District League set to expand

GOLF: THE Oldham and District Golf League is to expand its membership for 2015.

Werneth Low have applied to join and league officials are inviting other local clubs to take up two more places so the competition can increase to two divisions of eight clubs.

This week’s league meeting approved the Hyde club’s entrance into the ‘A’ (0-12 handicaps) and ‘B’ (8-18) format which will mean an earlier start to the season.

To accommodate the extra games, club captains have agreed to return the league play-off semi-finals to one game (this season they were played over two legs for the first time), or even go to a straight play-off final between the divisional winners if necessary. The league executive will decide later in the winter. Details from league fixtures secretary David Whaley on 07764 638309.


BROOKDALE and Manchester golfer Joe Brice is up to fourth in the Cleveland Srizon Northern Order of Merit after finishing joint fifth in the Trafalgar Trophy at Nelson.

Brice had rounds of 70 and 71 for 141, seven shots behind winner Ciaran Doherty (Bury), whose rounds of 68 and 66 also clinched him the Merit title for 2014.

The final event of the season is the Ashton Trophy at St Anne’s Old Links.


OLDHAM Gems’ three-man Texas Scramble was won by Kevin Haynes, Ken Sharp and John Billington with 36.5. Second were Peter Bennion, Tony Boyle and Gordon Howard (38).

And the same group’s three-man team Stableford honours went to Peter Bennion, Ken Sharp and Barry Cotton with 41 points, ahead of Brian Best, Peter Grimshaw and Kevin Haynes with 40.


ASHTON’S Patrick Stubbs scored 42 Stableford points to win the final of the recently-launched Lancashire boys' under-14 programme. The event reached its conclusion with 53 youngsters competing at Houghwood in an 18-hole competition.