New Mills Golf Club

M.E.N. Golf Challenge Qualifing Competition and Final

Qualifier - 10 April 2010

Over 100 hundred club members took part on Saturday 10th April in the club’s qualifying competition for the Manchester Evening News Golf Challenge 2010. The competition, which was a fourball betterball stableford event, was won dramatically by club president Hugh Jones and his partner Bob Palmer with a score of 52 points. The result required a count back on the best back nine as Bob and Hugh were givcen a fright by Junior captain Sam Shaw and his fellow junior partner Jack Marshall who also finished with 52 points. Bob and Hugh went forward to the final at Romiley Golf Club on Sunday 6th June.

Final - 06 June 2010

Club President, Hugh Jones and his playing partner, Bob Palmer, represented the club in the final of the inaugural Manchester Evening News Golf Challenge at Romiley Golf Club on Sunday 6th June. 27 pairs took part in the final.

Playing as a betterball Stableford off ¾ handicap Hugh and Bob finished with, what they both described, as a very disappointing 36 points, As Hugh said ‘We struggled, I was poor and Bob carried us round’ However, Bob admitted that they had both missed some easy short putts on what was not the best sort of day for playing golf with rain for most of the first nine. So it was a disappointed pair of New Mills golfers who entered the clubhouse only to find that the winning score was just 3 points more! As Hugh said ‘Who knows what might have been?’

Three teams scored 38 points with a number of other clubs also on 36. So the lads didn’t do badly at all! Bob praised the course which he said was in very good condition with superb greens. He also praised Romiley Golf Club who he said hosted the competition very well. Tea and coffee were provided on arrival along with a ’goody bag’ and a complimentary carvery meal after the event.

This is the first event of this kind to be organised by the MEN and whilst there were a few organisational hiccups and a general feeling that the publicity we were promised wasn’t up to scratch; it is an event worth considering the club entering again next year. For more information about the final go to the MEN website at http://www.menmedia.co.uk/.