Meet the captains

John and Lynn Truelove - both captains at Crompton and Royton Golf Club.

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WITH the golf season getting in full swing, TONY BUGBY talks to the new captains at our local clubs.

Crompton and Royton

JOHN Truelove can count on the support of his wife Lynn during his year as captain at Crompton and Royton.

Lynn is lady captain as it is believed to the first time in the 101-year-history of the High Barn club that a husband and wife have held the two offices simultaneously.

And by a strange coincidence, next year there will be a repeat as John and Lynn will be succeeded by Keith and Jacquie Banham.

John and Lynn have been members at Crompton and Royton for the last 16 years.

They were bitten by the bug after attending classes held by professional Dave Melling on mats inside Milnrow Conservative Club.

John, who plays off 16, says he has had to work hard at his game while Lynn, whose handicap is eight, is a natural.

And while Lynn is one of the area’s top women players, John admits that success in major competitions has so far eluded him.

While John and Lynn often partner each other on the course in mixed events, off it they also work together.

John (60) runs Greenacres-based Universal Fabrications NW Ltd and Lynn is also a director of the company which deals with sheet metal work and fabrications for the nuclear and aerospace industries.

John and Lynn, who are from Lees, have three daughters, one son and seven grandchildren and they both enjoy skiing.

After last year’s centenary, it promises to be a less hectic year with a refurbishment of the clubhouse completed in November and work also carried out to eradicate disease from the greens.


OLDHAM

OLDHAM captain Colin Hare is busier than ever, even though he has retired from his work in the electricity and nuclear power industries.

The 67-year-old from Grasscroft is heavily involved in the voluntary sectors. He is vice-chair of the governors at Grange School, secretary of Lees Reform Club, an independent custody visitor for GM Police and also involved with Greenfield and Grasscroft Residents Association.

And during his year in office at Oldham, Colin will also be raising funds for Kingfisher School as well as overseeing work on the course which includes a programme in which four greens are being reconditioning each year.

Colin, who plays off 17, has been a member at Oldham for 25 years, though there have been a couple of breaks due to having two hip-replacement operations.

He began playing golf in his twenties on municipal course but in those days focused more on football.

He played for Middleton Amateurs in the Lancashire Amateur League and also took part in squash competitively for Greenacres.

There was also one season as a football referee, though he admits he was not cut out to be an official and decided to devote more time to his golf.

Colin says he has no golfing claims to fame, his best result finishing runner-up in the Clegg Cup.

Married to Dorothy for 45 years, the couple have a son Graeme, daughter Angela and four grandchildren.


BROOKDALE

LEWIS Marland swopped the green baize for a different type of green after taking up golf.

Brookdale’s new captain was once a keen snooker player appearing for teams in the Chadderton League over a 20-year period.

And the former semi-professional musician struck the right note at golf having reduced his handicap to 11.

Lewis (60) was a keyboard player working in the local clubs for 32 years and having a stint as the resident musician at The Willows, Salford.

In his 14 years at Brookdale, Lewis has won the Wainwright Cup, played for the ‘B’ team for nine years and also participated in Manchester Alliance events.

Lewis added there are no major projects planned for his year in office other than improving drainage on the 18th green and general tidying of the course.

He also enjoys golfing holidays abroad, especially to Spain and Portugal.

Lewis, who has had his own motor dealership, Anthony Lewis Cars, in Dukinfield for 20 years, has chosen ‘Help For Heroes’ as his charity.

He saw the organisation, which aids injured servicemen, mentioned on the television programme X-Factor and it also struck a chord as his son Alex spent five years in the Royal Marines.

Lewis, who is based at Grotton, is married to Joan, and also has another son John and a grandson Harrison.

More next week