Retiring Captain's Letter
May 2024
Gentlemen, it’s now time to report for a final time as Captain of your Association as my term of office together with that of President Brian Ashfield accelerates to a close.
In 2023 we once again had a full diary of internal competitions together with matches against our friends from other Associations and Societies. It has to be said that results wise the season proved to be a mixed bag. There were close, hard fought matches against Leicestershire and Rutland, Shropshire and Herefordshire, Bolton and South Cheshire. However, close as they were all those fixtures had something else in common. We lost the lot.
The remaining fixtures weren’t so close. Worcestershire won at a canter. Our Roses match with Leeds ended in a comfortable victory for Manchester in an away fixture – very rare.
We were trounced by Liverpool on the lovely Bromborough course. This is our oldest fixture, and the overall record has remained remarkably even since it began in 1956.
Unfortunately, our match against Chester had to be cancelled due to a waterlogged course. In our final match against the Captains of Northumberland we managed to reverse the previous year’s 12-2 defeat by winning 10-4.
So in summary we had 10 fixtures – won 3, lost 6 and halved one due to rain. Further analysis shows, however, that of 96 four-ball matches played we won 49, so I am calling that a winning season.
The internal competitions were hosted excellently by Withington Golf Club, The Manchester Golf Club and Chapel en le Frith Golf Club. The events were enjoyed and produced some fine scores by the prize winners. Thanks go to Peter Keown for making all this happen.
The new head of Competitions and Matches Keith Walmsley and his team have published this year’s calendar on the web site which includes a lot of new venues, and they now need support from the members to maintain the events’ integrity. New this year are the inaugural match with Flintshire and the opportunity to play the inter county competition at St Mellion, where we would need to take a team of 12 players. If you are available for any of the dates please let us know as soon as you can.
Aside from golf, the annual dinner was held successfully at the Worsley Marriot, and we will be returning there once more on 7th November. Organiser and MC Tony Draper did a splendid job alongside Dave Sanders and their efforts were rewarded on the night. An enjoyable event in a jovial atmosphere was topped off by an excellent speaker - James Robertson - who was very well received.
I would like to thank on your behalf our hard-working Executive and vice-Presidents on whom I have leaned for support during my year.
The 2024 President and Captain will be Geoff Sable and Steve Misell and I’m sure that you join me in wishing them well in office.
Finally, Brian and I would like to thank the Association for the opportunity to fill the roles this past year; the membership has been a pleasure to serve. We have recognised and commented on the esteem in which Manchester & District Golf Captains is held by our contemporaries around the counties, which is palpable and reflects the attitude and conduct of our Founders and past members, our current members and, hopefully, many more yet to join us.
Best wishes,
Bernard Stone
2024 Captain of Manchester & District Golf Captains
Frank Brooks
March 2024
I is with sadness that I have to advise you of the passing of Frank Books who was the 1999 Captain , 2006 President and former Treasurer of the Association.
Frank was a great supporter of MDGC and a much respected member of the Executive whose wise wisdom was much appreciated. He was without doubt one of life's true Gentlemen who will be greatly missed.
Captain's New Year Letter
January 2024
Dear Member,
First of all let me wish a Happy and Healthy 2024 to you and your family, and to those of you who were born on the 29 th February a rare birthday celebration this year.
My predecessor Ian Michael began his winter message last year by bemoaning the wet weather; I think that I have surpassed him this year so far, not an achievement that brings me any joy. However, we have the opportunity to look beyond the sodden fairways, winter greens and flying mats and welcome a full and varied fixture list of matches and competitions come spring and summer. Well done to Keith Walmsley and his team who have finalised the dates for your diary and these can be found on the website. Please support us when you can. A couple of additions this year, we play the Flintshire Captains in early autumn followed by another first having been invited to enter a team of 12 players at the St. Mellion event in Cornwall. Captains from other regions rate this as one of the highlights of their year and it would be good to find out first hand this year.
We will be holding the Annual Dinner once again at the splendid Worsley Marriott on 7th November; full details will be available soon.
The Executive is looking at several options to enhance your Association. Succession planning for various important roles is vital and to that end if any member feels that he has the time, interest and aptitude we would welcome an approach via the Secretary Alan Preston, in the first instance. More specifically, we would like to appoint a competent member to manage and maintain the Association’s dynamic web site and to make constructive use of social media to promote ourselves better. If you are available, please contact Alan on secretarymdgc@gmail.com
President Brian Ashfield and I have thoroughly enjoyed our year and thank you for the generous support that we have received; it’s been a pleasure but it’s now almost over and all too soon. I seem to recall that my Captaincy at The Manchester Golf Club went quickly but this year has simply flown by.
We wish incoming President Geoff Sable and Captain Steve Misell an enjoyable and successful time in office, and we wish every one of you a great year playing this frustrating but captivating game.
Yours sincerely,
Bernard Stone
Captain