Society of Manchester & District Golf Captains

Founded 1955

The Society had its origins in two Golf Clubs: Stockport, and Cavendish in Buxton.

Three members of Stockport, Tom Gribbin who was the Manchester Evening News Golf Correspondent, Jack Milner, who had been President of the Cheshire Union of Golf Clubs, and John Farnworth, all Past Captains, along with Ted Paessler, Past Captain of Cavendish, met together and decided much of the experience of running golf clubs in the Manchester area was being wasted. It was felt that the experience of Captains would be better preserved if golf club captains formed a Society, and the amalgamation of ideas might also provide an opportunity for some very pleasant golfing occasions whilst putting to good use collective "know-how".

The four founders met on several occasions to discuss and thrash out the details and decided to form the Society.  They needed a President and decided to ask George Henriques a past Captain of Cavendish, past President of the English Golf Union and former England player. Reg Walley, a Past Captain of Stockport and well known journalist of the day was asked to the first Captain. Tom Gribbin was asked to be the Honorary Secretary. Tom was Past Captain of Reddish Vale and well known throughout the Manchester golfing scene. John Farnworth, a Past Captain of Stockport and a respected Manchester accountant became Honorary Treasurer. The Founders decided to request The Duke of Devonshire to become the Society Patron, which he readily accepted. The Duke attended the first dinner and the Silver Jubilee Dinner twenty-five years later, and has continued his support for the Society and its objectives for nearly fifty years, until his death in 2004.

All that was needed at this stage was for a Lawyer, Arthur Dean, to put together the Rules and Bye-laws which he did very thoroughly and which have now lasted for nearly fifty years - with only slight amendment.

The objectives as declared in the Rules are to further the interest of golf, to maintain its traditions, and to bring together those who have been actively involved in the administrative control of the game. The arrangement whereby Past Captains of the Society automatically become Vice-Presidents and are retained on the Executive has meant they stay close to the Society after leaving office, as they nearly all have done.

The membership grew rapidly, a series of annual competitions was soon established and this was quickly followed by the first annual match against the Liverpool Captains' Society. This was followed by Executive Matches against sister Societies, Bolton, Shropshire & Herefordshire, Leicestershire & Rutland, and in particular, Derbyshire and Northumberland. Through our connection with the last two, long-stand friendships have developed and, indeed, our Society was able to be of some help in their formation through the good offices of Jack Spedding who replaced Tom Gribbin as Honorary Secretary and stayed in office for over twenty-five years.

For many of these years the Honorary Treasurer became Stanley Powell, a Past Captain of Stockport, whose step son, Geoffrey Harrison, was Honorary Auditor until his retirement in 2004.

The Society's Annual Dinner has become a major event of the golfing calendar, usually attended by the Captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews and many other dignitaries from other Captains' Societies and County Unions from all over the country. For the first thirty or so years it was held at the Manchester Reform Club and subsequently at the University. Support for the Dinner has grown considerably and is now held at venues such as the Atlantic Suite at Manchester Airport and latterly Mere Golf & Country Club.

The Society now plays in eleven meetings or matches, membership is over six hundred and is a supporter of Junior Golf.

Long may we enjoy our golf, and may we endeavour to help other golfers attain the high standards we set ourselves to maintain the traditions, rules, and enjoy golf as players and administrators of the game.

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