Early-starter John grasps the nettle

JOHN DAWBER: golfing for 47 years.

GOLF:

Ashton’s John Dawber took up his duties earlier than any of this year’s local golf captains.

John was installed last November so has already served more than six months of his term.

And the 60-year-old former Co-op Bank employee is enjoying every minute of it: “It’s been great fun so far,” he said. “I have been keeping busy.”

John, married to Jacqui, has three sons, Michael, Gareth and Alex, two of whom live in Australia.

Like five-handicapper John, they are single-figure players. Michael teamed up with his father to win the club’s Summer Foursomes, which qualified them for last year’s Lancashire Foursomes Handicap. By then Michael had already gone to Australia for work: “So I asked my friend Steve McGee to partner me and we ended up winning it!” said John.

The Ashton captain has been at the club for 10 years, during which time he has lifted the Hall Cup. Before that he was a member at Fairfield for 35 years, having swung a club for the first time aged 13.

John, whose charity as captain is the Willow Wood Hospice in Ashton, says the the club is in healthy shape but would benefit from more members.