THE drive to mark Fulford Golf Club's centenary next year could not be in better hands than those of new general manager Linda Gurnell.

For in her previous posting she was in charge of the Mid-Yorkshire GC at Darrington, near Pontefract, which is owned by no less than the Highways Agency.

That curious ownership, explained Fulford's newcomer, stems from the fact that further planned improvements to the A1-M1 motorway link is to cut through two of the holes at the Darrington-based club.

Add that unique experience to the fact that Linda has regularly driven her car past Fulford GC from her home of the last two years in Fangfoss to her former Mid-Yorkshire posting, then she is the ideal candidate to be now steering Fulford towards and beyond its 2006 landmark celebration of 100 years.

It is a challenge the Huddersfield-born administrator is relishing warmly.

Said Linda: "While I have only been to the club once before this job when I attended club secretaries' meeting about ten years ago, Fulford has a fine reputation.

"It is also approaching its centenary year. But it is a club that is looking towards its second century and that makes it quite an exciting time to be involved with it."

While she does not play the game herself, her 17 years in golf administration since she first went into the industry in 1988 at the Dewsbury and District GC before her move to the Mid-Yorkshire in 2000, ensures that she is well grounded in what makes a club tick.

"I have served in both environments - an old established club like Dewsbury and a newer, proprietary one like the Mid-Yorkshire, so that stands me in good stead for the challenges to come," she ventured.

Besides the crucial day-to-day running of a club, Linda added yet another string to her bow during her last year at Darrington.

She explained: "I took a crash course in green-keeping, which I enjoyed.

"I'd liked to think I would be able to keep involved with that side of things at Fulford."

Rich Weights, a nine-handicap member of Fulford, had a round to remember as he totalled 45 stableford points to win the club's annual Fell Cup, three points ahead of Maurice Everton.

Michael Cass had two twos in his round. The first was at the short third hole and his second, more unusually, at the famous Langer hole, the par four 17th, where he holed his second for an eagle.

Lillian Howland, who showed such fine form in helping Fulford ladies to beat the men, proved it wasn't just a flash in the pan when she won the June medal with a six under par 68, which saw her handicap pulled from 31 to 28.

She also qualified for the Fulford Rose Bowl along with Linda Edmondson, Ann Robinson and Sue Garland.

Easingwold Golf Club are hoping to promote their Charity Am-Am to a prominent date in their annual calendar following their second success on Saturday.

The winning four of G Goodwin, S Thompson, R Guyatt and S Hobson completed the course with a score of 127, two shots clear of C Bell, A Bell, Butcher and Horncroft in second.

The ladies competition was won by S Allen, D Clark, J Clark and A Smith with 141, and the mixed trophy went to A North, P North, J McElhinney and K Metcalfe, who collectively shot 145.

St Monica's Hospital in Easingwold will benefit from the money raised.

Husband and wife team Frank and Mary Dawson have taken the first steps towards a trip to California with a win in the Beringer Wines mixed foursomes at Easingwold.

The pair scored 39 points to defeat K Metcalfe and J McElhinney by a single point. M Hunter and G Hunter were third on countback.

The Dawsons will now go through to a second round, with the grand final set in the United States.

Updated: 10:31 Saturday, June 05, 2004