WILMSLOW Golf Club’s long-serving member Andrew Henshall was installed as the Cheshire Union of Golf Clubs president at the annual meeting held at Sandiway Golf Club.

And now he is looking forward to a 2019 that he believes ‘holds a lot of promise’.

“As the fourth largest county in the number of golf clubs (within a county) in the whole of the UK, we should be in a position to improve on the second place that we achieved last year in the mens, boys and seniors Inter-County Championships,” he said.

“I would like to encourage all the top golfers playing at clubs in our county, to take part in the strokeplay and matchplay competitions that CUGC run for juniors (under 16), boys (under 18), seniors (over 55) and of course the mens’ competitions, which are being held on some of the best courses in the county again this year.

“In addition, I’d like to see golf club members of any standard from within Cheshire enter our ever popular “members’ meetings” which are run by CUGC.

“As an organisation CUGC relies on its golf clubs having lots of members, and for the future of our sport we need to encourage club membership across all ages and all genders, especially among those just taking up the game, or returning to the sport, as without club members our clubs will find it hard to provide all the excellent courses we are so proud to have in Cheshire.”

He added: “During 2019, the Cheshire Golf Development Group (CGDG) will be launching plans to encourage more juniors to take up the game, and as CGDG is made up of the Men’s Union, the Ladies Association as well as employees of England Golf we hope it will have the support of all golfers in Cheshire and will lead to more clubs encouraging more juniors to play the game, encouraging boys and girls who will eventually become Club Members in the future.

“With the Walker Cup taking place at Royal Liverpool in September this year, it is going to be a fantastic year to be involved with Cheshire Golf, and as we approach our centenary in 2020 there will be even more reasons to be involved with the CUGC next year.”

Entry forms for competitions mentioned above can be downloaded from cheshiregolf.org.uk.

The Sixth round of the Simister Cup at Alderley Edge saw Chris Brandon in unstoppable form with a great winning score of 43 points that saw him home from Michael Davies 40 and Andrew Boyle, Brian Foden and John Roberts, all 37.

Edge’s ladies played a Two from Three Am Am Stableford and romping home were L Gardner, C Wallace and A Atkinson with 69 points, six clear of A Roberts, J Jackson and T Broomhall.

Styal’s seniors were in a dancing mode as they played a Waltzing Team of Three Stableford and catching the eyes of the judges were A Lee, A Burns and H Turner who won a cpo on 83 points from J Moesdale, B Cochrane and G Hamilton, three more than K Dawson, N Appleby and Nigel Hinds.

Nigel Hinds stepped up to top spot in a Wednesday 9-hole Stableford with 20 points taking him into top spot by a point from Ray Auton and Hayden Cook.

The seniors Winter League at Styal had Mike Clancy strolling to victory with 34 points from Mike Waring 29 and Ken Bristowe and Gordon Hamilton, both 28.