AN astonishing ace put a stunning and historic albatross on the card of Kirkbymoorside Golf Club player Mike Shields.

Mike Shields celebrates his historic albatross at Kirkbymoorside Golf Club

Shields, a 10 handicapper, let rip with his driver from the tee of the course's 272yd par 4 dog-leg 12th hole during a Captain's Invitation event.

He watched the ball sail beyond the dog-leg curve, and was astonished a few minutes later to find his ball in the hole.

It was a double celebration for the former club captain who was enjoying a round of golf with colleagues following the club's victory in the York Union's Cross Trophy.

Shields, who believed it was the first time that a hole-in-one had been achieved at the hole since it was created 20 years ago, recalled the moment he discovered his amazing achievement.

"I teed off and went over the corner of a hedge. I thought it would be somewhere near but when we started looking for it we couldn't find it. "The five minutes were up so I told the others to go and finish. They chipped up to the green and when they looked in the hole they found my ball."

Shields was the club captain in 1979, ironically the year the 12th hole was made, as the course switched from nine to 18 holes.

He is a left hander and his feat proved the theory that the dog-leg is supposed to favour left-handers.

But rather than being simply a stroke of luck, an earlier shot suggested he was in fine form that day.

"I was only a foot off going in for one at the first," revealed the 66-year-old, who last year shot the first hole in one of his 30-year playing career at Kirkbymoorside's first hole.

KNARESBOROUGH'S assistant professional Andrew Etherington is a maximum man.

He is the first candidate ever to have scored a maximum 100% in passing his first-year PGA examination.

Each year the PGA examine about 1,000 young assistants from all over the country, but Etherington is the first to achive this unique national achievement.

THE search to find the top club professional in the British Isles continues at Pannal next Wednesday, April 28, when the PGA's North region holds it's East Division qualifier for the Glenmuir Club professional Championship.

Eight regional finals are being held to determine the make-up of the 134-strong field chasing prize money of £75,000 at King's Lynn, Norfolk, from June 8-11.

The entry has a good selection of quality players, including Ganton's Gary Brown, who made a stunning impact on the Glenmuir final four years ago by scorching to a course record 62 at West Hill in Surrey.

He was seventh in the region's order of merit last year, one place ahead of another Pannal entrant, Laurie Turner (Garforth Golf Range).

Others with the credentials to qualify for Norfolk include Philip Harrison (Aldwark Manor), Simon Hotham (Rudding park), Stephen Raybould (The Links at Bridlington Bay), Gary Vickers (Knaresborough), Steve Robinson (Malton and Norton), Tony Skingle (Scarborough South Cliff) and Nigel Bundy (Boothferry Park).

Selby'S Matthew Bugg, the holder, came fourth in the annual Auchterlonie Spoon 36-hole competition on his home course.

Bugg had round of 70 and 66 to finish six strokes behind the winner, Yorkshire player Richard Jones (Wath), who was six under par for a total of 130 on a modified course, where the opening par five hole is being played as a par three.

Jones, one of the county's most consistent players won the inaugural Yorkshire order of merit last year and this was the first merit qualifying event of the current season.

Bugg was also in top form as his club won the Leeds Alliance annual team championship at Selby

They had a 27-hole total of 419, three and a half strokes ahead of Temple Newsam.

Scratch player Bugg had a par 68 and a one under 34. He included two birdies and an eagle at the 503-yard 14th.

Team-mate Tony Dobson chipped in for an eagle at the 514-yard 18th.

JOHN Linaker has been elected as chairman of Fulford Golf club, suceeding Colin Foster.

Linaker has vast experience in the game, having been secretary-manager of Gullane, Royal North Devon (Westward Ho!), Moor Park and Hadley Wood.

He played off scratch for many years as was a county player.

For the past year he has served on the greens committee at Fulford after returning to York on his retirement from golf administration.

Linaker was a professional foorballer in the 1940s and 50s, playing for York City, Nottingham Forest, Hull City, Southport, Crewe and Manchester City.

DAVID Dobson won Fulford's April medal with a two under par 70, edging home with a better back nine than Neil Bellamy.

Only four players in the 83-strong field broke par.

FOREST Park's captain Jack Semourson's chosen charity in his year of office is the York Coronary Support Group Trust.

The Captain's Charity Shield was won by Peter Ford with a nett 65.

ANN Parker won the first qualifying round of Fulford ladies section's Victory Cup competition with a net 77, one stroke ahead of Gillian Atkinson.

Lorna Henderson was a stroke further behind and Barbara Saville was fourth on 80.

All four go through to the final along with qualifiers from the second round on may 23. In extremely wet and difficult conditions - the course was closed later in the day - Dorothy Elliott had the best gross of 90.

FULFORD pair Dot Elliot (6) and Margaret Burton (14) made a magnificent recovery from being on the brink of defeat to reach the third round of the Daily Mail national women's foursomes.

They were three down with three to play against Cynthia Briggs (11) and Doreen Anson (19) from Boothferry but fought it back to all square at the last and then won at the first extra hole.

RUDDING Park's Paul Addle has had his handicap reduced to 15 after winning his second stableford competition in as many months.

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