Leeds look in excellent shape ahead of new league season

Cobble Hall’s Nigel McKee is heading into his third campaign as captain and says all the signs point to Leeds enjoying another fine year.

Last month, McKee invited players to a session at Leeds Golf Centre as part of their winter preparations and was delighted with the take-up percentage.

“We had a team get-together at Wike Ridge and managed to get 30 people there, which was amazing, compared with 12 people last year,” said the 54-year-old captain.

“It shows the enthusiasm is there, definitely, to start the season.”

The cream of Leeds’ clubs had a session with Ignite Sports performance coach Duncan McCarthy, who talked about his work with Tour players, and this was followed by a short-game session, one on driver dispersion, and a putting competition.

“It was absolutely fantastic,” enthused McKee. “The prep is going good and we’ve got our friendly against the Navy on April 29, at Temple Newsam, before our first YIDU match, against Harrogate at Scarcroft on May 20.”

Charlie Brown, from Temple Newsam, is president of the Leeds and District Union this year – the first person from a municipal course-based club to be honoured in this fashion.

“Charlie has been a class player for many years,” said McKee, who has selected two Temple Newsam players for the Navy game.

“I’ve included Tony Banks and Peter Cammiss, both stalwarts of Temple Newsam and both four-handicappers,” he added.

“They’ll be bringing up the rear for the Navy game, but they won’t let us down around their own course; they’re both good round there.

“Temple Newsam is a great, great golf course. As well as playing the Navy there this month we’ll be holding the Leeds first team championship there in August.”

Leeds’ captain is some way down the road to confirming his line-up for the encounter with Harrogate with Adam Frontal and Tom Broxup (Cookridge Hall) and Andy Wiltshire (Pontefract & District) among those confirmed as starters.

Wiltshire fell just short in his close-season attempt to earn a card for the European Seniors Tour, getting through the initial 36-hole qualifying stage.

“We’ve also got some good juniors coming through this year,” continued McKee, “such as Cameron Owen, from Oulton, who’s down to 2.9 handicap, and Oscar Land, at Moor Allerton.

“Ben Firth (Moortown) has committed to play three or four games and so has Tom Broxup, and with their schedules that’s great.

“I’m trying to get Ben Sardo (Moor Allerton) involved and he’s coming back to me with his schedule. He was Leeds amateur champion last year, beating Simon Coumbe (Pontefract) in the final at Sand Moor.

“He’s a good player, but he hasn’t been able to get out there because he works on Sundays. Hopefully, we’ll have him in there this year.

“I’ve got Craig Watt (Howley Hall) back in the fold, too – he’s been out for about a year. He was the Leeds and District stroke play champion and I’ve got him back on board.

“And (Garforth’s) Steve Cain is back after a couple of years out of the game and he’s a class player. He’s back in the fold, which is brilliant.”

McKee, who has almost half-a-century of appearances for Leeds at union level, returned to the course this week for the first time since October and plans to have knee surgery next year to cure a problem that has troubled him for some while now.