Played at Bramall Park golf club sunday 22nd june 2025
The early morning starters set off in dry conditions, but by the time they completed their rounds, the heavens had opened and one B&H committee member was left wondering if we would be able to complete the competition. However, that downpour came to an end and the late morning starters enjoyed a dry start to their round.
The winner of the Balfour Cup in 1991, Richard Mallard (6) was in the opening 3 ball and came back with a nett 68. That score sat at the top of the Leader Board for over an hour until Matthew Davies of Styal GC returned with a 67. Another hour later David Flint of Houldsworth GC also returned a 67, but was lying 2nd on a CPO.
Stephen Henderson of Houldswoth GC nearly joined the leaders with his nett 68 and this would eventually give him 4th place in the competition as the best of five nett 68's which were returned. Richard Mallard took 5th place with his 68.
It was beginning to look like we had the best scores already in the clubhouse, especially when the weather turned bad again in mid afternoon. However, as is often the case one golfer battled with the course and the weather and returned a winning nett 66. That one golfer being Richard Johnson, Captain of Styal GC.
At that point we preparing for the Presentation, when one of the players in the final goup, James McCormick of Disley Golf Club, playing off scratch, returned a gross 71, with which he took the prize for the Lowest Gross Score. Considering the weather conditions he did amazing well to play level par on the front 9 and to drop just one shot on the back 9.
In his closing remarks B&H President, Keith Dingley thanked the Green-staff for the work which they had done on the course. He also thanked the Catering Staff for the excellent service provided to players during the course of the day, and the officers and members of Bramall Park Golf Club for their support. He went on to thank the members of the Balfour and Houldsworth Committee for their work in preparing for and running the 2025 Balfour Cup at Bramall Park Golf Club.
This is the first occasion since 1956 that Bramall Park Golf Club has hosted a Balfour and Houldsworth Competition and in view of how successful everything went on the day, we suspect it will not be the last. Watch this space for 2027.