All of these people have
helped maintain the
reputation of the Lancashire
Union of Golf Clubs as a
highly respected organisation
throughout England and I
look forward to working
closely with all colleagues
during my term of office. My term of office has also
coincided with the
“retirement” of Tony Moss
who had been County
Secretary since 1997. There
have been many
complimentary things said
about Tony’s involvement
with the Union over the
years and as such I wish to
add my thanks for his help,
guidance and support
especially when I was
Championship Chairman.
Tony will be missed by all.
I wish Phil Harvey all the best
as he begins his “new
journey” as County
Secretary. These are difficult
times for all golf clubs but I
am confident that with Phil’s
successful business
background and grass roots
knowledge of golf club
management he will provide
excellent support and advice.
Finally I wish all county
players, club golfers and
especially the many
volunteers best wishes for
the rest of 2015, I hope the
weather is kind to us for the
remainder of the season, as it
has been in previous years
and I look forward to
meeting you all at the various
matches and functions I will
be attending.
I am only the second person
from my club, Lancaster, to
become President, the
previous being Charlie
Barrow in 1953. I never
knew Charlie but am aware
that he was a very good
golfer and dedicated to the
development of golf at club
and County level. Though I
cannot profess to be anything
like the former, I do have
something in common with
Charlie as to the latter. I do
know that the members of
Lancaster Golf Club are
proud that this fine club with
great traditions is once again
linked so closely with our
County.
It does not seem that long
ago, when in 2003, the then
President Ian Woolley
welcomed me to my first
executive meeting and
presented me with my
Lancashire Executives badge
of office. A very proud
moment for me, I can assure
you. Since that day I have
seen many people join and
leave the executive (now
called The Board) and have
worked with twelve
Presidents.
I have witnessed the hard
work and dedication given
freely by Board members and
Past Presidents, in their
endeavour not only to help
the development of County
players, management of the
various Championships and
County Member
competitions but also the
many other activities that the
County is involved in.
Lancashire President 2015
.
Newsletter Summer 2015
Lancashire Union of
Golf Clubs Ltd.
County Office
Ashton & Lea GC Tudor Avenue Preston
PR4 0XA
T: 01772 731330
www.lancashiregolf.org
Twitter @Lancashiregolf
Inside this issue:
Men’s elite squad 2
County Fixtures 2
County Champion 3
Seniors 2015 4
Boys Champion 5
Junior Golf
County Develop-
ment Plan
County members
6
7
8
Tony McMunn President of the Lancashire
Union of Golf Clubs 2015
I was on holiday in Tenerife
when President David
Eccleston called me on my
mobile inviting me, on behalf
of the Past Presidents, to
become President in 2015.
I was humbled by the call and
answered that I would be
delighted and honoured to
accept the invitation. As you
will appreciate I would have
liked to have said more but
the cost of the call was
probably more than the cost
of my holiday, therefore our
conversation was terminated
quickly.
Having then sat and reflected
on the call, I realised what an
honour it was to be invited,
especially from our Past
Presidents, all of whom are
synonymous not only with
the name of Lancashire Golf
but also England and the R & A. During my tenure I
will ensure, as have my
predecessors, that
Lancashire Golf is promoted
at the highest level.
We have a proud tradition of
bringing players through from the
boys structure and on to the first
team, so its going to be a very
interesting season as the cycle of
change begins again.”
The season for the Men’s team
opened with the mighty Yorkshire
coming across the Pennines to
Hillside Golf Club. After taking a
commanding lead 5-1 in the morning,
Lancashire squandered the
opportunity to take an early
advantage in the league and allowed
a fightback that resulted in a tied
match 9-9. Debutant Jack Shelley of
Formby GC held on to win the final
match and secure the shared points.
The second match, away against
Durham at Bishop Auckland,
featured more excellent debuts
from Mike Howard of Royal
Birkdale and Jack Clarkson of
Lancaster GC. A tight match saw
Lancashire eventually run out
winners 10-8.
With key players now available
following international duties and
returning from college in
America, the squad will be
further strengthened going into
the second half of the season.
Next up is Northumberland at
Lancaster on 11th July and as
always spectators are very
welcome.
Northern Counties League Champions
Page 2 Newsletter Summer 2015
Men’s Elite Squad County Match Fixtures 2015
The Men’s first team retained the
Daily Telegraph Northern
Counties League title in a close
finish over the breezy links at
Furness in Cumbria. The margin
of victory in the league was just
half a point over the old rivals
Yorkshire.
With four squad members
turning professional at the end of
the season, 2015 has seen a
number of new faces making their
debuts for the County, plus one
or two older ones making
comebacks.
County Captain Paul Williams
commented “We wish the
players turning professional all
the very best for their careers.
11th July v Northumberland Lancaster GC
5th August Northern Counties
England Golf Qualifier
Mount Murray, Isle of Man
8th August v Cumbria Ormskirk GC
29th August v Cheshire Wilmslow GC
25-27th September English County Finals Wychwood GC
The President presents the trophy to the 2015
County Champion Ian Kenwright of Haydock
Park.
The 2015 Championship saw 138 of
Lancashire’s best amateur golfers
contend in challenging, windy conditions
at Bolton Golf Club on 5th-7th June.
Ian Kenwright, a stalwart of the County
team with 46 caps to date, proved a
very worthy and popular winner. Ian
lead from the start following a first
round 67 backed that up with 71, 71 &
74 to lead from wire to wire.
Championship Chairman, Derek Jones,
praised to host club for their support
throughout the event. “The club really
got behind the Championship and
provided over 40 volunteers who
helped with everything from parking
to divoting and marshaling certain
holes. It really was a fantastic effort
from the members.”
Runner up was Ciaran Doherty of
Bury, followed by Gareth Hastie of
the host club.
Bolton also triumphed in the team
championship and now go on to
represent Lancashire in the national
club Championship at Brancepeth
Castle in September.
In 2016 the Championship will be
held at Ormskirk Golf Club on
27th –29th May and will return to
Lancaster Golf Club in 2017.
Lancashire Amateur Championship 2015
Page 3 Newsletter Summer 2015
Entry to all County Championships and County Members competitions is now online at
www.lancashiregolf.org
Follow us on twitter @Lancashiregolf
Tony Holt receives the Seniors Trophy from the President
Two very contrasting days over the stunning links at
Hesketh produced an “as you were” result in the
Seniors Championship, with the 2014 Champion Tony
Holt of Wilpshire, retaining the title.
100 senior players lined up for the 2015 Championship,
the largest field for several years.
Club President, Derek Holden, offered his special
welcome to the competitors, “Hesketh has a long
association with Lancashire County golf having staged
the first every County Championship in 1910 and many
times since. Seniors golf has become more and more
important in recent years with the average age of
membership in many clubs hovering around the sixty
mark. It is a section that can’t be ignored. It is my
privilege on behalf of all the members to welcome
players and officials from the County to our club.”
Scoring was high on a very blustery first day, the
lowest round being 78 from both the eventual
Champion and Rob Fox of Royal Lytham. Only 5
players managed to break 80 and the CSS
resulted in reduction only.
Day 2 was quite a contrast, generally warm, sunny
and most importantly the wind had subdued,
although not entirely. A level par 72, the best
round of the Championship, sealed the win for
Tony.
1st Tony Holt - Wilpshire 78+72 - 150
2nd Alan Gillespie - St Annes OL 79+74 - 153
3rd Ian Crowther - R. Lytham 79+75 - 154
The Seniors Championship 2015
Page 4 Newsletter Summer 2015
Entry to all County Championships and County Members competitions is now online at
www.lancashiregolf.org
Follow us on twitter @Lancashiregolf
Boys Champion Matthew Kay with the President and the
historic Boys trophy
Is 2015 to be remembered as the year of the winds ?
A 25mph plus cold wind blew for pretty much the
entire 36 holes of the 2015 Boys Championship at
Leyland Golf Club. The course was in superb condition
with slick, fast greens that added even more to the
challenge facing Lancashire’s bright young talent.
Leyland has established itself as one of the most
forward thinking clubs in the county, with a superb
junior programme led by club professional Colin
Burgess.
During practice many of the boys became quite
ambitious about the scores they might produce, but on
the day of the event the full power of the weather and
the course combined to make this a real test of
patience and endurance. Pre-championship favourite,
and England Boys international Oliver Clarke of
Formby made it look like the form books were
going to be followed when he lead the morning
scoring with 73.
In the first match out in the afternoon, Mathew
Kay of Manchester defied the conditions to
return a 68, the only sub par score of the day.
Matthew ran out the winner by 3 strokes and has
since been selected to make his debut for
Lancashire Boys in the upcoming match against
Cheshire.
1st Matthew Kay - Manchester 145
2nd Lewis Boyle - Shaw Hill 148
3rd Olver Clarke - Formby 148
The Boys Championship 2015
Page 5 Newsletter Summer 2015
The Lancashire Union launched a new Talent Development Pathway in
2014 and now has over 200 boys and girls in our Under 14 and
14-18 County Academy programmes and elite squads. Applications for the
2016 programmes will open in September, if you have a child who would
like to take part, please register via the county website
http://www.lancashiregolf.org/talent_development_programmes
Andrew Barr, Chairman of Junior Golf, reflects on
about a successful 2014 season for the
Lancashire Boys.
Following the usual high quality winter coaching with
our Professional coaches Gareth Benson, Ian Lee and
Jim Payne, the boys started the playing season well
when the 4 Counties Tournament was successfully
retained at Wollaton Park, where Nottinghamshire
were our hosts. The young team of Haydn McCullen,
Joe Banks, McCaulay Murgatroyd, Liam Jenkinson,
Michael Tunstall, Callum Blinkhorn, James Broadbent
and Daniel Croft were delighted in retaining the trophy
for the 3rd consecutive year. Haydn McCullen finished
his 3rd year in the winning team never losing any of his
matches.
The team of Oliver Clarke, Adam Clarke, Joe Banks,
Liam Jenkinson, Callum Blinkhorn and Callum
McPhillips selected to represent Lancashire in the
Northern Boys Championship at City of Newcastle
Golf Club, finished 3rd equal with Yorkshire and
Northumberland, 4 strokes behind the winners
Durham, with Cheshire coming in 2nd place .
On the County match scene the boys team had
victories against Cheshire and Cumbria, and it was
agreed to halve the match against Yorkshire when the
waterlogged course became unplayable during the
singles matches. A trophy for this fixture was
presented by past Yorkshire President Jay Whittam to
be played for annually. Sadly Lancashire Girls were
unable to field a team for the annual match against the
boys. The mixed age team were heavily beaten by
Yorkshire, but were successful against Cheshire and
halved their match against Durham.
The under 14 scheme outlined in last year’s report as
part of our future development pathway, and part
funded by England Golf, got underway during the year.
138 boys were signed up to the scheme and divided up
into 6 regional centres. Each boy received 3, 6 hour
group coaching sessions, and all were invited to a golf
day at Houghwood Golf Club at the end of the
coaching season. In the event 83 boys competed in a
most successful competition. We are grateful to Peter
Turner for allowing us the courtesy of the course for
the day and to Tony Mather for the magnificent prize
table.
This new initiative is to continue and a County
Academy Programme is to be added for 14-18
year old boys, completing our junior pathway.
This scheme will be run by a selected group of
PGA professionals across the county and funded
by the boys (or more likely their parents) who
join the scheme.
With our 4 elite groups of 12 boys in each at
under 14, under 15, under 16, and under 18 will
mean that the county will have nearly 250 boys in
coaching during a year. Phil Harvey needs special
mention for his vision and hard work in making all
this happen.
On the individual front The Boy’s Championship
was won by Oliver Clarke from Formby Golf
Club, the under 16 Championship was won by
Luke Kelly from Ashton-under-Lyne Golf Club,
and the under 14 champion was Grady Rogerson
from Royal Lytham and St Annes Golf Club.
Haydn McCullen won the McEvoy Tophy and the
Carris Trophy and represented England boys.
Oliver Clarke represented England under 16
boys.
My thanks to all members of the Executive and
parents for their support during the year, with
special thanks to the squad leaders Terry
Rawson, Mike Lay, Cliff Bowman and Tony
McMunn.
Pictured below, Michael Tunstall of Bolton Old Links
in action for Lancashire Boys.
2014 - A great year for the county’s junior golfers
Page 6 Newsletter Summer 2015
Following the launch of the new strategic plan for
England Golf, “Raising our Game”, the Lancashire
Union has developed a county plan for the next 2 years
to work in support of the national strategy.
The aim of both plans is to achieve for golf in
Lancashire;
More Players
More Members
Stronger Clubs
The Lancashire Union, representing men’s amateur golf
in the county, already undertakes a great deal of
activity which contributes towards these themes. This
new development plan seeks to enhance this existing
delivery and introduce new ways of working and
additional initiatives that will complement the current
work and provide a platform for improvement in
several key areas.
Within the plan are some key principles which will be
at the centre of the work of the Lancashire Union in
the next 3 years.
1. Closer communication, co-operation and support
for the clubs in Lancashire. It will ultimately be the
clubs that deliver the key outcomes of both the
national and county strategies.
2. Expanding our work to support the advancement of
junior golf through talent development programmes
and assisting clubs in implementing successful local
junior initiatives.
3. Working closely with our key partners in Lancashire,
including but not limited to the County Golf
Partnership (CGP), Lancashire Ladies County Golf
Association (LLCGA), the PGA, the Golf Foundation
and the Golf Club Managers Association(GCMA), the
Lancashire Sports Partnership and the Golf Course
Owners Association.
Amongst the new initiatives to be launched in
2015 will be
New grant funding to help clubs with
development programmes
A network of county delegates in every
club
An annual conference for golf in
Lancashire to promote and share great
ideas
A new awards scheme to celebrate and
publicise the innovative work of the clubs
An awareness campaign promoting the
development plan and the various ways in which
clubs can get involved and benefit from the
activities will shortly be launched. In the
meantime more information can be obtained by
contacting the county office.
Clubs are invited to nominate a County Delegate
to become a vital point of contact with the club
and its members. The first County Conference
for delegates is being held at Fairhaven Golf Club
in Lytham on 15th September and the first 50
delegates to register will also be able to play in a
free competition at Fairhaven in the afternoon.
LATEST NEWS
Grants under the above scheme have already
been agreed and awarded to several clubs
following our initial publicity, including
Burnley Golf Club - to support a series of
summer camps for juniors and beginners.
Grand National Golf Club - to help with
marketing of a family open day and free coaching
for beginners.
Poulton le Fylde Golf Club - to provide
additional training and accreditation for junior
organisers.
Lee Park Golf Club - to assist with the
marketing and delivery of a Ladies Only
GetIntoGolf programme.
County Development Plan
Page 7 Newsletter Summer 2015
It was with great pleasure that I took over as Chairman
of County Members committee from Tony McMunn
who did such an excellent job as Chairman for the last
three years. I look forward to carrying on the good
work Tony has done for the foreseeable future.
The 2014 season came to an end with the Collinge and
Bell finals held at Royal Lytham & St Anne’s GC on
Tuesday 9th September. The final results were;
Collinge Trophy 2014
Winner Phillip Greer from Grange Park GC
with a net 74
Runner Up Mark Feeney from West Derby GC
with a net 77
Bell Trophy 2014
Winners Robert Snellgrove & Don Marr from
Hurlston Hall GC with 40pts, acpo
Runners up David Marsh & Jim O'Gara from
Bolton Old Links GC with 40pts
Congratulations to the winners and all who took part
in the finals.
So far during the 2015 season we have seen record
numbers of members play in both the Collinge Trophy
and Bell Trophy qualifying competitions. Thanks to all
who took part, your support for the County Members
competitions is much appreciated.
The qualifiers from each competition who go through
to the final which will be held at Fairhaven GC on 16th
September are,
Collinge Round 1 at Stand Golf Club
1. David Hoyle - Royal Lytham
2. Martin Humphreys - Dean Wood
3. Eddie McFerran - Grange Park
Collinge Round 2 at Shaw Hill Golf Club
1. Philip Kilgour - St Annes Old Links
2. Joe Sawbridge - Hurlston Hall
3. Gavin Sutcliffe - Nth Manchester
Bell Trophy Round 1 at Blackburn Golf Club
1. P. Glover & B. Glover - Widnes
2. J. Kilgour & P. Kilgour - St Annes Old Links
3. D. Hughes & D. Fox - Haydock Park
Bell Trophy Round 2 at Haydock Park Golf Club
1. K. Jarvis & P. White - Lee Park
2. M. Rimmer & I. Kinsey - Hurlston Hall
3. D. Welsh & D Jenkins - Lee Park
There are still spaces open in the final County
Members event of the season which is the
Autumn Meeting (Individual Stableford)
@ £18 person
2nd September, Ashton & Lea GC
If you know any person who would like to
become a County Member then either go to our
web site at www.lancashiregolf.org where you
will find details on membership under the heading
County Membership or call the County Office on
01772 731330
I look forward to seeing you all in the near future.
Paul Healey
Chairman of County Members
County Members Competitions
Page 8 Newsletter Summer 2015
County Cards The 2015 Lancashire Golf County Card is
now available free of charge to all mem-
bers of affiliated clubs within Lancashire.
The card is valid at more than 70 clubs in
Lancashire and over 1,300 clubs across
England. The card entitles the holder to
discounted golf, strictly subject to the
terms laid down by the individual
participating club.
Apply online at www.lancashiregolf.org
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