Junior Newsletter 2007

Cheshire Boys Team at Scarcroft

Josh Sims receives the Bickerton Cup from Adam Best

Cheshire Boys recorded an excellent victory over Yorkshire Boys at Scarcroft on 20th August to regain the Bickerton Cup. Despite trailing by 1 point after the morning foursomes, Cheshire dominated the afternoon singles to win with a final score of 11 points to 7. Team captain Josh Sims led the way with an impressive win over England Boys player Adam Best.

Cheshire Boys lost to Lancashire Boys in a mixed age group match at Ellesmere on 21st August by 13 points to 5. A Cheshire side weakened by regional events proved no match for an impressive Lancashire side. The highlight of the day was a hole in one by 16 year old Tom Daniels of Alderley Edge GC. Tom achieved his feat on the 162 yard, par 3, 1st hole to the applause of players and County officials.

A County Boys squad of 6, plus a travelling reserve, led by the Boys Captain Josh Sims, competed in the EGU Northern Counties Championships at Hesketh Golf Club, Southport on Wednesday 18th July.  Hesketh is a very challenging course and after the recent prolonged rains was playing particularly long on a rather chilly and breezy day.  The format of the event is 36 holes "scratch" medal play, with the team score for each County based on the best 5 individual scores returned in the morning and afternoon rounds.  The Championship is played by the 6 Northern Counties and a team from the Isle of Man.  Full details of the results are given on the EGU Northern Counties website.  The Cheshire Boys Team for the Championship is shown in the photograph (click to enlarge) together with the County President John Allen, Boys Team Manager Mike Jones and Stephen Foster the County Secretary.
 

Colin Shadbolt, 20th July

Continuing our policy of providing opportunities for our younger players to represent the County, a "Mixed Age" Match was played against Derbyshire at Mickleover Golf Club on Monday 16th July.  The Cheshire Team of 14 Boys, led by the Boys Team Manager, Mike Jones, spread the age bands of U16 down to the U12's, the youngest player Haydn McCullen, from Didsbury Golf Club, playing off 13 handicap being 10 years of age.  The full team line up and the match details are available via the Results page. The Team are shown in the photograph (click to enlarge) together with the County President John Allen and their Manager Mike Jones.
 

Colin Shadbolt, 20th July

Cheshire Boys team photograph
Click to enlarge

The Matthew Brown Cup Match with The Balearic Federation

Picture coutesy Geoff Garnett

Front row: Tom Greenfield, Oliver Carr, Hugh Brown, Bronte Law, Harriet Wilson, Margaret Walker (CCLGA Team Manager)

The first match in what is expected to become a regular annual fixture between a mixed Cheshire Junior Team and a representative Team from the Balearic Golf Federation was played at Son Parc Golf Club Menorca from the 25th to the 27th May.  The event, generously funded by Hugh Brown of Bramhall Golf Club in memory of his grandson Matthew, was considered to be a resounding success by all the parties involved; the CUGC and the CCLGA particularly wish to record their appreciation to Hugh and the Team at Son Parc for their efforts and contribution to facilitating the Match. Son Parc, recently extended to a full 18 hole layout, proved to be a fine test of golf for the high calibre young golfers from Cheshire and the Balearic Islands. Cheshire were led by their Boys’ and Girls’ Captains, Josh Sims and Laura Davies from Caldy and Royal Liverpool, with the teams being deliberately selected over a wide age range with four U16 and four U14 youngsters joining the two Captains.

Foursomes and fourballs were played on the Saturday concluding with ten individual singles on the Sunday. Matches were played on a handicap basis which generally resulted in Cheshire “giving some shots”. The standard of golf was most impressive and particularly significant was the quality of the short game displayed by the Balearic Team. Many games were not decided until the later stages resulting in an excellent and enthralling competitive spirit which was also enjoyed by the many supporters who traveled with both teams. At the end of the day, the Balearic Team held the edge with some excellent golf supported to an extent perhaps by the complexities of the European Handicap System.   This produced a final Match Result of 24 to 14 for the Balearics.

The week-end also provided a good opportunity to demonstrate the effective co-operation which exists between the Cheshire Union of Golf Clubs and the County Ladies Golf Association.  Additionally, we all appreciated the opportunity to meet and work with our European colleagues. The result, good golf supported by a BBQ at Son Parc and a beach party on the Saturday will long be remembered by those involved. The Match will again be played at Son Parc next year although slightly earlier over the May-day weekend. Our thanks again go to Hugh Brown and Kath for their support and we all hope that the event will continue to contribute to their memory of Matthew.

Cheshire came a creditable second in the above which was played at Fairhaven on the Fylde Coast over the two days of 3rd and 4th April.  In the end, Lancashire were worthy winners grabbing a full-bag of 6 points.

The final result was:

Fairhaven was in good condition for the time of year and looked after all its guests admirably.  Temperatures were chilly on the Tuesday but warm and sunny on the final day.

Cheshire had an excellent start beating both Notts and S & H on the first match day, a feat matched by Lancashire against its opponents.  The final match against Lancashire swung one way then another before Cheshire eventually succumbed to the home team by 5 games to 2.   No doubt, revenge for the hosts for a Cheshire similarity in 2006  !!

There were very good individual performances by Adam Wills (Sandiway), Richard Fitzgerald (Bromborough) and Josh Sims (Caldy).   Sims played against two England Internationals and won both these matches.

Congratulations go to Lancashire on their deserved win.   Our thanks are also extended to them and Fairhaven for hosting the tournament.   Onwards now to 2008 when the Four Counties will be played at Stanton-on-the-Wold in Nottinghamshire.

Boys Pre-season Gathering

On Sunday 11 March, some 40 boys attended the above at a chilly but dry Frodsham which, given recent weather conditions, was in good condition.

Boys ages varied from 12 years old up to 17 with handicaps ranging from 12 through to +1.

The competition was Stableford on a full handicap basis.    Prize-winners were:

Our thanks go to everyone at Frodsham for their help on the day.

Cream of Cheshire's Young Golfers to Compete in Menorca

The top young golfers in Cheshire are set to take on their opposite numbers from the Balearic Islands in a Ryder Cup style competition at Golf Son Parc on the island of Menorca.  They will be competing over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend from 25th to 27th May for the inaugural Matthew R Brown Cup which has been presented by Hugh Brown of Bramhall Golf Club in memory of his grandson, Matthew.

A team of 5 boys and 5 girls will be selected jointly by the Cheshire Union of Golf Clubs and the Cheshire County Ladies Golf Association.  The Cheshire Team will be led by the County Boy's Captain, 18 year old +1 Handicap, Josh Sims from Caldy GC and the County Girl's Captain, 17 year old 2 Handicap, Laura Jones from Royal Liverpool GC.  Designed specifically to provide high level competitive experience for our younger players, the remaining team members will comprise two boys and two girls under 16 years old and two boys and two girls under 14 years of age.

Following a practice and familiarisation day on the Friday, the teams will play 5 Mixed Foursomes Matches on the Saturday morning and 4 Fourballs in the afternoon.  On the Sunday there will be ten Singles Matches involving all the players paired up according to an agreed age/handicap basis.

The links between Cheshire and Golf Son Parc go back to the 1980’s when Hugh Brown acquired the facility as a rather run down nine-hole course.  Since then, the course has been completely rebuilt to the design of world famous Bowden-based golf architects Dave Thomas Golf, opening as a full 18 hole layout last summer.  Details of Son Parc are available on www.golfsonparc.com .  Hugh hopes the competition will become an annual event and a permanent memorial to Matthew.  Says Hugh, 67: “I would like to give the young golfers of the two parts of the world that mean the most to me the chance to enjoy meeting each other in friendly competition.  Also to show the Cheshire youngsters – and their friends and families who we hope will come to support the Match – what a wonderful, friendly and beautiful island Menorca is.”  The Cheshire Union of Golf Clubs and The County Ladies Golf Association would also like to express their appreciation to Hugh for his generous contribution to Junior Golf in sponsoring this event.

Supporters and families are very much encouraged to join the Cheshire Team in Menorca for what is sure to be a very special occasion.  Golf Son Parc are planning to run a Family Festival of Golf in the days following the Match.  Special individually tailored travel and accommodation packages are available by contacting Ralph Warrington at Magnum Travel on 0161 624 9000, or E-Mail on operations@magnumholidays.co.uk.

New County Boys Team Manager

Following the “promotion” of Bob Meston to EGU and higher matters in 2006, the County is delighted to announce that Mike Jones of Chester Golf Club has been appointed Boys Team Manager from 2007 onwards.

Under the guidance of Bob Meston over the past 8 or so years, Cheshire Boys have enjoyed unprecedented success, to the extent that the County’s coaching model has now been adopted by many other English Counties.

We are pleased however that Bob remains on the County Executive.

We wish them both every success in their new roles.

2007 Boys County Captain

Our congratulations go to Josh Sims of Caldy on his appointment as 2007 County Boys Captain.

Recent Notable Successes

Our further congratulations go to David Horsey (Styal) and Paul Waring (Bromborough) on their inclusion in the Walker Cup Squad.

Dale Marmion (Delamere Forest) and Ian Winstanley (Warrington) have also now attained England status at various levels.

All products of the Cheshire Boys Team.

Winter Coaching

Over the winter period, some 150 boys have received winter driving range coaching from a number of County Professionals.

This coaching is very much a function of receipt by the County of Junior Golfer Report Forms which are referenced by the link.

If you have a young man whom you feel would benefit from this coaching, please submit one of these forms as soon as you can.

Club Junior Liaison Officers

The Juniors Committee is the largest one on the Cheshire Executive and comprises 10 members.

Each of these individuals is allocated a number of Clubs within the County and this person then has responsibility for liaison with the Junior Organisers at his respective Clubs.

The Junior Liaison page on this site provides information on this including who on the Cheshire Juniors Committee is allocated to whichever Club.

If you are a Junior Organiser, please feel free to contact your Liaison Officer.

Coaching Grants

As in past years, separate junior coaching grants are available to Clubs from both the County and the EGU.

Contact the County Secretary and check out the EGU website for further information on these.

Don’t miss out, the funds are waiting !!

2007 Junior Competitions

Details of the major national and county junior competitions together with those of Club Junior Opens notified to Cheshire are now posted on the website under Fixtures.

Some key County dates and venues are:-

1. The Four Counties Tournament, Fairhaven, 3 - 4 April
2. Boys Championship (under 18s), Delamere Forest, 27 July
3. Juniors Championship (under 14s and 16s), Helsby, 1 August

Entry forms for the Boys and Juniors Championship may be downloaded from this website shortly.

This may also be possible for certain Club Junior Opens by way of access to individual Club websites.

Cheshire Boys Matches

Details of all County boys matches are now posted on this site, again under Fixtures.

The County welcomes spectators so please feel free to attend.

EGU Golf Development Officer

The EGU Golf Development Officer for the North West is Melanie Flude. Melanie, amongst other responsibilities, is involved in junior golf. 

Melanie may be contacted on melanief@englishgolfunion.org