Leading this Viking style pillage, Iain Powell shared the best score in the Union Scratch Team selection run-out at Fixby, his level par 71 was two clear of the rest of the field. Non-playing captain Chris Mears paid tribute to all the performances ‘Fixby was playing its full length, with no run on the wet ground and gale force winds and storms all day’.

So it was no surprise when Powell (pictured) went on to win both his matches in the traditional pre-season friendly at Lytham Old Links against the locals who play the game at sea level.

Not to be outdone, David Astin knocked it round Crosland Heath in one under par over 36 holes to take the pros first prize in the Page Trophy, the end of the winter season bash for professionals and amateurs in the Huddersfield/Halifax Alliance.

Both Powell and Astin are products of the junior development programmes that have brought the best out of so many young golfers over the years, and a glance at the current pack of juniors at Skip shows why.

“They are ideal targets for the young bucks,” says club captain Geoff Holmes. “There is nothing the juniors like more than getting a crack at elbowing their elders out of top spots in the club competitions.”

The Skip junior side of George Bamford, Adam Cryer, Max McNally and Ryan Jeffreys kicked off their campaign with an 8-0 drubbing of Queensbury last week and now go to Todmorden this Sunday in the Union Junior Championship with high hopes.

The seniors took some revenge for their semi-final defeat at the hands of Fixby last year with a resounding 8-0 victory against them to start their Lawrence Batley season in the best possible manner.

Then a draw away at Elland was topped by beating Crow Nest 6-2, also away. In fact seniors stalwart Bill Wilson would surely have taken the Medal Prize the other Saturday, but for an eleven at the 17th hole when even a double bogey five would have seen him home and dry.

As it was his 70 came nowhere, leaving Nigel Fielden to pip Lindsey Powell on a countback with 65s in the Tiger division. Newcomer last year, and the star Dobby protégé, Maurice Lowry, took the Rabbit section first prize with his 63 net, three ahead of Jamie Lund and four in front of Chris Davison in third place.