THE popular and well-used driving range adjacent to Altrincham Golf Club is offering a great service to golfers of all abilities with the new ‘Strokeplay’ facility.

Strokeplay is run by the three attached teaching professionals – Danny Whittaker, Paul Woods and Peter Anderson.

Danny, a former junior and assistant professional at Sale Golf Club, said: "Strokeplay offers coaching for individuals and groups of all ages and abilities every day at a good range of times due to our floodlit range and excellent indoor coaching facilities. The latter includes video coaching and an indoor studio.

"One of our most popular activities is our ‘Young Golfers’ group which attracts more than 120 youngsters on week nights or weekends where we have awards to highlight the development of the young players.

"We also attract top players such as Cheshire stars James West, Iain Davie, James Salt and Matthew Webb and juniors such as Simon McSweeney and Jon Davies.

"Simon Dyson, who is enjoying great times on the European Tour, has also used our facilities and for the new season we have new mats and new balls on the range."

To find out more call in at the range or ring 0161 927 7504 or mobile 07796 281 989.

The Sale Winter Stableford final was taken by Graham Horton with 37 points from Kevin Moore 36 and Charles Howie, with a new shoulder also with 36.

Northenden’s men played their fourth Winter Stableford which was also a qualifier for the Sunderland Trophy and fireman Graham Culpan extinguished to opposition in division one with 38 points, one clear of Alistair McNab, C Harrison and Nev Bradley.

S Hough was a clear winner in division two on 39 from D Tyson 36 and Mike Earley 35.

Acre Gate Golf Club (based at the Wm Wroe Golf Course, Flixton), have their preparations well under way for the two major Open Competitions of the summer.

Sunday 18th May sees the Phoenix Open, an individual Stableford for ladies and gents - cost £12.50 per person.

Monday, July 21 features a Charity Open in aid of Friends of Delamere School. The club Captains George Matthews and Pauline Longden are especially pleased to be supporting this local school for young children with learning or mobility difficulties. The Open will be a BB Stableford for ladies, gents or mixed pairs and the cost is £15 per pair – good weather guaranteed!

Further details and application forms are available via email at acregate2006@btconnect

.com or postal request to Secretary, Acre Gate Golf Club, PO Box 106, Urmston, Manchester M41 5DX.

Denton pro Mike Hollingworth showed his intent of retaining his Alliance Order of Merit with a double win in the competition staged at Vale Royal Abbey in the heart of Cheshire.

The competition was staged by Shrigley Hall member Mark Taylor of Personal Care and saw the resumption of the Betterball Stablefords, which incorporate the professional Order of Merit.

Mike Hollingworth was the leader as they closed the Merit table before Christmas and he extended it as he defied strained rib muscles to power home the top individual pro score of 40 points to lead in from Flixton assistant Andrew Bridgewood 37. Mike’s club amateur partner, Richard Grainger, gave him great support as they topped the pro/am section with 46 points to finish ahead of Tony Cuppello and Arthur Tattershall (Brookdale) who won a cpo on 43 points from Tony Stevens and Fraser McLachlan of Davenport.

The top score of the day came in the am/am section where Shrigley Hall’s Carl Kennedy made it a hat-trick of Alliance wins in three successive weeks, each with different partners.

He teamed up with Styal’s Tommy McCormack for a winning 47 points, which left them clear of Gareth Winstanley (Davenport) and Gavin Connor (Vale Royal Abbey) 46 and Jack Crompton and David Liptrot (Great Lever and Farnworth) 45.

Didsbury Golf Club have a few morning vacancies for their popular Seniors Open on Monday, July 7. It is a Betterball Stableford for o60’s at a cost of £25 per pair. For more details or to book your place the contact number is Peter Pearson on 0161 434 0346.

Ashton-on-Mersey Golf Club are holding their inaugural Men’s Open Pairs competition on Sunday, July 13.

The cost is £25 per pair and to apply for entry the contact is the club on 0161 976 4390. To publicise your club’s achievements and special events in this report contact Geoff Garnett on tel/fax 0161 881 7550 or email ggggarnett@aol.com.

Tweet