SADDLEWORTH SCHOOL sports teacher Gary Melling is top of the class – well almost – when it comes to golf.
Gary finished runner up in both the Oldham and District Golf Championship and Royton Sword as he is currently in a rich vein of form.
He shot rounds of 70 and 68 in the district championship, a scratch competition he won in 1990 and 97, at Brookdale with his two-round total of 138 three shots behind home player Matthew Kay whose 135 comprised scores of 67 and 68 and denied him a hat trick of victories in the event.
Then in the Royton Sword, held at Crompton and Royton where he is a member, he was second again.
This time he was pipped by Ciaran Doherty, from Bury, in that 36-hole scratch event which Gary won 10 years ago.
Gary shot rounds of 68 and 74 for a two-round total of 142 while the winner returned 67 and 73 for 140.
And Gary, the son of former Crompton and Royton golf professional Dave, was left to lament on one bad hole which possibly cost him victory.
He explained: “In the morning round I had 14 fours a four threes so didn’t even have a five on my card.
“If it wasn’t for an unfortunate lost ball and triple bogey seven on the ninth hole of my second round I could have added to my tally of 15 major wins.”
Despite being in his forties, Gary is playing the best golf of his life.
He said: “I am down to my lowest-ever handicap of 0.6 and am hoping to get down to scratch very soon which is my lifetime golfing ambition.
“What was ironic and fitting about playing in the district championship at Brookdale was that it was 25 years after I became the youngest-ever winner of the event aged 16, a record that still stands.
“I beat all the old guys, but it was youngster Matt Kay, aged 18, who beat me this time, a definite changing of the guard.”
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