Fylde coast golf round-up: Captain's week at Knott End, Alastair Taylor's top tip on driving

The weather was kind for all three of his captain’s competitions, culminating in a very well supported mixed four-ball-better-ball.

No prize presentations were held due to Covid restrictions but Captain David provided refreshments before and after the competitions and plans to contact all prize winners personally to congratulate them.

The Captain’s Prize to The Ladies was won by Kath Wright with a score of 78+73 = 151.

Best gross winner was Joanne Kay (88+88 = 176), runner-up Karen Lee (81 + 78 = 159) and third Joyce Wright (82 + 78 = 160).

The best nett for the first round was Jean Gates’ 78 and the best gross Kath Coleman’s 98.

Best nett for the second round went to Pauline Fawcett with 76 and best gross to Sylvia Wilson (101). The best total for a player with a handicap of 37 or more was Jayne Emmington’s 164 (80 + 84).

In the Captain’s Competition to the Gentlemen, the 36-hole nett winner was Karl Kirkham (64 + 66= 130) and the gross winner Ian Swaine (80 + 71 = 151).

The best nett for the first round was Keith Neilson’s 65 and the best gross James Duggan with 74.

The Captain’s Plate for best nett in round two went to Michael Armer (64) and the best gross to Bobby Lee (74).

Winners of the Captains Mixed were Michael and Joanne Kay with 43 points.

Second were Stuart Ormson and Jayne Emmington (38), with Pauline and Marc Fawcett taking third (37 acpo) and the Junior Prize going to Corralis Delaney (74).

This week’s top tip from Herons’ Reach teaching professional Alastair Taylor is to get fitted for better drives...

This week at Herons’ Reach we had a TaylorMade demo day, and it still amazes me how many golfers have bought new clubs in recent years without being fitted correctly.

Looking at some of the results at the demo and talking to the golfers,it is surprising how many buy equipment, particularly drivers, and alter their set-up without knowing what it will do to the shots.

One golfer had purchased a model from two years ago at a reduced price. He knew it was the wrong loft, so he had taken the loft off the head to keep his ball-flight down.

He didn’t realise, however, that this had opened the club face, so when driving he was missing most fairways to the right.

He was also missing because the dispersion (the club’s level of deviation) was very poor.

During the fitting, we went to a less lofted head and added some loft, so closing the club face at address.

This allowed him to set the ball off on a better line and get less shape on the ball.

Even though he only picked up two yards in distance, his dispersion went from 56 yards left to right to 18 yards. As a result he will hit a lot more fairways and give himself a better chance to score.

In my opinion, you play golf to enjoy yourself and having your equipment set up to make it easier for you will help you enjoy your game more.

So if you are buying new clubs, why not get fitted correctly? To contact Alastair, email [email protected] or check out his YouTube channel AliTaylorGolf for more free tips.

Fairhaven Golf Club staged an 18-hole stableford for the ladies and the overall winner was Carol Hood (division one) with 37 points. Division two winner was Mandy Whittingham and for division three Yvonne Reilly, both with 32.

The nine-hole stableford was won by Ruth Sugden (19)

The men’s invitation was won by David Brown and Carl Smith with 47. Gary Adshead and Andy Brown were second and William Forsyth and Callum Barrow third, both pairs with 44.