NICK MARNER’S first-ever victory in the Club Championship at Saddleworth Golf Club was sweet as it was a major that had always eluded the 50-year-old from Greenfield.
Despite claiming five other majors, the Club Championship was the one which the three-handicapper desperately wanted to land.
And he did so after scoring two gross rounds of 73 for a two-round total of 146 in the scratch competition.
“I birdied the last hole on my second round and won by one shot so that was decisive,” explained Nick who had previously won the Wharmton Trophy three times and also the Ladcastle Trophy and Vice-Captain’s Prize.
Nick, whose job is in golf as greenkeeper at Davyhulme, knew he was in good form going into the competition having just recorded the best gross score at Seascale Festival in Cumbria which was attended by a 20-strong group of Saddleworth golfers.
It was in Tasmania where Nick first took up golf 30 years ago during a spell Down Under as an overseas cricket professional – he also starred in the Saddleworth League.
And when he returned home he began playing with his father Peter, the former Lancashire county cricketer, who was a good golfer playing off three.
Runner-up in the Club Championship was Mark Orme who had 73 and 74 for 147 while in third place was veteran Alan Squires with 72 and 78 for 150.
The 18-hole Club Championship subsidiary, an 18-hole Stableford, was won by Gary Banks with 40 points from runner-up Ian Charnock (39pts) while Duncan Midgley (38pts) was third.
Meanwhile, Paul Jackson produced a stunning second-round fightback to win Captain’s Prize, another major.
After shooting a modest first-round nett 72, the 34-year-old from Lees then fired a sparkling 68 for a two-round total of 140 to triumph by three strokes in the 36-hole event.
“I was four shots behind after the first round, but in the second scored a level par gross,” explained the three-handicapper.
“In the second round I scored 15 pars, two birdies and a double bogey and was very steady and putted well. It was one of those days when I holed everything from five or six feet.”
This was Paul’s first major victory at Saddleworth where he has been a member for three years.
He is no stranger to success, though, as he won nearly every major at previous club Woolley Park, Barnsley.
“The only thing which eluded me was their Club Championship in which I always used to finish runner-up,” he lamented.
He also had a short spell locally at Pike Fold where he won their Scratch Cup.
“I drive past the entrance to Saddleworth Golf Club every day on the way to work which is why I joined,” explained Paul who is an accountant in Holmfifth.
Allan Entwistle was runner-up in the Captain’s Prize scoring 69 and 74 for 143 while third was Phil Paxford, 73 and 72 for 145.
Nigel Hughes (74-6-68) claimed the first-round prize and honours in the second round went to Tad Knebel (75-7-68).
STEVE CASTLE’S victory in Vice Captain’s Prize meant more to him than his previous major win for the senior telecoms engineer in the railway industry.
The previous success was in the Mountain Ash five years ago and the nine-handicapper from Melthan explained: “I won that competition more due to others playing badly than me playing well.
“I finished 6,6,8 and went home thinking it was not good enough only to receive a telephone call to say I had won.
“This time it was completely opposite and the satisfaction greater as I played even better than my score. Had the putts dropped, it would have been an even lower score.
“I went into the competition playing well as the Thursday before the first round I played for the team in the Huddersfield League at Queensbury where I took the course apart.”
Steve, originally from Diggle and a former member of Huddersfield club Willow Park, had nett scores of 69 and 64 for 133 to finish three shots clear of runner-up Nigel Cooper whose 136 comprised rounds of 66 and 70. Third was Ben Pullen with rounds of 71 and 66 for 137.
The first-round prize went to John Barnes (68) and second was claimed by Iain Cash (65).
There was even more silverware up for grabs as Vivian Lewis (Huddersfield) and Lynn Lewis (Meltham) teams up to win the Millgate Trophy, a prestigious open pairs went with a nett score of 70.
Saddleworth pairing claimed the next four places through Roy Downing and Sue Booth (72.5), Tony Isaacs and Linda Newman (73), Jeff and Lilian Howarth (73), Kevin Rafferty and Denise Brown (73.5).
Jamie Heywood (Saddleworth) and Elaine Clarke (Manchester) lifted the Eric Milne Trophy for the best gross score in the Millgate.
Saddleworth’s monthly Stableford was won by Stephen Pullen with 42 points from brother Ben (38) and Simon Cummings (37).
Anne Head has enjoyed a good run of form in the women’s events winning Mr Captain’s Prize, a major with a two-round total of 139 after rounds of 70 and 69.
She finished a whopping eight shots clear of runner-up Pam Taylor (70 and 77 for 147).
Anne then teamed up with Debra Cockburn to win the Daily Mail Foursomes with a score of 72.5 from runners-up Jean Barnes and Eileen Waddington (104-28.5-75.5).
Ladies Invitation Day was won by the team of Dawn White, Anne Ditton, Eileen Moores and Sylvia Haq with a team total of 88 points in the Stableford.
They finished one point clear of second-placed Hazel Rogerson, Julie Ward, Jean Clarke and Elaine Sanderson.
The ELGA Medal and Frances Smith Qualifier was won by Linda Newman (93-24-69) on the card from Jenny Knight (95-26-69).
And a three-ball waltz saw Denise Brown, Debra Cockburn and Linda Newman top the field with a nett 72, one clear of runners-up Jean Dervan, Jean Lowe and Eileen Waddington.
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