THE Balfour and Houldsworth Committee have been organising top competitions for club golfers from clubs within a 25-mile radius of Manchester town hall since 1897 and has strong connections with Worsley Golf Club, which was founded in 1894.

B&H secretary David Haley has put together a newsletter which provides links to all of the 2019 competitions and reports on the 2018 competitions.

He said: “A lot of Worsley members are unaware of the links between B&H and their golf club, so I sent them a link to the newsletter with the question 'what is the connection with Worsley Golf Club?'.

“Beginning on page 36 of the Worsley Golf Club 100th anniversary book, there is a chapter entitled 'The Balfour & Houldsworth Connection'.

"In 1896, when Worsley Golf Club had been in existence for only two years, the WGC Council sent AH Whitworth to deputise for the club at a meeting which ‘is believed led to the formation of what became known as the Balfour and Houldsworth Golf Challenge Cups Competitions’.

“The first competitions for the Balfour Cup and the Houldsworth Trophy were held in 1897, at Timperley GC.

"In the second year, 1898, both competitions were held at Worsley Golf Club.

“For more than 122 years, Worsley members have been involved with the B&H, both as regards competing in and winning competitions and also as volunteers on the competitions committee.

“At the 2018 AGM of the B&H, chairman John Farmer was delighted to welcome the first ever lady committee member, Worsley Golf Club’s ex-lady captain, Pat Jackson.

"She will be aiming to ensure there is a good turnout for the 2019 GS Lancs Trophy, which is being held at Stand on Sunday, June 23.

“The format of this competition has been changed and for the first time it will be a mixed team Stableford with the best lady and best man's score counting on each hole.”