2022

The articles in this section represent the stories behind the names on the board of the 2022 Board Competition Season for this golf course ... 2022 AGC captain Danny Miller is pictured . These articles could be completed for any golf club ... contact us for details . The scribe who has created all of these reports and this website is Paul Hackett . If anyone has pictures of the winners / contenders they are welcome to contact this website .

The 2022 season is effectively now in operation with the Bailey Cup Qualifiers Round 1 … 15 Division One and 19 Division Two members competed for the 3 qualification places for each Division on offer .

The 2022 season is effectively now in operation with the Arthur Cooper Winter Bogey Qualifiers Round 1 … 17 Division One and 22 Division Two members competed for the 3 qualification places for each Division on offer .

Matt Astbury has joined the ‘A team’ now joint winningmost A with Nick Alderson and Gary Arrowsmith by virtue of his 3 hole victory . Regula pairs partner Cam Arnold edged Alty newboy Philippe Mekloufi on countback for second whilst Captain-elect Andy Window was fourth on similarly outlasting Mr Captain Danny Miller . Pete Higgins was sixth whilst fellow Cityzen front 9 leader Paul McDonald completely collapsed losing 7 of his back 9 holes on a day where the course showed its difficulty from the white tee in the cold but occasionally sunny conditions .

Neil and Stewart Royle have taken the ninth pairs Board Competition of their Alty careers by winning the Jos Greatbanks trophies by one hole from Mr Captain Danny Miller & David (the Doctor) Terris with Paul MacDonald & Howard Johnson a further hole back in third whilst 2018 Greatbanks winners Glen Rothwell & Ged Grogan were in fourth place .

Andrew Window (22/22/44) has delivered a Stableford masterclass in his dominant 5-point wire-to-wire victory today from Keith Walton Jr , Cameron Arnold , Mr Captain Danny Miller , John Cullen and Lee Lomas completing the top six on a dry sunny day where the course only allowed 4 members of 51 to beat their handicaps .

Man of Fire Lee Lomas has won his maiden Alty GC Board Competition by sensationally snatching the Bailey Cup from the clutches of Ian Cheetham and Dave Drury from two strokes back with one hole to play as they both stumbled on that final hole . Defending champion Chris O’Connell fired 3 birdies but could not master the ‘easy’ holes whilst FCox winner Andy Window and 8-time Board Comp winner Gary Shaughnessy completed the top 6 on a day where our beloved course again proved too tough for most of us to challenge in the dry cloudy conditions . A triumph for patience , course management skills and holding his nerve by the winner ! Bravo Lee !

Captain-Elect Andrew Window continued his wonderful start to the season by capturing the Jubilee in dominant style today . Finding himself one stroke back after 9 holes the dapper chappy produced a back 9 masterclass to ease to a 4 stroke victory from Nick Alderson , Ray Corcoran and David Doughty , all of whom produced solid rounds of much quality but inexplicably finding trouble on the easiest holes whilst he powered on to a 5th Alty Board Competition victory !

GG (Ged Grogan) gallops into history as he performs the rare feat of magnificently defending an 18 hole trophy by winning the 12th Board Competition of his Alty GC career in the sunny conditions today . Grogan eased to a 2-point victory over the resurgent Gary Shaughnessy , beating 3rd placed blob-free Mr. Captain Danny Miller and front 9 leader Brian Price on countback with the back 9 excellence of Ben Haslam and Hackett propelling them into the top 6 but both bemoaning poor starts . A day which saw 10 of us score better than our handicap ( our best effort this season ) suggesting we are all adapting better to the course conditions .

Neil Royle has successfully defended his 5 Club Shield after outlasting 2022 hotshot Cameron Arnold who fired 4 birdies but whose frailties at the high stroke index holes cost him … Cam needed a par at the last to snatch the trophy but was denied by one stroke Last weeks Remembrance winner Ged Grogan was the only other member to beat his handicap as our beloved course ruthlessly exposed the vast majority of us . Stalwart Keith Walton Sr. Snatched 4th place on countback from Mr. Captain Danny Miller with John Cullen completing the top 6 .Neil has now reached the magic figure of 15 Board Competition victories thus will be deservedly added to the Hall of Fame .

Keith Walton Jr maintains his form whilst his chief pursuers lose theirs to superbly win the first Board Competition of his Alty career by three strokes from the resurgent Andy Miehe whilst former leader Stuart Mason (6th)and Keith Walton Sr (5th) capitulate on the final holes when in challenging positions . President Cawley (3rd) and newboy Colin Richardson (4th) complete the top 6 on a day where our beloved course saw just 3 members beat their handicaps in the dry sunny conditions .

Mr Captain Danny Miller and the prodigious talent that is Joe Hadfield combined to win the Wilson Trophies today , holding off a late challenge from the evergreen BWood/Boardman combo with golfing powerhouse pairs Butterworth/Cullen and Rothwell/Grogan in their wake as 2022 Wilson victor Paul Hackett and his stand-in partner Matt Astbury bemoaned a 17 stroke collapse on 14 which obliterated their challenge when leading . Another day where the course restricted the field to just a trio of handicap bettering performances when our record holding Board Competition winner guided him and his talented partner to a famous victory more than two decades on from his first victory in this event .

Gary Shaughnessy rolled back the years and crucially powered through the Championship holes to snatch the Watson Trophy for his ninth Board from the grasp of long-time leader Keith Walton Sr who was denied a first Board Competition in 5 years as they both dominated the field with low handicappers John Cullen , Ray Massey all bemoaning their efforts on the easy holes whilst high handicap hotshot David Christian was also rueing sloppy strokes at crucial times on a day where members fared better against our beloved course with 10 of us beating their handicap .

Resurgent Ian Cheetham outlasts the excellent John Gleave and Pete Higgins to claim the High-Handicappers crown whilst Mr President (Brian Cawley ) , front 9 leader Tom Wilkins and evergreen Roy Jackson all show their talents on a day where it came down to those three final ‘Championship hole’ with Cheetham showing teak-tough nerve and skill at those crucial moments to emerge victorious and claim the 3rd Board Competition of his Alty career .

Mark Caffrey defies a long-standing injury and destroys an elite field to cruise to victory by 7 strokes where only 4th placed front 9 leader Mark Snape truly challenged after Caffrey had registered a sublime 6 under handicap back 9 whilst noted in-form ball-strikers Walton Sr, Cullen J. , Drury , O’Connell Jr were all helpless bystanders as Mark Caffrey claimed a well deserved 11th. Board Competition of his Alty career .

George Sainthouse outlasts fellow veteran Bernie Wood and young hotshot Cameron Arnold to capture the huge Coronation Cup trophy for the third time in 5 years and take his Board Competition haul to an impressive 13 with Messrs Alderson and Wright completing the top 5 whilst sixth placed Brian Cawley throws away his chance to join The Chase for honours on the back 9 short holes when leading the competition.

Alty self-styled reporter Paul Hackett defies the conditions with his unconventional strategy and gloriously takes the fifth Board Competition of his Alty career outlasting Keith Walton Sr on countback with long-time leader and yesterdays Coronation Cup winner George Sainthouse just failing for a double trophy haul in third . Messrs Nicholls, Dibble and John Cullen all had moments of excellence but flattered to deceive on a day when just two members beat their handicap as our beloved course dominated with the swirling and blustery winds ,

Stuart Mason emerges victorious after a tragic last hole lapse by the tournament leader and defending trophy holder Nathan Butterworth , profiting from his catastrophic final hole 8 . A landmark 10th Board Competition victory for the COVID captain and a remarkable EIGHTH piece of silverware in 3 years as challengers Mills , Christian , Hogan and Johnson fall foul of early and Amen Corner lapses in the unusually sodden conditions that befell the course .

Johnathan Dickens has won the 3rd Board Competition of his Alty career , outlasting the in-form Stuart Mason on countback and denying him the rare feast of a double trophy weekend haul whilst low-handicappers Cullen , Spicer and Goodall show their undoubted class registering excellent totals and the prodigiously talented mid-handicapper that is Andy Moss bemoans a poor start on a day where 17 competitors levelled or beat the standard Stableford 36 point score , taking advantage of the ‘bunker-free’ dispensation.

Cameron Arnold takes his first Board Competition victory , sensationally discarding his Bridesmaids’ P (for placed) tag by ‘finally getting to the golfing altar on time’ courtesy of a last gasp phenomenal 4-point birdie to come back from 4 points down with one hole to go whilst Tim Roberts gets himself in position needing just one point for his maiden W only to heartbreakingly capitulate and blob his final hole. Nathan Butterworth rues a costly first hole blob whilst ‘away’ player Lloyd Mullen-Cooper and Alty stalwarts Lee Lomas and Jim Fallon completed the top 6 but were never nearer to challenge on a day where THE Bernie Wood started well but finished 8 points back whilst defending trophy holder Andy Moss was level with the winner after 17 holes but finished 3 points shy on a day where 13 of 57 beat their handicap in the dry and sunny conditions .

HallofFamer and pairs specialist Neil Royle has captured the 16th Board Competition of his illustrious Alty career by superbly outlasting the field with crucial gains in his final few holes to take the Captains Bowl by three strokes from never nearer rising star John Cullen and leaving Alty stalwarts Window,Jim Fallon , Brian Southworth and your reporter Paul Hackett trailing in his wake as he magnificently captured his fourth individual Board Competition .

David Christian and Paul Hackett (your reporter) have finally won their first Board Competition together , coming through a severe ‘ Duel in the Sun’ style examination with 5th placed HallofFamer Royle brothers playing partners to outlast the excellent Seery/RThompson , Bartley/Arnold and Mekloufi/ Waterhouse combos who were all just one point back with HallofFamer John Hogan and his esteemed partner Matt Goodall completing the top 6 as we all tried to tame Altys’ hardened fairways and smooth greens . An Alty victory to go with their Senior Open victories at Dunham Forest GC (Sept21) and Prenton GC (June22) , Hackett and Christian crucially dovetailing well and maintaining a high standard of play in the sunny conditions .

HallofFamer Keith Ralston takes his first Board Competition in 2 years , snatching the trophy from the desperate clutches of fellow legend Bernie Wood with a phenomenal last-gasp birdie to hand him his third runner-up spot this season . Hugely talented single-handicappers Chris O’Connell and Dan Bartley were the only other members to beat their handicap with Andrew Moss and stalwart Pete Higgins completing the top 6 on a day where the course remained dominant despite the improving greens and softening fairways .

New rookie pairing of Mark Drinkwater (pictured) and Paul Slade emerge victorious after a stellar 77 point haul ,the joint front 9 leaders crucially plundering 20 Amen Corner points and a Drinkwater final hole 4 point birdie securing victory by 2 points . The fledgling precocious McDermotts claimed second place after a phenomenal 44 point back 9 salvo on countback from the in-form Blackpool winners Butterworth and Cullen whilst the experienced low handicap pairing of Ralston and Snape had got themselves to joint leadership after 17 holes but capitulated at the last to finish fourth . Fellow low-handicappers Hogan/Goodall and Royles Neil and David completed the top 6 on a day where the supreme individual talent of Drinkwater ( an incredible 46 points ) made the difference on a day where our beloved course restricted just 4 of the 27 pairs to beat the 72 point par score .

Lineal 2020 Barton holder Matt Astbury returns to the competition to reclaim his trophy , thriving in the company of a ‘Duel in the Sun’ front 9 battle with playing partner Arnolds’ 34 stroke masterclass and going on to hold off the challenge of Alty newcomer Austin Green to win his 6th Board Competition in 3 years with Andrew Wood never nearer in third place whilst JFord contenders Butterworth , Arnold and Ralston completing the top 6 on a day where the vast majority of the small field of youngsters struggled to master our beloved course .

Andy Mills produces a back 9 masterclass to ultimately thwart front 9 joint leaders Ged Grogan and HallofFamer John Hogan who were unable to keep pace with him whilst Alty stalwarts Captain-elect Window , evergreen Sainthouse and rejuvenated HallofFamer Stewart Royle all had decent rounds without being near enough to challenge on a day where just the course still held sway over the vast majority of members … a fourth trophy in just two years for the man from the man from north of the border ..

Precocious Dan Bartley leads the Club Championship after round one , outlasting Defending Champion Danny Miller and rising star Chris O’Connell with a nerveless back 9 performance . The esteemed trio seemingly have the fight for the trophy between them after opening a 5 stroke gap between themselves and fourth-placed John Cullen , with him , perennial contenders Mark Snape,Keith Ralston,Andy Miehe ,Nate Butterworth , John Hogan and Derek Cullen all losing ground on the journey home whilst well-placed Cameron Arnold and Ged Grogan pull out of the competition at the halfway stage . Inexplicably , down the table after a disappointing 84 , 5-time Club Champion Glen Rothwell licks his wounds 10 strokes back (7 strokes lost at Amen Corner) and needs a stellar score to challenge tomorrow whilst much fancied hotshot Joe Hadfield ended his challenge after just 14 holes whilst 2-time former champion Tim Cowsill did not hand in his card on a day where our beloved course played too tough for our elite players .

Dan Bartley spectacularly opened his Board Competition account by winning the Club Championship, emerging victorious after a 37th hole playoff against defending champion Danny Miller , who had finally caught Bartley on the final hole to force a playoff . With Chris O’Connell enduring a poor front 9 and slipping down the leaderboard(=5th) , John Cullen (3rd) and Keith Ralston (4th) narrowly failed to bridge the gap after they and resurgent Glen Rothwell (5th) posted ‘best in show’ scores of 76 on a day where our beloved course proved to be too tough for our elite golfers .

Mr. Captain Danny Miller takes the Roberts Cup for the fifth time , cruising to victory over battling Andy Mills . It is Mr Captains’ 38th Board Competition victory , his 29th individual win , his 9th individual KO triumph …

HallofFamer Stewart Royle and Johnathan Dickens superbly combine to thwart defending champions Dave Roy Terris and Howard Johnson who had magnificently fought back from a few holes behind to push them to extra holes but ultimately could not prevent them snatching their trophy .

Alty prodigy Oliver McDermott belies his tender years with a phenomenal wire to wire success to take his first silverware despite the best efforts of COVID Captain Stuart Mason who was the only serious challenger and who asked the question of the leader on a couple of occasions during the round . Alty Secretary Tim Dibble showed a welcome return form , recovering from a shaky start to take third place , whilst fellow Alty Committee member John Thompson continued his comeback from illness with a decent round today . Alty Hall of Famers Bernie Wood and Danny Miller completed the top 6 despite disappointing back and front 9 performances respectively which prevented them taking closer order with only 3 of the select 23 man field beating their handicap as our beloved course again held sway over the vast majority of the field .

David Christian takes the fourth trophy of his Alty career with a dominant display to win the Autumn Cup , taking control from the 7th hole where he went on a phenomenal run of holes scoring like a single-figure handicapper . Only Tony O’Connell came close , finishing two strokes behind without getting in a blow as ‘Stocky from Stockport’ carded a net 65 to add to his Chorlton trophies pairs win with your observer (Paul Hackett) and put himself within range for a late RAFA tilt . Tommy Povey contender Keith Ralston was best Gross (76) AND took third place with a net 70 whilst in-form early leader Andy Mills again featured with a level par fourth placed finish . Alty treasures RAFA contender George Sainthouse and HallofFamer Mr. Captain Danny Miller completed the top 6 on a day where our beloved course restricted just three of 45 competitors to beat their handicap .

Mark Snape masterminded his significant 15th Board Competition victory which deservedly elevates him to HallofFame status with this observers’ website .He and his less experienced golfing partner Ben Dunwoodie ( celebrating his first Board Competition win ) came from several strokes behind to snatch the trophies away from the grasp of rookie long-time leaders Darren Drinkwater and Ben Haslam , who sadly faltered on 17 whilst recent Blackpool North Shore Gents Pairs Butterworth and Derek Cullen were just one stroke back in third , never nearer to challenge . Maverick crowdpleasers Mark Wetherill and Phil Wright , hotshots Chris O’Connell and Sam Rushworth and pre-event favourites Mr Captain Danny Miller and David Roy Terris completed the top 6 on a difficult day for members

Matt Astbury magnificently takes the Presidents Trophy for the first time , denying 2021 finalist Mr. Captain Danny Miller with a dominant front 9 display , later repelling the inevitable fightback from the great man to ease to a 4&3 victory . It is Matts’ 7th Board Competition victory , his 5th individual win , his 1st individual KO triumph …

Paul MacDonald emerged from 4 long years in the Alty golfing wilderness to deliver a magnificently dominant wire to wire victory . The HallofFamer posted his 16th Board Competition victory with a simply scintillating front 9 display as TigerMac rolled back the years in a welcome return to form … COVID Captain Stuart Mason was the only other member to beat his handicap with another consistent performance , getting to within one stroke of the leader after 14 holes but losing ground at the crucial moment and finishing two strokes behind . Another former Captain Norman Crowther has only returned to competition golf recently and showed tremendous promise for the future with an excellent third placed finish whereas former great Tim Cowsill produced the lowest gross score (75) in fourth with rookie Ben Haslam and HallofFamer John Hogan completing the top 6 with decent rounds on a day where our beloved course held sway over most of us with only 2 of us beating their handicap despite the benign conditions .

David Roy (the Doctor) Terris defeated hotshot Craig Seery then Winter KO winners John Gleave (QF) and Dave Drury (SF) in successive rounds before outlasting Bob Kay in the final to gloriously claim the third Board Competition of his Alty career .

Club Captain and record holder Danny Miller (seemingly out of contention two strokes back with one hole to play ) sensationally net eagles the final hole to snatch the trophy and breaks the golfing hearts of the other 5 contenders separated by just 2 strokes with 3 holes to play . Front 9 leader Grogan bemoans a sloppy start to his journey home that ultimately costs him , whilst Andrew Wood superbly battles back from +4 after 2 holes to lead the competition with 3 holes left only to stumble to back to back net bogeys . Alty hotshot Chris O’Connell was best gross on the day but was frustrated in knowing that his triple bogey way back on 4 cost him his chance . Golfing methuselah John Wilks only needed 3 bogeys on the Championship holes to win a few eels short of starting his ninth decade of life but just couldn’t deliver and finally … Alty newboy 34-handicapper Keith Illman led the field standing on the 18th tee but showed his inexperience as he trundled to a NINE to finish sixth in a day of drama with our beloved course showing true dominance with no members beating their handicap .

Bernie Wood has taken the Monthly Medal Final to etch his name onto our hallowed boards for a 21st time and to end a long five-year wait for silverware , paying his dues and getting his just desserts for a very consistent season as he adjusted to life as a double-digit handicapper . Wood produced a stellar -4 finish over the final sextet of holes to outlast second placed elite player Nate Butterworth , whose excellent net birdie on 17 had been trumped by Woods’ phenomenal net eagle on the same hole to finally break his resolve and see him finish one stroke short . Fellow HallofFamer Glen Rothwell took the best gross honours and finished in third place after producing a simply sensational 33 stroke front 9 masterclass whilst high handicapper crowdpleasers Mark Wetherill , Johnathan Dickens and the evergreen John Wilks filling the minor placings on a day where the course again bossed the select field with the softening fairways , unpredictable pace of the greens and the autumnal weather AND the emergence of leafy passages of terrain made our gloriously tricky course even more deceptive .

Bernie Wood completes his second RAFA victory an extraordinary 48 YEARS after taking his first after a seasonal masterclass of playing consistent golf despite battling with the novelty of a higher handicap .After taking the lead he survived challenges which saw five members within 5 strokes of him with just one round to play and magnificently sealed the W by posting a winning score in the Monthly Medal Final which saw him clinch that trophy and the RAFA simultaneously thus ending a 5 year period in the golfing wilderness in fine style. Keith Walton Sr. had earlier flattered to deceive and had roared into a decent lead of no less than TWENTY strokes after Round 9 . A third veteran player George Sainthouse also put together a string of consistent performances to put himself level with Bernie with just 4 rounds to go but he couldn’t get that last decent score to emerge victorious whereas HallofFamers Glen Rothwell and John Hogan had decent top 6 campaigns with COVID Captain Stuart Mason finishing in an excellent third place on a historic day which belonged to Bernard Wood . Bravo Sir !