Denbighshire Golfing Union A.G.M.
The Annual General Meeting of the Denbighshire Golfing Union held last Wednesday at Denbigh Golf Club witnessed the retirement of the 2008 officers in favour of the 2009 incumbents. County Captain John Hughes of Ruthin Pwllglas Golf Club handed over the control to Chris Roberts of Wrexham Golf Club and at the same time welcomed Tony Harcombe of Clays Golf Centre as the Vice Captain for 2009 with the potential to be County Captain in the 2010 Ryder Cup year.
Ian Taylor of Rhos on Sea, who has held the Presidency of the Union for the past two years, was succeeded by Eric Howells of Denbigh golf club who retired last year as County Secretary, a post he held with distinction for twenty years.
David Ethelston of the Vale of Llangollen was reappointed to his office as Secretary as well as Martin Edwards of Denbigh to that of Treasurer with Iain Hayes of Rhos on Sea continuing to serve as Chairman of Selectors for the County scratch team.
An undoubted highlight of the evening was the presentation of the long service award to County Golf to Malcolm Edwards of the Wrexham club. Malcolm first played representative golf for the County scratch team in 1969 when he played with teenage legend Jimmy Buckley who went on to win the Welsh Match play and stroke play so many times as well as playing in the Walker Cup at Muirfield.
Malcolm has played since that time at scratch level, also representing Wales at senior golf and still plays for the DGU senior’s team and also for North Wales. He recalled in his acceptance speech the time that he arrived very early for a match at Rhos on Sea Golf Club only to find the snooker table occupied by two players who, with a third who was sitting down in the window area, had been playing all night.
Closer observation revealed Ray Reardon, who this week received a lifetime achievement award for services to snooker at the Welsh Sportsman of the Year presentation, Australian ace Eddie Charlton, and snooker legend Fred Davies, brother of the incomparable Joe Davies who dominated the sport throughout the post was years. As Malcolm added, he was not invited to make up the four!
He and I partnered each other in County foursomes for over eleven years, winning more than we lost thanks entirely to his superb golf and temperament, but come what may, even after all that time I could never “club him” when asked my opinion. I could give him yardages, but he was so powerful with the shorter irons, that to suggest what he hit into the green was, and still is because we play together every Saturday morning, a complete mystery. A worthy recipient of a very prestigious award.
Wrexham played a Stableford event last Saturday in conditions best described as less than perfect. Winner of the first division was Kevin Matthias with 40 points off two handicap, an excellent achievement considering the competition was played off the white boxes which had been placed rather too far back for winter golf. Gareth Evans was in second place with 39 points off three handicap and Graham Williams occupied third with 37.
Jim Davies took the second division with his score of 38 points, beating the two next cards of 36 handed in by Gavin Davies and Mike Parsons.
The length of the course took its toll on the longer handicap players with the scores reflecting this in the third division. Bryn Edwards won with 35 points followed by David Phillips on the same numbers and then Haydn Davies in third place with 34.
Geoff Lang handed in 37 points to win the fourth group from Neil Edwards who returned with another 37. Bob Simms was in third place with35.
Breanne Loucks popped into the office to do some photocopying a little while ago prior to a Manchester Airport dash to La Manga where she is spending three days surveying the North and south courses before her Tour School Qualifier on 3rd January.
She will be laser distancing the holes from all points on the fairways in preparation for four rounds of golf with about one hundred and fifty other aspiring amateurs to make the cut of thirty. The second four rounds are supplemented by the Professional ladies who lost their playing rights this year and are looking to re qualify for the 2009 season.
We all admire her thorough approach and wish her well.
Wrexham Ladies have just walked in with the results of their somewhat depleted nine holes competition which featured a win for Janet Brand and Sue Bannister with 18 points followed by Janet Pritchard and Freda Darlington on the same score but ranked on the back six holes.