Sponsored by Peter Roberts ‘Hart Common Golf Club’
Great start to second half of the Winter Series
The Manchester and District Golf Alliance kicked off the second half to its popular Winter Series, in which club professionals and amateurs can compete each week in various sections.
The demand for places in the Winter Series has seen the first four competitions fully booked up with well over 100 players and a waiting list.
After some very mixed weather prior to the competition Hart Common did the business with an excellent course and friendly and expert clubhouse service.
Players were given a stern test by having to play off the full length of the course and in a very chilly stiff wind with big scores in short supply.
But as always happens one pair had all the answers in the Pro Am section with New Mills duo – professional Sam Shaw and his partner Courtney Dignan posting 44 points to take the Pro Am section in ‘a league of their own’.
It has been a very rare occasion that a mixed pair have won this section in the Alliance’s 101 year history – no-one can remember the last time this happened. Sam posted 30 points on his own but a superb effort by Courtney saw her add 14 more points.
They finished four clear of Elliott Tickle and Mike Smith (Blackley) who won a cpo from Mark Hancock and Gareth Mawdsley (Stand).
The top pro was Styal’s young star Ryan Owen 36, three more than Dave Green (Dukinfield) Scott Howarth (Davenport), Dan Croft (Huyton and Prescot) Ryan O’Neill and Elliot Tickle.
Home club stars Chris Hayes and Paul Rushby used their local knowledge to good effect as they led in the Am Am section with 40 from Andy Angelone and Steve Downend (Stamford) 38 and Paul Bartle and Dave Grannell (Regent Park) winning a cpo on 36 from Charles Herbert (Alserley Edge) and Neil McGuinness (Disley), The Nearest the Pin Prize was won by Andy Hannay (Rochdale).
Alliance Captain Alistair Holloway (Denton) was delighted with the day which he felt typified the MDGA Motto ‘Friendship Through Golf’ perfectly.
This was highlighted by a special birthday celebration for Kris Andrews (Ashton-on-Mersey professional) a former Alliance Captain and Alliance regular together with the many friends he has made over the years in the MDGA. (It was for an over 25 birthday!)
Geoff Garnett
| Pos | Professional’s Individual Stableford | Pts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ryan Owen (Styal) | 36 |
| 2 | Ryan O’Neill | 33 |
| 2 | Elliot Tickle | 33 |
| 2 | Dave Green (Dukinfield) | 33 |
| 2 | Scott Howarth (Davenport) | 33 |
| 2 | Dan Croft (Huyton & Prescot) | 33 |
| 7 | Grant Hamerton (Pike Fold) | 32 |
| 7 | Alistair Waddell (Chorlton) | 32 |
| 9 | Craig Corrigan | 31 |
| 9 | Andy Palmer (Chorley) | 31 |
| 9 | Anthony Sproston | 31 |
| 12 | Sam Shaw (New Mills) | 30 |
| 12 | Kris Andrews (Ashton on Mersey) | 30 |
| 12 | Mark Hancock (Stand) | 30 |
| 12 | Craig Daggitt (Bramall Park) | 30 |
| 12 | Alan Crompton (Haigh Hall) | 30 |
| 17 | Sammy Jaafari (Styal) | 29 |
| 17 | Phil Kelly | 29 |
| 19 | Mark Smith (Stamford) | 27 |
| 19 | Rob Braithwaite | 27 |
| 21 | Steve Ingham (Blackley) | 26 |
| 22 | Paul Dunn (Huyton & Prescot) | 25 |
| 23 | Tom Clancy (Cheadle) | 23 |
| 24 | Ben Davies (Romiley) | 21 |
| 25 | Colin Maroney | 19 |
| Tony Stevens (Davenport) | 0 |
| Pos | Pro Am | Pts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sam Shaw (New Mills) & Courtney Dignan (New Mills) | 44 |
| 2 | Elliot Tickle & Mike Smith (Blackley) | 40 |
| 3 | Mark Hancock (Stand) & Gareth Mawdsley (Stand) | 40 |
| 4 | Steve Ingham (Blackley) & Steve Murray (Blackley) | 39 |
| 5 | Scott Howarth (Davenport) & Mike Lamb (Bramhall) | 39 |
| 6 | Alistair Waddell (Chorlton cum HArdy) & Ben Kellet (Chorlton cum Hardy) | 39 |
| 7 | Ryan Owen (Styal) & Luca Davies (Styal) | 39 |
| 8 | Dan Croft (Huyton & Prescott) & Paul Goodman (Huyton & Prescott) | 38 |
| 9 | Andy Palmer (Chorley) & Andy Bibby (Chorley) | 37 |
| 10 | Craig Daggitt (Bramall Park) & Andy Ince (Bramall Park) | 37 |
| 11 | Ryan O’Neill & Steve Moores (Saddleworth) | 37 |
| 12 | Phil Kelly & James Woodcock (Stamford) | 37 |
| 13 | Kris Andrews (Ashton on Mersey) & Nigel Mather (Ashton on Mersey) | 36 |
| 14 | Alan Crompton (Haigh Hall) & Mick Duffell (Pleasington) | 36 |
| 15 | Mark Smith (Stamford) & Phil Hudson (Stamford) | 36 |
| 16 | Sammy Jaafari (Styal) & Lee Norcross (Styal) | 35 |
| 17 | Rob Braithwaite & Paul Braithwaite | 36 |
| 18 | Craig Corrigan & Phil Cooney (Houghwood) | 35 |
| 19 | Dave Green (Dukinfield) & Paul Crisp (Ashton on Mersey) | 35 |
| 20 | Anthony Sproston & Mal Hodson (Dunscar) | 34 |
| 21 | Grant Hamerton (Pike Fold) & Julian Phillips (Hillside) | 34 |
| 22 | Tom Clancy (Cheadle) & Mick Holmes (Cheadle) | 32 |
| 23 | Ben Davies (Romiley) & Jamie Beech (Mellor) | 32 |
| 24 | Paul Dunn (Huyton & Prescott) & Billy Ford (Huyton & Prescot) | 29 |
| 25 | Colin Maroney & Joe Donnelly (Harwood) | 29 |
| Tony Stevens (Davenport) & Mike Jones (Davenport) | NR |
| Pos | Am Am | Pts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chris Hayes (Hart Common) & Paul Rushby (Hart Common) | 40 |
| 2 | Andy Angelone (Stamford) & Steve Downend (Stamford) | 38 |
| 3 | Paul Bartle (Regent Park) & Dave Grannell (Regent Park) | 36 |
| 4 | Charles Herbert (Alderley Egde) & Neil McGuinness (Disley) | 36 |
| 5 | Alistair Holloway(MDGA Captain) & Anthony Kenny (Prestwich) | 35 |
| 6 | John Barrow (Flixton)& Bob Barrow (Davyhulme Park) | 35 |
| 7 | Paul Donelan (Regent Park) & Rob Jackson (Regent Park) | 35 |
| 8 | Carl Blackshaw (Regent Park) & Mark Harrison (Hart Common) | 35 |
| 9 | Richard Margrave (Stamford) & Mike Grainger (Stamford) | 35 |
| 10 | Chris Lee (Mellor) & Paul Butler (Mellor) | 34 |
| 11 | Darren Clarke (Stamford) & Steve Milligan (Stamford) | 33 |
| 12 | Carleton Weldon (Stamford) & Spencer Lavery (Stamford) | 31 |
| 13 | Matt Foster (Werneth Low) & Dave Stearns (Werneth Low) | 31 |
| 14 | Greg Norbury (Flixton) & Phil Dearden (Flixton) | 31 |
| 15 | Martin Allmond-Smith (Tytherington) & Steve Pinnington (Tytherington) | 31 |
| 16 | Steve Yates (New Mills) & Stuart Milner (New Mills) | 30 |
| 17 | Kris Partington (Alder Root) & Craig Gilligan (High Legh Park) | 30 |
| 18 | Simon Lo (Bolton Old Links) & Michael Ip (Bolton Old Links) | 29 |
| 19 | Andy Hannay (Rochdale) & Tony Palmer (Chorley) | 27 |
| 20 | David Wakerley (Ellesmere) & Colin Donelan (Duxbury Park) | 26 |
| 21 | Don Milligan (Ashton on Mersey( & Mike Fenton (Dunham Forest) | 26 |
| 22 | Kam Wong (Bolton Old Links) & Betty Fan (Bolton Old Links) | 25 |
| 23 | Paul Thornley (Flixton) & Chris Mulhearn (Flixton) | 25 |
| 24 | Steve Smith (Stamford) & Graham Dowd (Stamford) | 22 |
| John Kilner (Hart Common) & Clint Davey (Ellesmere) | NR | |
| Dave Smith (Hart Common) & Danny Beeley (Westhoughton) | NR |