Halifax, Huddersfield Alliance: Booth in fine form

A miraculous improvement in conditions led to some excellent scoring in Tuesday’s Halifax, Huddersfield and District Alliance meeting at Outlane.
Rob Booth of Outlane GCRob Booth of Outlane GC
Rob Booth of Outlane GC

Organiser Trevor Williams was expecting to have to postpone the event following Saturday’s torrential rain and flooding but 48 hours later the course had dried out and was in excellent condition.

Only three of the 31 pairs failed to break par and home club professional Rob Booth and Captain Bob Sharp (19) had a day to remember by rattling up 48 points in the next to last group out.

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Booth had an eagle at the seventh and after 14 holes was 11 under par on his own ball. He and Sharp went on to win the pro-am section by three shots from James Ward and Andy McMahon (5) of Dewsbury District.

Ward reduced Nigel Hirst’s lead over him in the professionals’ order of merit to two points, helped by an albatross on the par five seventh.

Having used his driver off the tee, Ward was left with 190 yards to the green and took a six iron for a blind shot. His ball was found in the hole after a fruitless search around the green.

In the am-am there were several pairs in contention on 42 points until Crosland Heath’s Paul Crosse (7) and Doug Smith (20) came in with 46 points.

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Smith, a past member at Outlane and quite successful on his few return visits, came on the card 15 times with two nett eagles and seven nett birdies.

They were almost caught by Fixby pair Pete Newey (17) and Mike Dempsey (11) but Dempsey’s par putt on the last hole stopped short.

Newey and Dempsey had 45 points and there were four pairs on 42 points.

Weather conditions were generally good with some occasional drizzle and light rain plus a light westerly breeze.

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With just the Ron Parkinson Trophy to come at Longley Park on Tuesday, April 2, Dewsbury lead the club championship on 335 points with Crosland Heath and Outlane tied on 331.

Scores - Pro-am: 1, R.Booth Pro & R.Sharp 19 (Outlane) 48 pts; 2, J.Ward Pro & A.McMahon 5 (Dewsbury) 45; 3,N.P.Hirst Pro & J.Binns 4 (Dewsbury) 40; 4, S.Race Pro & M.Pearson 16 (Meltham) 38; 4, J.Fish Pro & S.Summers 5 (Meltham) 38; 4, K.Gaskell Pro & P.Pither 11 (Crosland Heath) 38; 7, D.Arber Pro & M.Hollingdrake 19 (West End) 36.

Pro-am: 1, P.Crosse 7 & D.Smith 20 (Crosland Heath) 46 pts; 2, P.Newey 17 & M.Dempsey 11 (Ind. Huddersfield) 45; 3, C.L’Estrange 11 & P.Heywood 10 (Crosland Heath) 42; 3, R.T.Owen 11 & M.Travis 9 (Crosland Heath) 42; 3, N.Sutton 6 & C.Brook 10 (Outlane) 42; 3, I.Wallis 6 & S.Hitchenor 8 (Crosland Heath) 42; 7, N.Bolham 9 & Z.Sydor 9 (Ind. Huddersfield) 41; 8, A.Hirst 16 & P.Pitchforth 14 (Bradley Hall) 40; 8, S.Kelly (16) & B.Workman 15 (Bradley Park) 40; 8, C.Moorhouse (10) & A.Lawton 8 (Crosland Heath) 40; 8, J.Lawton (4) & S.Beeby 5 (Outlane) 40; 12, M.Hanley (21) & B.Page 19 (Ind. Huddersfield/Bradley Park) 39; 12, R.Robinson (13) & B.Thomson (11) Crosland Heath 39; 12, O.Shaw (4) & O.Hague (11) Crosland Heath/Bradley Hall 39; 12, M.Maude (4) & R.J.Clark (13) Meltham 39; 16, E.Pearson (16) & M.Clark (18) Crosland Heath 38; 16, S.Beetlestone (15) & D.Ramsden (18) Meltham 38; 16, J.Clay (13) & D.Delooze (19) Crosland Heath 38; 16, J.Bates(12) & R.Patrice (13) Outlane 38; 20, D.Knapton (15) & P.Reynolds (15) Outlane 37; 20, B.Cassidy (11) & K.Pendlebury (14) Outlane 37; 20, A.Taylor (10) & N.Wilson (6) Crosland Heath 37; 23, R.Hanson (5) & P.Gledhill (6) Crosland Heath 34; G.Newton (10) & D.Ford (23) Crosland Heath 26.