The 101st year of the Society started off with expressions of gratitude to Eddy Hampson for his contribution as Honorary Secretary over the past five years. Peter Hurst of Widnes Golf Club was appointed Secretary at the Committee Meeting on 21st October 2008 and has since been instrumental in taking the Society into the computer age and setting up its website.
The 2009 Annual Competition was played at Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club where the hosts took the main prizes winning the Leverhulme Salver and also the Hayco Trophy, won by David J Ball. The Dinner was held at the Floral Hall where Dennis Boardman was thanked for his services to the Society and elected as an Honorary Member but, sadly, he died the following year. David Morris of Dean Wood Golf Club stepped down from his long stint on Council and accepted the Captaincy of the Society. Matches were played against the Manchester and Bolton Societies and the Autumn Meeting took place on three Nottingham courses followed by a Dinner at The Belfry.
In April 2010 the Society was saddened at the death of John Wild 65 years after his first reported death “Killed in action” as a glider pilot at Arnhem. Miraculously, he survived as a prisoner of war and later became Captain of Wigan Golf Club followed by further high office as Society Captain, Lancashire Union President and English Golf Union President. His humorous afterdinner speeches entertained hundreds of audiences throughout the golfing world, especially his imaginary correspondence with the R & A trying to persuade them to hold the Open Golf Championship at the 9 hole Wigan Golf Club.
The Society was gifted a new trophy from Peter Wilson and Geoff Leece on behalf of the 1969 Captains whose members had previously decided that their trophy should be passed on to the Senior Society after it had fulfilled its original purpose. This unique silver trophy depicts a golf green on the lid sitting on top of a cup which is supported by a set of golf clubs and on the sides there are figures of a golfer and the devil climbing opposite to each other. The inscription around the top of the bowl “Well could I curse away a winter’s night though standing naked on a mountain top” has been traced back to Shakespeare’s Henry 6th part 2 and, presumably, relates to the activities of the trophy’s original owner in 1900 who is still a mystery.
The trophy, named The 1969 Trophy, is now competed for by the Past Captains of The Society and Reigning Club Captains at the Annual Meeting and the first winner in 2011 was Peter Hurst, the Society Secretary.
In April 2010 the Society was saddened at the death of John Wild 65 years after his first reported death “Killed in action” as a glider pilot at Arnhem. Miraculously, he survived as a prisoner of war and later became Captain of Wigan Golf Club followed by further high office as Society Captain, Lancashire Union President and English Golf Union President. His humorous afterdinner speeches entertained hundreds of audiences throughout the golfing world, especially his imaginary correspondence with the R & A trying to persuade them to hold the Open Golf Championship at the 9 hole Wigan Golf Club.
The Society was gifted a new trophy from Peter Wilson and Geoff Leece on behalf of the 1969 Captains whose members had previously decided that their trophy should be passed on to the Senior Society after it had fulfilled its original purpose. This unique silver trophy depicts a golf green on the lid sitting on top of a cup which is supported by a set of golf clubs and on the sides there are figures of a golfer and the devil climbing opposite to each other. The inscription around the top of the bowl “Well could I curse away a winter’s night though standing naked on a mountain top” has been traced back to Shakespeare’s Henry 6th part 2 and, presumably, relates to the activities of the trophy’s original owner in 1900 who is still a mystery.
The trophy, named The 1969 Trophy, is now competed for by the Past Captains of The Society and Reigning Club Captains at the Annual Meeting and the first winner in 2011 was Peter Hurst, the Society Secretary.
Dean Wood Golf Club hosted the 2010 Annual Competition where the Hayco Trophy was won by Ian M Beaton of Ormskirk and the Leverhulme Salver was won by Hesketh. David Laidlaw of Leasowe Golf Club was elected as Captain of the Society and the Autumn Meeting returned to Lincolnshire to play at the home of the English Golf Union at Woodhall Spa.
At the Annual Competition played at Leasowe Golf Club in 2011 the Hayco Trophy was won by David Harrison of Hesketh and the Leverhulme Salver was won by Grange Park Golf Club. Peter Blacoe of Huyton & Prescot Golf Club was appointed Captain and the Autumn Meeting was played on three courses at York followed by a Dinner at the Racecourse. At the instigation of Derek E Walkden, the innovative Chairman of the Golf Committee for eight years from 2009 to 2017, a new series of annual matches against The England Golf Captains was inaugurated at Moortown and has continued ever since on an alternate home and away basis.
Gathurst Golf Club won the Leverhulme Trophy at the 2012 Annual Meeting played at Huyton & Prescot Golf Club where Roy Clamp won the Hayco Trophy at his home Club. Ian Gregson of Ormskirk Golf Club was appointed Captain. The first match of the rejuvenated series againstthe Society of London Golf Captains was played at Wallasey Golf Club and the participants in the Autumn Meeting crossed the Irish Sea to play three courses in Eire.
History was made at the 2013 Annual Dinner held at The Crowne Plaza Hotel in Liverpool, attended by 365 Golf Captains and guests. Following the merger of the two English Golf Unions the first woman to be President of England Golf was Mrs Pam Benka who took her place at the top table and delivered an excellent Toast to the Society that was received with acclamation. Since then the Society’s Annual Dinner has been periodically graced by the presence of further ladies in high office at England Golf, namely Sue Johnson in 2014 and Marion Rae in 2016.
At the Annual Golf Competition played at Ormskirk Golf Club Paul Andrews of Wallasey Golf Club won the Hayco Trophy and Childwall won the Leverhulme Salver. Bob Carter of Heswall Golf Club was appointed Captain and the inaugural match versus the Society of Edinburgh & Lothian Golf Captains was played at West Linton Golf Club. Scotland was also the venue for the Autumn Meeting held in Edinburgh.
The Society has, for many years, been a supporter of junior golf with annual donations to the Lancashire and Cheshire Golf Unions which have been much appreciated. Two of our members, Peter Dutton of Prenton and Stuart Cookson of Heswall, were at the forefront of this support, both having served as Presidents of Cheshire and of the English Golf Unions and Peter was also a Past Captain of the Society and had written the Foreword to this book when it was first published in 2009. Sadly, both of these stalwarts died in 2013.
Heswall hosted the 2014 Annual Competition where the Hayco Trophy was won by Irving Glassman of Lee Park Golf Club. Heswall’s local knowledge helped them to win the Leverhulme Salver and Alan Morris of West Derby Golf Club was appointed Captain. The Harrogate area was selected for the popular Autumn Meeting.
Frank Smith had been a youthful Captain of Gathurst Golf Club in 1966 prior to his Club joining the Society. He was elected Society Captain in 1997 and had been looking after our finances since 2004 as Chairman of Finance. His services were recognised at the AGM in 2015 when he was elected as an Honorary Member and he stepped down as Chairman in October 2018.
At West Derby the Hayco Trophy was won by Julian McInerney of Hesketh and the Leverhulme Salver was also won by Hesketh. The Dinner after the Annual Competition was held at Aintree Racecourse and was voted a considerable success. Philip Bailey of Caldy Golf Club was elected Captain and the Autumn Meeting was attended by 270 Captains playing on three Nottingham courses.
The Toasts from the Top Table at the 2016 Annual Dinner were in the hands of Gavin Caldwell, Captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews and Marian Rae, the President of England Golf. Caldy Golf Club hosted the Annual Competition where Graham R Darbyshire of Ashton-in-Makerfield Golf Club won the Hayco Trophy and his Club also won the Leverhulme Salver. Colin Roberts of Hesketh Golf Club was elected Captain and the Autumn Meeting broke new ground in the Durham area.
The popularity of the Society continued to thrive with a total of 378 dining at the 2017 Annual Dinner at the Crowne Plaza. At Hesketh Golf Club the Hayco Trophy was won by Martin A Williams of the home Club and the Leverhulme Salver went to Bidston Golf Club. Tom King of Gathurst Golf Club was appointed Captain and the Autumn Meeting was held at Celtic Manor in South Wales, voted by many as one of the most successful of these events ever held. The Society members attending were privileged to play all three of the courses at the Resort including the Twenty Ten Course, scene of the dramatic Ryder Cup victory by the European Team some seven years earlier.
The 2018 Annual Dinner was once more held at the Crowne Plaza with 37 seated at the Top Table including the Captain of the Royal Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, the President of England Golf, and the Captains, Presidents and Secretaries of the Lancashire, Cheshire, Chester, Manchester, London, Bolton, Edinburgh & Lothians, and Northumberland Golf Societies. An impressive array of UK golf talent and experience.
The Annual Competition was held at Gathurst Golf Club where the Hayco Trophy was won by Charlie Abbott of Bromborough Golf Club and the Leverhulme Salver also went to Bromborough. Tim Apel of Formby Golf Club was appointed Captain and the Autumn Meeting was held in the York area at the very popular York, Fulwood and Forest Park courses.