters, former accountants, and former insurance-loss adjusters please sit on Bob Mycock’s table (if he turns up), to avoid boring the rest of us 😉
Autumn League round 9 of 10
Match Reporter: Paul Foster
Another winter’s day, but fortunately in a lull between Storm Darragh’s first and second nuclear attack on the UK, and so we enjoyed rather tranquil conditions on a shortened course (holes 10 and 3-to-9) with winter greens on 7 and 8. Once again some excellent scores, a record 24 players (more than half the field) played better than their handicap. Lots to get my teeth into chopping handicaps.
With only one par 5 in play, numerous ‘keep a 6 off your card’ were handed in this week, from Paddy Moran, Dave Meir, Michael John, Andy Timms, Russ Jones, Ian Whitehead and Paul Collins.
However, a precedent has been set for a new challenge: ‘keep a 5 off your card’! I don’t think this has ever been achieved before in our senior league. Mark Pickles posted a two-under gross card with 4 x 4s and 4 x 3s. As a consequence, Mark’s handicap has plummeted from 5 to 1, effectively scratch (because we do not play the 16th hole).
A large field of 40 runners participated, 21 players from Division 1 and 19 players from Division 2.
Three 2s recorded on the two par 3s played today, Martin Franks, Dave Meir and Ian Whitehead, all on the 9th. See the Second Lord of the Treasury Steve Gosling for your balls.
Division 1 Results: Winner – Mark Pickles with 38pts R/up – Dave Meir with 36pts on a CPO 3rd – Paddy Moran with 36pts on a CPO
Division 2 Results: Winner – Alan Copeland with a league high of 41pts R/up – Mike Bennet with 39pts 3rd – Richard Yates with 38pts
New leader in the 1st division is Mark Pickles with 160 points. Long-time leader Martin Franks is now in 2nd place with 156 points, and Michael John in 3rd place also with 156 points
Extending his lead in the 2nd division is Alan Copeland with 168 points in 2nd position with 157 pts is Dave Craggs, followed by Stuart Baird with 151 points in 3rd place. Alan has now been docked 8 shots just in the Autumn League!
***
Comical moment of the week for me was Dave Meir performing the conga with 35 under-10 year olds at the club’s children’s Christmas party! Had to be seen to be believed!
Heads-up on the Winter League
Reporter: Paul Foster
The Winter League, starting in January, will be played over 12 holes.
Handicaps are always contentious of course, and it is impossible to have a perfect over-winter system.
Suggestions for sticking with WHS handicaps throughout winter sounds reasonable on the face of it, but, especially in Division 2, this would not work. There has to be some ongoing adjustment if we are playing an individual format in our autumn league and winter league. This difficult problem is the reason that Lymm Golf Club has only pairs formats and team formats for almost all the Saturday games outside of WHS qualifying season.
Following discussions with other members of the committee, and after doing several scenario experiments on my spreadsheet, and reporting back to the committee, we have agreed that for the Winter League:
Division 1 players will to revert back to their WHS handicap for Round 1
Division 2 players handicaps are to remain as they finished the Senior Section Autumn league for Round 1.
After every game, I will adjust the handicaps for Div 1 and Div 2, but not as severely for those who play better than their handicap. Full details to follow before the Winter League begins.
Tee-booking schedule for Thursday 12th Dec
Happy Mondays – 9th December
Reporter: Peter Willson
A dry and partly sunny morning with light winds but it became chillier as the round progressed. The course appeared to have avoided too much damage to trees following Storm Darragh – 93 mph winds on the North Wales coast – last weekend.
Game: Team Stableford
15 players in 5 teams
Winners: Steve Gosling, Ron Thornton and Peter Willson – 57 points / 19 ppp
Second: Les Fecitt, Paul Foster and Mark Pickles – 18.7 ppp
Christmas Season Real-Ale Appreciation
Reporter: Paul Foster
A short pub crawl (maybe 2 or 3 pubs is enough for our senior knee-and-hip joints) in Lymm Village will take place on Sunday 29th December. Meeting in the Sadlers pub at 8pm. All invited.
This could develop in the New Year into a regular event, at various locations. Real ale will be the theme.
Our secretary, ‘Craggzy’, is preparing for Christmas. Having an impressive head of white hair, the good folk of Stockton Heath have asked him to grow a long beard in readiness for the forthcoming community events.
Back at Lymm Golf Club, Dave has proposed a raffle for our Christmas lunch on Friday 13th. We had some good fun with the raffle last year, and raised some money for a worthy cause. Thank you to those who donated prizes for the raffle.
The largesse of Santa has limits. Therefore, any donation of a prize for the raffle will be much appreciated. Please contact Dave Craggs, or simply turn up on the day with your offering. I’ll publish more details in next week’s newsletter.
If you are coming to the Christmas, lunch, please make sure that there is at least £18 on your card. The catering and bar staff will be very busy, and we don’t want to burden them on the day with having to ask us to come to the bar to top up our account.
Turkey Trot
As promised last week, the full results were published on the main LGC website, taken from our inputs to the I.G. app. See here.
As luck would have it, following a couple of days of dryer weather, 15 holes were open. Here are the leading scores by division:
1st Division Winner – Richard Smyllie 35pts R/up – Ian Whitehead 35pts 3rd – Paddy Moran 33pts
2nd Division Winner Alan Copeland 35pts R/up Jeff Chapman 34pts 3rd Ken Narraway 34pts
Tee-booking schedule for tomorrow – Thursday 5th December
Happy Mondays – 2nd December
Reporter: Peter Willson
It wasn’t a particularly Happy Monday morning – the light rain was pretty continuous and it was cold. Three intrepid player were seen venturing up the muddy path to the 10th tee early doors, but the remaining 3 participants in the car park looked at the weather and decided to make a retreat home.
Please note – I’m not issuing a draw for the next 2 weeks – 23rd and 30th December – as most players will have other tasks to perform and entertain themselves.
Next draw for the 6th January 2025 will be issued in due course.
This coming Friday sees the climax of the Senior Section’s golfing year: the frozen-and-affordable-Turkey Trot.
Entry to the competition is free to all paid-up members of the Senior Section, who will compete for the massive purse of £60: two £30 cash prizes, one each for the winner of Division 1 and Division 2 respectively.
Rules of the competition are:
15 holes, or fewer if parts of the course are closed.
WHS playing handicap.
Register in ‘Upcoming Competitions’ on the LGC website or the I.G. app for the ‘Senior Section Turkey Trot’ by Thursday evening at the latest (the I.G. app does not allow same-day entrants).
Enter your scorecard on the I.G. app.
When you enter your score on I.G. it will ensure that you enter your correct WHS 95% playing handicap. All the scores will be published the following day on the LGC website, after Paul Foster has checked the cards and ‘finalised’ the competition.
Good luck to all competitors. And remember, ‘Mums go to Iceland’. (Are we allowed to say this in our diversity-and-inclusion times? If not, ‘People who have given birth go to Iceland’. )
A reminder of our new change to Autumn/Winter league rules
In previous years, games that were played on more than three temporary greens and/or on a severely-shortened course due to weather conditions did not count in the ‘best 5 out of 10’.
Following the appallingly-wet weather last autumn and winter that jeopardised the leagues, the committee agreed that every Friday competition will count when the course is open. We play what is in front of us, regardless of the number of holes open, and the number of temporary tees and temporary greens.
If fewer holes are open than the designated 15 holes for the Autumn league (or 12 for the Winter league) your score will be aggregated up.
Senior’s Christmas Lunch – 13 December
If you intend to join us for the Christmas lunch on Friday 13th December. Please add your name to the list on the Seniors’ noticeboard, in order that Karen knows how many to cater for. The cost is £18, which will be taken from your bar card on the day.
Autumn League round 8 of 10
Reporter: Paul Foster
Wow, what a day to play golf! From where I was in a nice warm church the weather looked horrendous. I did feel for you all, however the scores didn’t reflect the arctic conditions. There were some excellent scores.
I think the cold seemed to mess with the old cerebellum though, as there were 5 wrong hcaps entered onto the score cards again, 3 completed cards for 15 holes (even though we only played 13 holes), 2 cards from 1 player (with different scores on them) 1 missing card but his IG had been inputted, and 2 cards submitted but their IG not inputted.
I have highlighted any change in handicap on the handicap list.
36 hardy souls completed round 8, 20 players from Division 1 and 16 players from Division 2.
Five 2s recorded again today, Grahame Brickell, Steve Gosling, Bob Ellison, Mark Pickles and a magnificent 2 on the 2nd for a net zero for 5 points for George Clark, well done to you 5. See ‘Jeremy Hunt’ Steve Gosling
A second card for this series to ‘keep a 6 off your card’ was handed in from Martin Franks, well done Martin, take some doing that..!
Division 1 Results: Winner – Grahame Brickell with 33pts on a CPO R/up – Martin Franks with 33pts 3rd – John Hayes with 32pts on a CPO
Division 2 Results Winner – Stuart Baird with an excellent 36pts R/up – Peter Willson with 35pts 3rd – Alan Copeland with 32pts
Still leader in the 1st division is Martin Franks with 151 points, Mike Pigott now having completed 5 cards has risen to 2nd place with 147 points and Mervyn Roberts in 3rd place with 146 points
New leader in the 2nd division is Dave Craggs with 155 points, leaving Alan Copeland in 2nd position with 152 pts, followed by Steve Bramall with 140 points in 3rd place
Please check your Seniors handicap here on our website.
Your WHS hcap could be different to your seniors hcap.
Happy Mondays – 25 November
Match Reporter: Peter Willson
A dry bright day with blue skies and plenty of sunshine which plays havoc with tee shots on the 9th.
The course was comparatively dry and back on main greens but only 8 holes were played on the top land.
Game: Team Stableford. 5 teams – 17 players.
Winners:Kevin Bocquet, Tommy Lawless and Peter Willson – 18 points per player Joint 2nd: Mike Bennett, Les Williams and Richard Yates and Steve Bramall, Colin Chisnall and Steve Gosling – both teams with 17.3 ppp
Tee-booking schedule for tomorrow (Thursday 28 November)
Happy Mondays tee-booking schedule for Sunday 1st December
A wonderful November day, with the sun occasionally peeping out (probably laughing at our four-ball playing military golf down the 15th), no wind and unseasonably warm temperatures. Once again a fine day to be out.
Gentlemen, there were 5 wrong hcaps entered onto the score cards, 1 card with no name on, and 1 missing card but their Ig had been inputted. Please check your seniors hcap.
I have highlighted any change in hcap on the hcap list.
A record equalling 47 players completed round 7, 31 players from Division 1 but only 16 players from Division 2.
Three 2s recorded again today, Colin Crail, Russ Jones & Mark Pickles, well done to you 3, See Steve ‘Kwasi Kwarteng’ Gosling
Great stuff from Mark ‘the birdwatcher’ Pickles, who secured 3 successive birdies on holes 9, 10 & 11.
Hole 11 proved to be the easiest today with 15 pars and 6 birdies!
Some very near misses to the ‘keep a 6 off your card’
Division 1 Results: Winner – Colin Crail with 33pts on a CPO R/up – Steve Barlow with 33pts 3rd – Mark Pickles with 32pts
Division 2 Results: Winner – Dave Craggs with an excellent 35pts R/up – Alan Copeland with 31pts 3rd – Stuart Baird with 30pts
Still leader in the 1st division is Martin Franks with 145 points, with the race hotting up as 7 players are within 5 pts of Martin
Leader in the 2nd division is Alan Copeland, with an improved 152 pts, followed by Dave Craggs and Steve Bramall. Dave is now within 4pts of Alan. All to play for.
Please check your Seniors handicap on the Seniors website. Your WHS hcap could be different to your seniors hcap.
Tee-booking schedule for tomorrow (Thursday 21 November)
Happy Mondays tee-booking schedule for Sunday 24 November
Our Christmas lunch will be on Friday 13th December. The cost is £18, which will be taken from your bar card on the day. Please add your name to the list on the Seniors’ noticeboard, in order that Karen knows how many to cater for.
Correction to last week’s newsletter. I said that the number of people on the committee had increased from 8 to 9. In fact it has increased from 9 to 10, mainly to share the workload for arranging inter-club matches.
As noted last week, Mike Kendal has taken over Friday bookings from Grahame. Mike says that if anyone wishes to advise an absence, or a return to play, along with any change to their preferred tee off time (late/early), please drop a note to him at: kendallymmgolf@gmail.com
Grahame Brickell has announced ‘final call’ for the Llangollen Senior Open on Thursday 5th June 2025. If you’d like to join this popular seniors’ away day, please contact Grahame as soon as you can. The cost is £33, to be paid nearer the time.
Autumn League round 6 of 10
Reporter: Paul Foster
Gentlemen, some great scores on Friday, with 14 managing to beat their handicap, and only 4 receiving shots back. The mats are back!
Unfortunately there were 6 wrong hcaps entered onto the score cards.
43 players completed round 6, 24 players from Division 1, and 19 players from Division 2.
Three 2s recorded today, Richard Smyllie, Arthur Nuttall and Michael John.
Hard luck to Arthur Nuttall who scored a very commendable 35pts and didn’t even get on the podium! A feather in the cap for Russ Jones, who kept a 6 off his card. (Remember that competition from a daily newspaper years ago?)
Division 1 Results: Winner – Russ Jones with a cracking 35pts on a CPO R/up – Mervyn Roberts with 35pts on a CPO 3rd – Michael John also with 35pts
Division 2 Results: Winner – Stuart White with 33pts R/up – Phil Ormesher with 32pts on a CPO 3rd – Dave Craggs with 32pts
Still leader in the 1st division is Martin Franks with 145 points, Dave Meir and Richard Smyllie complete the top three.
Leader in the 2nd division is Alan Copeland, with 145 pts, followed by Steve Bramall and Dave Craggs.
Members should continue entering the seniors comps on the club website, and inputting their scores into Ig. (correctly please). Please check your Seniors handicap on the Handicaps tab of this website, as your WHS hcap could be different to your seniors hcap.
The seniors hcap will apply to the Friday comps and the Happy Mondays till further notice. The KO competitions use the WHS hcap NOT the seniors hcap.
Happy Mondays – 11th November
Reporter: Peter Willson
A cloudy slightly chilly start with a heavy dew but the skies cleared to reveal that long missing visitor, the Sun and blue skies towards the end of the rounds
Game : Team Stableford
6 teams – 20 players
Winners: Most of the players were waiting expectantly for the tail-end Charlies to return to Club House but no “Charlies” in this trio – Colin Crail, Les Williams and Richard Yates – who returned with a creditable 30.7 points per player
Second: Thinking they’d clinched victory – Steve Barlow, Dave Craggs, Tony Dixon and Mark Pickles with a level “par” 30 ppp – only to have it snatched cruelly from their grasp
Third: Colin Chisnall, Steve Gosling and Phil Lomas with 29.7 ppp
Tee-booking schedule for tomorrow – Thursday 14 November
Tomorrow’s tee-booking schedule is for our Turkey Trot on 29th November. Cash prizes for Div 1 and Div 1 winners.
Happy Mondays tee-booking schedule for Sunday 17 November
Report from the Prostate Testing Day
Reporter: Phil Ormersher
At the recent PSA testing day, 136 men were tested. As to be expected the vast majority were green. There were some positive tests (red and yellow), indicating a higher-than-normal level of PSA protein. The majority of those who tested positive probably do not have anything to worry about (there can be other reasons for a high PSA level), but should go to see their GP explaining that they had a private test, and share the results.
The greens should make a note of their PSA level and do another test (12 months onwards) and compare the results. The profile should be almost flat.
If anyone wants to talk through their results I am happy to have a totally confidential chat on 07814 008403.
If they feel they would rather talk to someone on a more anonymous basis our helpline is open 0900 – 2100 every day on 0800 774 7560.
Again, thank you to the ladies in promoting the event and helping us reach a record number of attendees for Lymm GC.
Welcome to ‘new’ member, Richard Smyllie
Many of us have got to know Richard Smyllie in recent months. He’s a good golfer, who has obviously played a lot in the past, and, best of all, a fellow Yorkshireman! I asked Richard to send us his profile to introduce himself to the whole of the senior section:
Hello All. I joined Lymm GC and the Seniors section in April. I have had the opportunity to play with several seniors and there has been a warm welcome from everyone. Thank you!
I also join the ranks of Yorkshiremen at the club who have travelled across the Pennines. I am a Sheffield United supporter (for my sins!).
I live in Lymm with my wife Pauline (not a golfer I am afraid) and we have now been here for 35 years. We have three children, Matthew, Rebecca and Laura. Matthew works and lives in Heidelberg in Germany, whilst Rebecca and Laura both live in Manchester. We’re very excited to be welcoming our first grandchild in Spring next year!
I ran my own company, RS Process Safety, that offered safety advice to companies operating high hazard installations such as oil and gas facilities. Previous employment was with Entec, Amec and Wood. But now I am happily retired which gives me more opportunity to get out to play golf of course!
Rags to riches…
Did you know that the real-life Cinderella hails from Oldfield Brow, at the rough end of Altrincham? It was great to see her at last year’s Christmas lunch, with her two sisters.
Course-protection measures have now been introduced at LGC. The seniors’ committee has decided that, in senior competitions, we use mats everywhere until course-protection measures are lifted next spring. Pick, clean, and replace your ball on your mat, within 6 inches, not nearer the whole.
If you are close to the green, and decide to putt the ball, there is no need to place it on your mat.
Election News
Apologies for the late publication of the formation of new committee, decided the week before last. There were some minor contentions, partly because we have increased the size of the committee from 9 to 10.
Congratulations to our new chairman, John Armstrong, who volunteered to take up the position, and was duly elected.
And welcome to two new members of the committee Stephen Bird and Mike Kendal. Stephen, a Brummie, fulfils our quota for ethnic diversity! Stephen will work with Grahame Brickell as Inter-clubs Competition Officer. Although John Armstrong did a magnificent job on his own in the inter-clubs’ role last year, we feel that the increased workload for inter-club organisation is such that it should be a shared responsibility going forward.
Mike Kendal takes over the Friday bookings from Grahame, with help from Stephen Bird to ensure continuity.
Chairman – John Armstrong Treasurer & Membership – Steve Gosling Secretary – Dave Craggs Communications Officer – Mark Pickles Monday Booking & Competitions Secretary – Peter Willson Friday Booking & Away day Organiser – Mike Kendal & Stephen Bird Handicap Secretary – Paul Foster Inter clubs Competitions Officer – Grahame Brickell & Stephen Bird Maintenance Managers – Dave Craggs & Grahame Brickell Seniors Liaison Manager with Lymm GC – Andy Timms
Autumn League Round 5 of 10
Reporter: Paul Foster
A fine post-budget November day, with no wind, no rain, no blinding sun and no cold temperatures to chill the bones of our members. A good day for golf indeed.
A day where records have tumbled, a record number of players in the Autumn league, a record number of handicap changes (2 down and 22 up), a record Autumn league high score of 36pts (note with 2 blobs). But only 2 players beat their handicap.
47 players completed round 5, 28 players from Division 1, and 19 players from Division 2.
Two 2s recorded today, Tony Dixon on the 2nd and Dave Meir on the 5th. More balls from the treasurer Rachel Theeves Steve Gosling
An honourable mention for that fine upstanding man, Ron Thornton who unfortunately missed putts for 2s on 3 holes, including the 2nd where Ron nearly holed his tee shot…!!!
Division 1 Results Winner – Tony Dixon with a record 36pts (21pts on the last 7 holes)
R/up – Richard Smyllie with 31pts
3rd – Peter Broady with 30pts (on a cpo)
Division 2 Results Winner – Alan Copeland with 29pts R/up – Dave Craggs with 28pts on a cpo 3rd – Steven Bramall with 26pts
At the half-way point in the league, jockeying for the positions is now starting to hot up. Exit polls in division 2 suggest Alan Copeland has wrapped up the league already (according to Donald Trump anyway).
Still leader in the 1st division is Martin Franks with 140 points, Dave Meir and now Richard Smyllie complete the top three.
Leader in the 2nd division is Alan Copeland, with 142 pts, followed by Steve Bramall and Dave Craggs.
Please note:
Members should continue entering the seniors comps on the club website, and inputting their scores into Ig.
Please check your handicap on this website here, as your WHS handicap could be different to your senior handicap.
The seniors handicap will apply to the Friday comps and the Happy Mondays until further notice.
The Doubles Knockout competition uses the WHS handicap NOT the senior handicap.
Happy Mondays Report, 4th November
Reporter: Peter Willson
Another grey, dank, day like so many over the past two weeks but reasonably mild. No rain recently – but the lower hole’s fairways are becoming decidedly spongelike.
Game: Team Stableford 5 Teams – 19 players recorded.
For the first time in many weeks the result was a tie for the 1st two places – both teams scoring 26.5 points per player
Joint winners: 2 C’s, a D and an H – Alan Copeland (so consistent), Dave Craggs, Tony Dixon and John Hayes 2 F’s, a P and a W – Les Fecitt, Paul Foster, Ken Pearce and Peter Willson Third: Steve Bramall, Colin Chisnall and Richard Smyllie – 24.7 points.
Seniors’ Turkey Trot, 29 November
Our annual ‘Turkey Trot’ will be on Friday 29th November. There will be cash prizes for winners of Division 1 and Division 2.
Seniors’ Christmas Lunch – Friday 13 December
One for your calendar. Details to follow!
Tee-booking schedule for tomorrow (Thursday 7 November)
Happy Mondays tee-booking schedule for Sunday 10 November
Congratulations to the POTUS
My commiserations to the left-leaning members of the senior section, but as comms officer for LGC seniors, I felt obliged to send ‘the Donald’ our congratulations. He has, after all, done great things for British golf.
I sent Donald a link to the LGC website, and told him that he is welcome to join LGC seniors to play any time he visits England on a Friday or a ‘Happy Monday’. He asked, “what about security?”. And so I sent him a photo of Paul Collins. He replied:
“Great security, truly great. Great golf course. Fabulous. Really is. Lymm Golf Club is the best golf course in Cheshire. Not a lot of people know that, but it really is, seriously…”.
Being a bit of a history geek, I have noticed that most of the ‘swing states’ are in fact within the original 13 British colonies.
The ‘Grand Union Flag’. Flag of the United States until 1777.
Lymm Golf Club Senior Section 