25th Anniversary Match versus Dunscar Golf Club

'Sale's first pairing - look confident'

On Sunday 26th August 2007
(yes I know it is along time ago)
Sale Golf Club Friendly Team returned to Dunscar in order to complete the 2007 Fixtures and to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the first match which was played in 1982.



This time instead of the usual 10 Pairs we were invited by our friends at Dunscar to send more and we duly obliged with 13 pairs of our players who arrived at Dunscar to decide who would hold the prestigious Trophy until 2008.

Sale had an advantage going into this second leg having won the match at Sale in May by a margin of 6:4 and we arrived feeling very confident of bringing back the Trophy to adorn our Trophy Cabinet until next May.

Dunscar and their Captain Gordon and Team Manager Ian Bond lulled us all into a carnival atmosphere from the moment we arrived. They put on a magnificent buffet for lunch and invited us to partake of a Special Bank Top Brewery Celebration Openshaw/Wilson Bitter at 4.5%A.B.V. at 1982 pricing i.e. £1.00 a pint. In addition we were invited to a special Putting Competition at £1.00 a go for a prize which was a gallon of Bell’s Whisky. By the time we set up on the first tee we were theirs for the taking and take us they did with a winning margin for Dunscar of 10:3 on the day and therefore 14:9 overall for 2007.

The day was completed by the presence of Alan Wilson (now living in Dolgellau) who as some of you know was the Sale Captain in 1982 and whose friendship with his opposite number at Dunscar at the time, Richard Openshaw was the catalyst for the commencement of this hugely enjoyable annual match. Unfortunately Richard could not attend because of poor health but he did manage a chat on the phone with Alan.

Following a first class meal and a piece of “Anniversary “ cake provided by Dunscar we were entertained by a past member of Sale Golf Club, Mr. Kieran Ryan, whose presence had been requested by the Dunscar Captain. Kieran did his usual first class job and had the place in stitches with some drawing room and non drawing room humour.

The proceedings were drawn to a close by the respective Club Captains who wished each club future success and a toast to the next 25 years and each player was presented with 2 bottles of the said Celebration Bitter to take away.

This was a day which will not be forgotten by any of our members who attended least of all by Dick Browne who carried away the Gallon of ( hic hic ) whisky.

Dick Browne
Friendly Match Organiser

Just for the record the teams were as follows:-

Sale Golf Club V Dunscar Golf Club

CAPTAIN & JOHN STUBBS V CAPTAIN & C HASTIE
DEREK CHADWICK & TERRY CREWE V IAN BOND & K EDGERLEY
PETER BROADBENT & CHRIS NORTON V F SMITH & P SWANWICK
GERALD CONSALVEZ & RICHARD LINKHORN V R CAIN & G HODGKISS
VIC DREW & BRIAN LEDSHAM V B EDWARDS & J LATCHFORD
DALE WALLACE & JOHN JONES V J CALLAGHAN & M RILEY
DICK BROWNE & MARK DEAKINS V N TURNER & J HOWARD
DEREK ETCHELLS & MARK TARRY V T BARBER & N WALSH
STEVE SNAPE & DAVID MOORES V B TOWLER & M KIRKMAN
FRASER WHITTAKER & IAN RUSSELL V T MULVANNEY AND L BROWN
KEVIN MOORE & GARETH MOORE V C SCOTT & B HUNT
GLEN NORTON & DAVID R JONES V P BROWN & D COLE
MIKE STANISTREET & JOHN HANBY V G DENTON & B DENTON