Alliance beat the soggy jinx
THE Manchester and District Golf Alliance were delighted to resume their winter programme after three successive cancellations.
Despite many courses still being closed in the area, the Bury greens staff put in a sterling effort to get the course fit for play despite more rain on the day to end Alliance Captain Mellor and Townscliffe’s Chris Lee’s soggy start to the second half of their busy winter programme.
A full field enjoyed getting back into Alliance action and it proved to be a very close contest in most sections.
The exception was the individual pro prize won by Order of Merit leader Jamie Howarth (Davenport) with 40 points, four more than Phil Archer (Poulton Park), Craig Corrigan, Scott Howarth (Davenport) and Ian Ridgway (Disley).
Jamie Howarth made it a double as he partnered club colleague Paul Robinson to a winning 43 points in the Pro Am.
Just a point behind were Craig Daggitt and Andy Ince (Bramall Park), Tom Clancy and Mick Holmes (Cheadle), Scott Howarth (Davenport) and Peter Botterman (Stockport) and Tony Stevens and Archie Palmer (Davenport).
It was also tight in the Am Am section with top spot going to Rowan Hurst (Hart Common) and Craig Williams (Bolton) with 43, one more than Steve Cooney and Gary Kelly (Bury) who won a cpo from Stamford’s dynamic duo of Chris Exton and Anthony Cavanagh.
Nearest the pin prize was won by Alistair Waddell (Chorlton) and the other big winner on the day was the charity for the Ukranian Appeal which saw a donation from all present of well over £200.
Geoff Garnett