FROM THE EDITOR TRIBUTES TO MICHAEL TUNNICLIFFE

Welcome to the fourth edition of Staffordshire Golfer. The response to the first three issues has been overwhelming. It’s been great to read and share all the great golfing stories from across the Union throughout the winter months. As we enter into Spring, please send in any stories about your club or your members that you would love to share with us and our readers. Contact Gareth Shaw our County Secretary at the email below with anything you’d like us to share. This could be a club event, open competitions or even a hole-in-one story. We’ve had an incredibly busy start to 2023. Preparations for the new season have been well under way since the start of the year and now our practice sessions are moving from the range to the course we have a real sense of growing anticipation. There’s been a huge amount of work going on in the background with the County squads, from technical sessions, inspiring talks and new technology. We feel that the teams are as well prepared as they can be and we look forward to seeing them put all the practice into play. One event we held recently, that coincided with all the rain we had through February and March, was a visit to Midlands Indoor Golf for a team bonding session, with all the squads. More on that inside this issue along with information of our new Champion of Champions event to be hosted at

The Team At Staffordshire Golfer

Editor and Production: Medi8 Golf – david@medi8ltd.co.uk

Editorial research: Gareth Shaw – secretary@staffsgolf.org.uk

Editorial research: Michael Entecott – michael.entecott@staffsgolf.org.uk

A Message From The County Secretary

JCB Golf and Country Club which will be taking place in September of this year.

Other stories you can catch in this edition range from an interview with Staffordshire golfer Jason Timmis, who is caddie for PGA Tour player Aaron Rai. We spoke to James Turner, the Junior Organiser at Trentham Golf Club, about what is required to run a successful junior section, as well as being the parent of an aspiring golfer. With The Masters being at the forefront of everyone’s mind at the start of the golf season we also chatted to Ken Horleston, one of the very few golfers in Staffordshire to have graced the hollow fairways of Augusta National Golf Club!

So settle in and let’s get the new season of Staffordshire Golf underway!

Michael Tunnicliffe was a Vice President of the Staffordshire Union of Golf Clubs having been awarded the honour in 2019 in recognition of his outstanding contribution to golf both in the County and Nationally.

In 1999, Mike along with 3 other members of Stone Golf Club won their first of 5 finals in the R&A Rules quiz. Michael later took the R&A Referees examination and scored the highest marks in the UK. He went on to be an England Golf Tournament referee for many years, until his knees would not let him do anymore!

Michael also got involved with the Staffordshire Union of Golf Clubs, which is where I became friends with him. He expressed an interest in helping with the County Juniors and in 2005 we welcomed him on to the Junior Committee.

Mike was a great organiser, arranging much of the coaching and making sure the boys knew the rules of golf as well as helping run the teams. In 2012, Mike became Junior Chairman and we had a period of great success, the highlight being winning Boys County Finals in 2013, never achieved by Staffs Boys previously.

Michael finished as Chairman in 2017 and retired from the Junior committee in his 80th year. However, he was still ccasionally turning up to give his support last season. As Staffordshire Golf’s chief referee, he would always go to major championships, like the Staffs Amateur, before the event to check the local rules and make sure the course was properly marked to his satisfaction. He would even discuss pin placements with the green keeper.

Michael was a dear friend and I shall miss him, - as will the Staffordshire Union of Golf Clubs. Roger Waite, Past President and former Chairman of Junior Golf.

A true friend, mentor to many, and a champion in the development of junior Golf for Staffordshire.

The effort and time that Mike dedicated in supporting golf, not only in Staffordshire, but across the UK is difficult to quantify as he spent many hours & years dedicating his free time in pursuing his drive for excellence in the rules of golf and junior coaching.

I was lucky enough to work very closely with Mike while gaining his knowledge by driving a buggy across hundreds of golf courses following the county juniors.

Mike had a very strong eye for detail and specially for what action to take when things weren’t going well. I vividly remember about 14 years ago when the Under 16 boys lost heavily against Cheshire at South Staffs Golf Club, and the one area that Mike noticed straight away was the quality of the Cheshire Boys short game.

Without any delay Mike set to work by engaging with top coaches like Phil Kenyon, Mike Kanski, Mike Beamount and others to define a short game programme for all the Staffordshire boys.

That strategy culminated in great successes over the coming years for the juniors. That was all thanks to Mike pursuing excellence for Staffordshire Golf.

Charlie Birchall, Life Vice President