RINGWAY Golf Club’s new captain Ian Cochrane has been a member of the club for 30 years, and he was delighted to start a new era by sharing his drive-In with lady captain Elaine Quick, president Howard Marshall and junior captain George Osbourne.

Ian struck his drive165 yards only to hit the Ringway Twin Trees, Elaine had a fine 165-yarder, the president 158 yards and George an excellent 220 yarder.

This has only been done once before in the club’s centenary year and Ian is delighted to set a precedent for his successors.

His current handicap is a very useful and competitive 17 with his best being 15 and his favourite hole at Ringway is the ninth – because he has more pars on this hole than any other on the course.

Ian said: “My favourite course other than Ringway is Royal Birkdale and my other hobbies are watching other sports, particularly my favourite team Manchester United.

“My personal golfing highlight was to get my first-ever hole in one at Conway GC in 2013.

“My chosen charities for the next year are the British Heart Foundation and the Christie and if I had to play in a dream four-ball it would be with my late father, who was past captain and president of Didsbury Golf Club and died three years ago aged 99 and a half, my brother William, a member of Hale and my son Stuart, a past junior captain at Ringway.

“Ringway is a much respected club in the region and for me it’s a great honour to be chosen as their Captain for 2014.”

Ashton-on-Mersey Captain Eddie Lindsay showed his power as he led his team of Andy Fardon, Simon Dewsnip and Terry Snowden to a winning 83 points in a Team am am.

Next in on 81 points were Liam Rex, Steve Fairclough and Alan and Dave Calvert.

A Team Stableford at Sale had the fab four of C Harrison, K moore, S Carr and C Nicholls cruising to victory with 82 points, five more than R Craig, D Garnett, J Marland and T Stiles.

Charlie Williams was the star man at William Wroe Vets after winning a cpo on 37 points from Graham Baines.

The new singles ko champion at William Wroe Vets is Bill Crowder who beat Jim Duffy on the 19th.

Cricket legend Alan Hay won the Peers Trophy at William Wroe based on his consistent Friday scores.

The Reg Cronshaw Trophy for the Vets Player of the Year went to Sayed Kazmi.

The Davyhulme ‘Fives’ competition was won by the team of Ian Gauden, Paul Li, Keith Judkins and Dave Smith with 80 points, two more than Darren Comiskey, Paul and Matthew Broadie and Colin Levis.

The golf charity day for the East Cheshire Hospice at Styal Golf Club has attracted full houses of Teams of Four for the past ten years and raised many thousands of pounds for the deserving cause.

This year’s event will again be organised by lady captain Sue Forster and will take place on May 15.

Sue said: “The event has gained in popularity each year and it only costs £80 for a team of four players and to enter or to obtain more details contact the club on 01625 530063.”

The second half of the Manchester Alliance began with another full house at the tough test provided by a well-presented Wychwood Park with the event sponsored by Didsbury GC’s Paul Dalby of MTM.

On a day of tough scoring there were close contests for the individual pro and pro am sections.

Paul Grannell of Vale Royal Abbey returned refreshed by victory in the inaugural Alliance pro am in the Algarve to take the individual pro spot with a round of 70 giving him 38 points.

Next in on 37 were Grant Hamerton (Pike Fold), Alliance Order of Merit leader Graham Cox (Davenport) and Steve Parry (Hart Common).

In the pro am section Alliance treasurer Vinny Doyle (Manchester) returned inspired by his recent marriage at Gretna Green to take Grant Hamerton to top spot with 44 points.

They were followed by seven pairs locked on 42 points with the cpo going in favour of Craig Daggitt and Ken Thomson (Bramall Park) from Stamford’s Mark Smith and Martin Dwyer.

Swinton Park’s Jimmy O’Reilly and Peter O’Neill (Swinton Park) cruised to victory in the pro am section with 42 points , one more than John Aikenhead (Ashton-on-Mersey) and Mark Gauci (Chorlton) followed by Marcus Corfield and Jon Grimes (Regent Park) with 40.