2020

Mark Snape is in pole position to land his first Club Championship with a superb 76 that included 2 birdies . He leads by two from David Royle who recovered from a horrid start to produce the best back 9 and be a definite threat for tomorrow . Former champion Stewart Royle lead after 9 but couldn't cope with Amen Corner today whilst Danny Miller is also 3 shots back. after a solid but unspectacular round . Reigning Club Champion Glen Rothwell sensationally slumped to his worst round for over a year and his 84 leaves him a massive 8 shots back ... whilst he undoubtedly has the class to produce a superb round is he too far behind to contend ? We will see ...

. David Royle defeats club legend Danny Miller to take his first J Ford Club Championship after both had played superbly to finish deadlocked at +12 in a tense first-hole playoff . First round leader Mark Snape had a frustrating day on the greens but a quad bogey on unlucky 13 cruelly lost him the title to finish joint third with 2017 champion Stewart Royle who again showed front 9 excellence but crucially couldn’t master the back 9 whilst a quality round from John Hogan holds off Glen Rothwell to take fifth , with the defending champion unable to mount a challenge in sixth . An absorbing weekend which saw the lead change on several occasions with our beloved course firmly in control of our elite players in the largely benign conditions.

Recently deposed former Club Champion Glen Rothwell responds magnificently to pair the excellent Ged Grogan to a truly magnificent countback victory over the evergreen Sainthouse-Kay duo in the dry and stuffy conditions today . Rare pair Bartley/Hadfield and local chums Mills/Doughty fill the minor places on a day where the competition had no less that 5 pairs in contention with one hole left . A 5-point tremendous Nat Thomas eagle on 1 and an exceptional 25-point Higgins/Caffrey front 9 were other highlights on a day of drama on our beloved , uber-deceptively challenging course .

2020 Altrincham GC Captain Stuart Mason (78/13/65) delivered a tee to green ball-striking masterclass to claim his second victory of the season by a three stroke margin over fast-finishing Raymond Corcoran , who played his final 5 holes 6 under his handicap to edge playing partner Andy Mills into third place as he faltered in the closing holes after sharing the lead with 3 to go . David Christian scrambled well in the face of poor play from playing partners in 4th whilst Messrs Brickhill and Ralston had solid rounds with the latter stalling after a superb gross 36 front 9 had flattered to deceive in the stiflingly hot conditions .

Stableford specialist Dave Drury picked up his second Board Competition of that genre this season with a sensational four birdie assault of the course displaying a razor sharp short game and course management nous , prevailing by 3 points from revitalised enforcer George Sainthouse whose Amen Corner frailties crucially cost him dear . Club Champion Royle (3rd) and fellow low-handicappers Snape(4th) and Ralston(5th) all started poorly to blight their chances whilst Walton Junior and Senior joined the aforementioned in celebrating cuts in their handicaps on a day where the benign sunny conditions made it slightly easier for our membership with the back 9 easier than usual on our fast improving fairways , greens and (most) bunkers .

Captain-elect Danny Miller captured his second Trafford Leisure Trophy in 3 years for his 32nd Board Competition win , now only one away from fellow legend James West . He prevailed after shooting a phenomenal level par gross 36 back 9 to snatch victory by a single stroke from the unfortunate Nathan Butterworth , whose occasional frailties at the easier holes ultimately cost him today after an otherwise superb round . Solid performances of occasional brilliance from Grogan and Cawley in the minor places whilst neither front 9 joint leaders Johnson and Grout were able to reproduce their best when it mattered in the closing holes .Overall only 5 of the 43 competitors managed to beat their handicap on a day of ridiculously high scoring by some of our number as the course continues to recover but with green and fairway pace sometimes impossible to judge on a warmish , dryish summers day .

Classy Keith Ralston outlasts the superb Stephen Whyte to take the Gibson on countback for his second victory .of the season and 12th overall . Both contenders gave scintillating displays with Whyte essentially denied an overdue first Board Competition by a crucial error on his penultimate hole . Messrs Miehe , Paulson and Alty new boy were the only other members to beat their handicap on a day when the course again reminded us that it presents a difficult challenge on all holes .

Red-hot audacious pair John Thompson (15/20/35) and Matt Astbury (20/23/43) produced a devastating back 9 performance to destroy their 23 rival pairs and take their first pairs title in the difficult conditions today . Glory-seeking Miller and Johnson took second place a distant 12 points behind with the Fallon brothers impressing in third with new pairing Caffrey and Mills fourth and serial contenders Ralston and Snape fifth . A veritable blob-fest as the course dominated all but the winners on an attritional day of golf. as the vast majority of members struggled to cope with the intermittent rain and swirling winds today .

David Doughty outlasts the 44-strong field to win his first Board Competition .to crown a fine display crucially mastering Amen Corner in an incredibly tight contest where a quartet shared the lead with just one hole to go .Second-placed Ian Cheetham showed a welcome return to form whilst third-placed Club Champion David Royle had the huge consolation of achieving a spectacular hole-in -one on the 3rd hole to join a select few .and can now expect the joy of an AGC hole-in-one tie ! Tee to green wet conditions meant that the course was undeniably the master of the membership today with several of our top players totally humbled with indecently high scores .

Alty hotshot John Thompson bullies the course into submission with a phenomenal net 64 to show disdain at the difficult conditions to cruise to a dominant six stroke victory to take his 3rd Board Competition of the season as longtime challenger Brian Southworth throws away the majesty of his play by erroneously signing for the wrong score whilst Keith Ralston makes a stout attempt to defend his title inheriting second place . Alty stalwarts low handicapper Gordon Boardman and high handicapper Brian Price took the minor positions on a day where the vast majority still found our beloved course difficult .

Stewart Royle shows admirable calm amongst the storm created by the difficult conditions to ease his way to a landmark 20th Board Competition victory , victorious on countback from the rejuvenated Brian Cawley whilst serial winner Danny Miller bemoans poor high Stroke Index holes in third . Brian Price gloriously held the lead for the first 15 holes but was heartbreakingly derailed by a late collapse in the final holes on a day where not one member beat their handicap as our beloved course again got the better of us all .

Matt Astbury eases to an incredible fourth Board Competition of his breakthrough season , outlasting the admirably consistent Keith Ralston on countback courtesy of a teak-tough mindset after a poor start , a hot putter , great scrambling and good course management . Ralston also had regrouped well after a poor start but his excellent finishing burst proving not quite enough whilst third placed Andrew Moss bemoans a net triple bogey 8 on 9 when threatening to take charge of the competition .