Meet this season’s golf club captains
Date published: 31 March 2010
KEITH Banham can count on an understanding other half in his tenure as captain at Crompton and Royton — his wife Jacquie is the lady-captain.
The Banhams, who have two children, Fiona and Philip, replace another husband and wife team, John and Lynn Truelove.
Keith (67) first got the golfing bug 18 years ago . . . after he bought a new car.
He explained: “The car came with a set of clubs and about 12 months later I asked a friend if he fancied a game.
“I think the first course we visited was Castle Hawk and it took off from there. I spent a couple of years at Oldham, before I joined Crompton and Royton.
“The first time Jacquie played golf was on a nine-hole course in Spain. She wanted to give it a go, found she liked it and has played ever since.”
Keith retired in 2002 — he part owned engineering company Banham and Thorpe on Primrose Bank — and has spent much of the time since either treading the fairways, in the garden or doing up his house in Lees.
A 19 handicapper — he did get down to 15 — he is yet to taste success in a major at Crompton and Royton, but has won other competitions.
Jacquie, on the other hand, lifted the Chronicle Cup in 2008 after a dramatic victory over next-door neighbour Mary Buckley. The pair couldn’t be separated until the sixth extra hole.
Looking ahead to his year at the helm, Keith said: “I know it’s going to be hard work, but I intend to enjoy every minute of it.”
Keith has yet to decide on a charity for the coming 12 months.
A smooth change of sports
NIGEL Cooper, new captain at Saddleworth, has successfully swapped a cricket ball for a golf ball.
The 54-year-old, from Milnrow, was an opening bowler for various clubs on the local cricket league scene.
He had spells at Paddock, in the Huddersfield League, and Cherry Tree, in the Ribblesdale League.
Closer to home, Cooper was a familiar figure in the Saddleworth and District League, with stints at Micklehurst and Delph, where he was captain.
He also coached the juniors at CLL side Milnrow.
Nigel, who is married to Sandra and has two children, John and Helen, was introduced to golf by good friends Bob Arrowsmith, a former Lancashire player in the 1970s, and Alan Tompkinson.
He has been a member at Saddleworth for 13 years and plays off a handicap of six.
Nigel, who owns small building business, Dry Walls, spends as much time as possible treading the undulating fairways of Saddleworth.
He is out most Saturdays and Sundays in the summer months and in midweek whenever possible.
But he has yet to break his duck in the club’s top competitions.
He: “I’ve been runner-up in three majors, so you could say I’m always a bridesmaid, never the bride.”
He is going into his year in the spotlight — he is following in the footsteps of Dave Pullen — with an open mind.
“I don’t know really what to expect, but I intend to enjoy as much as possible,” said Nigel, whose chosen charity is Dr Kershaw’s.
Following in father’s footsteps
GARETH Morris, at 32 the youngest captain in Blackley’s 103-year history, is following in the footsteps of his father Norman.
“I was asked if I wanted to succeed my father as captain and how could I say no?” said Gareth.
A member of Blackley since the age of 11 — “I wanted to join sooner, but that wasn’t allowed in those days” — Gareth quickly showed an aptitude for golf and reduced his handicap to nine during his teenage years.
Now a five handicapper, his best round is 69 and he was on course to better that in a club tournament last year, only to wreck his chances.
“I took a nine on one hole, but still managed to win the competition,” he quipped.
Gareth, who lives in Middleton, is engaged to Lindsay and has a son Mason (10).
He is an accounts manager for JD Sports who — as a parent company of Cabrini — supply Oldham Athletic with kits and equipment, a role which keeps Gareth in regular contact with the football club.
Gareth aims “to play as much golf as possible and use the captain’s courtesy for other courses” in 2010, but also hopes to raise money for those less fortunate.
Last year’s one-day, four-course marathon — Blackley, North Manchester, Pike Fold and Manchester — raised almost £10,000 for MacMillan Nurses in memory of ex-captain Vinny Doyle’s wife, who died of cancer two years ago.
“We will be doing the same again this year,” said Gareth. “And I also hope to raise money for the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital’s special baby care unit as my son was born prematurely and spent six months in St Mary’s, Pendlebury, before he could come home.”
Like many golf courses in the current economic climate, Blackley are short of numbers.
Said Gareth: “We are certainly looking for more members and are about 25 short, but we do have offers on at the moment for anyone wishing to join.”
