GERRY Carey has been a member of Ringway Golf Club for 20 years but his undoubted personal highlight is becoming captain of his beloved club for the next 12 months.

Mr Carey, current handicap 18 with a best of 14, plays three times a week and his favourite hole at Ringway is the '19th' for obvious reasons.

His favourite course other than Ringway is Trevose, he is a keen supporter of Manchester United and his hobbies other than golf are – football and football.

He said: “My chosen charity for my captain’s year is CHICKS and if I had to choose three other people to join me in a four-ball they would be Fergie, Busby and Ramsey.

“Ringway is much more than a golf club with a superb course and practice facilities – it offers many activities both on and off the course so that in addition to good competition on the course there is very active life in and around the clubhouse and I am looking forward to enjoying a great year at this wonderful club.”

Meanwhile, it is one step away from finals day in the Manchester and District Alliance’s Scratch Knockout at Ashton-on-Mersey on Sunday.

A high-quality field has battled it out to reach the quarter-final stage with the winners going through to the semi-finals and finals at Ashton.

Holder Phil Archer from Birchwood Golf Club is still firmly in the mix having beaten Gary Brown (Marple) and Ollie Smith (Ashton-on-Mersey) and he takes on Ellesmere pro Anthony Millar.

As well as the main final on Sunday there will also be the assistant professionals semi-finals and final that will feature the top four in the Order of Merit unless they are through in the main competition.

The rest of the draw is: Dave Smith (Swinton Park) v Graham Cox (Lymm), Jamie Howarth (Davenport) v Alistair Waddell (Styal) and Tim Maxwell (Knutsford) v Andy Palmer (Chorley).