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Bob Harvie - 1981 to 2006
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The Bristol & District Golf League was founded by John Reece & John Ireland in 1955 (then the Western Daily Press League ) but although Alan Shore knew John Reece and played golf with him, for Alan the league was all about Bob Harvie, and because of this Alan got involved in the running of the league.
Bob “ was a gentleman, a very good golfer, conscientious and above all respected by everyone, very highly regarded by his club Henbury where he was Club Captain, President, and a life member, also I suspect a few other position‘s.
Bob and Alan spent many enjoyable hours on the telephone together mainly talking about the league or his other love Bristol City football club where he was a season ticket holder for many years. He would always ask Alan to ring him on a Thursday so he could complain about the lack of space the Bristol Evening Post would dedicate to the league results and tables.
Bob was very passionate about the league, Bristol City and Henbury golf club, Alan was extremely proud and honoured when Bob invited him to play in his very own President‘s day competition at Henbury.
Bob was tremendous for the Bristol & District Golf League where he was, over the years match secretary, Chairman and President, we could never actually pinpoint the year Bob started to get involved with the league but it was well over 25 years. Bob always insisted on starting the leagues two open events (the Foursomes Championship / League Finals day) whatever the weather Bob was there wind, rain or sunshine and it was hard to even get him to take a break for a cup of tea!!
One found memory Alan recalls was when he was in his first year as captain of Wells Golf club‘s league team who had a forthcoming fixture with Henbury. The fixture clashed with a Somerset county match of which Wells had four players selected. Alan Rang Bob hoping to get the match re-scheduled “ no such luck! After a short conversation Bob replied “ I have heard Alan that Wells is a growing club these days, to which Alan proudly said yes we have over 550 members now, to which Bob in his Scottish accent replied - well you won‘t have too much trouble getting 10 players then will you, see you for the match, and I bid you a good night Alan, and the phone went dead.
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Alan Shore - 1985 to Present
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Alan started playing golf in 1974 and was one of ten people who was asked to set up the Kingsweston golf section at Millfield school (now known as Kingsweston Golf club ) where Alan ran all the competitions and was handicap secretary, before moving to Wells Golf club in 1978 where he got involved almost immediately with the club running and was elected to the management committee where re remained for the next 22 years, among his tasks were social and house chairman and press officer. But the pinnacle of Alan‘s life came in 1985 /6 when he was club captain which task‘s included organising the clubs first team, but Alan not quite good enough to play soon became team manager for the first and second team for the next 18 years in the Bristol & District Golf League.
Alan was also made centenary Chairman (1993) and originated and organised the "Wedgers" which was for under eight years old golfers who met on Sunday afternoons for lessons with the club professional before playing six holes.
Alan also researched and wrote the history of Wells Golf Club, Alan then moved to Meyrick Park Golf Club in Bournemouth where he was assistant manager and staff supervisor and over saw the new clubhouse, restaurant and the furnishings. Whist Alan enjoyed his time in Dorset the "call" to return to Wells was to great and he was very quickly awarded life membership. Alan was also heavily involved with the building of Wells new clubhouse.
In 1984/5 Alan travelled to Worlebury Golf club who were hosting that year‘s Foursomes championship of the Bristol & District golf league where he met Bob Harvie who was the prominent league committee member and of course the starter. The pair got chatting and Bob sold the Bristol & District Golf League to Alan, and at that year‘s league AGM at Filton Alan was elected to the league committee along with Bill Gault, John (Jack) Hart, Bob himself, Colin Burroughs, and later Fred Wheeler who was secretary.
The committee was very dedicated as it still is today and of course with Bob at the helm full of enthusiasm, in those days all results were sent to Bob by 1 st class post with the league tables all hand written and posted to all the clubs once a month. In those days the league was sponsored and an annual match of committee members was played against a sponsor‘s team which was usually their customers, but a very good day was had by all.
Alan took over from his great friend Bob as match secretary and carried on in the same way but computers came to his rescue very quickly so his job was rather easier.
Meanwhile Bob was elected as league President and again stamped his enthusiasm on the committee and without Bob the league would not be what it is today, and left a massive impression on everyone he met. Alan was sad as well as honoured when Bob retired as President and handed that title to Alan who has carried that mantle with great dignity to this day.
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Terry Glossop - 1987 to 2014
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Terry joined the league committee in 1987and worked diligently, especially on the Foursomes championship and League Finals days on the signing in desk. Terry was a member at Mendip Golf Club which of course being a neighbouring club to Wells knew Alan very well, they golfed together when their respective clubs played. He was club captain in 1987 and chairman from 1994 to 1996 then President from 2002 until 2005 and was elected a life member in 2006. During his years at Mendip he also captained the stragglers team and was very popular with visiting clubs in the area.
Terry also captained Mendip 2 nd team for a good number of years whilst they maintained two teams in the Bristol & District Golf League. Over the years Terry was on the league committee he proved an invaluable member of the committee and was ever present at all meetings until a recent illness which now keeps him at home as he no longer drives.
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Richard Bennett - 1989 to Present
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Richard knew Alan long before he joined the league committee through being captains of the respective mixed foursome‘s & stragglers teams of Shirehampton Park and Wells golf clubs. Richard joined Shirehampton Park in 1982 and very quickly progressed from captain of the stragglers 1984 “ 1988 too 2 nd team captain 1994 “ 2000 winning two promotions in that time, was a director from 1987 to 1994 which included being club captain in the new clubhouse build of 1992.
Richard then changed jobs and was based in Bournemouth where he joined Dudsbury Golf Club in 1993 until 2012 he very quickly established himself as a first team player and going on to be their first club member to represent them at Dorset county senior level in 2007 -2008, in this time Richard was senior club champion in 2007.
In 2001 Richard joined Long Ashton Golf Club, playing and captaining the 2 nd and 3 rd teams from 2005 until the present, also playing 1 st team on a few occasions when required.
Richard joined the Bristol & District league committee in 1989 and at the time was the "baby" on the committee but as he actually played in the league was a welcome addition and produced a player‘s feedback perspective of the future of the league. In 1996 Richard took over from Bob Harvie as Chairman a post he stills occupies today.
Amongst Richard others golfing achievements are reaching the quarter finals of the West of England foursome‘s championship at Burnham & Berrow, and has managed 6 holes-in-one, one each at Shirehampton Park, Dudsbury, Burnham & Berrow and 3 at Long Ashton.
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Roger Webb - 2001 to 2010
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Roger took over from Fred Wheeler as Bristol & District Golf League secretary in 2001 “ proving to be a very important and busy position as at that time the league was very quickly growing with the new clubs in the area wanting to join us, we then had 55 teams!
Roger very quickly was able to give the committee guidance, as at that time we did have quite a few disputes but all were sorted in a very professional manner.
Alan Shore met Roger when they were both selected to represent Somerset captains vs. Gwent captains at Worlebury. Roger apparently that day played like god (Alan‘s words) to secure the pair won their match.
Roger learnt his golf in Leicester, and moved to this area and joined Saltford Golf Club in 1982, but again work moved him away from the area this time living in Sussex he joined Goodwood Golf Club in 1985, only to return to Saltford in 1988 this time his stay was permanent.
Roger represented Saltford in the Bristol & District Golf League at 1 st , 2 nd and 3 rd team levels, and also served on the club‘s management committee for just over 15 years before coming chairman of match and handicap, and the pinnacle of every golf club member “ club captain in 1998/1999.
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Mark Priest - 2004 to Present
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Mark is a member at Knowle Golf Club and became known to the committee as a very thoroughly organised captain of one of his club‘s league teams in 1990, and when approached, was willing to accept being a Bristol & District Golf League committee member. Mark is extremely knowledgeable and very pleasant to work with, Mark always made sure the inter-league shield matches were played and being a member of Cirencester (where he also became club captain 2010) although he always maintained his Knowle membership he was the "ears" for us in the north of the county which was very useful for negotiations of these matches.
Mark joined the committee in 2004 until present and now puts his organisation skills to the test by arranging foursomes Championship and League Finals day every season. Mark has also gone on to represent Knowle at County senior level.
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Adrian Hands - 2009 to 2021
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The Bristol & District Golf League were very lucky to find Adrian who has proved to be a real 'gem' the league was changing from sending results by post, to going fully electronic, added to that his golf management skills, was just what we wanted to make sure the league was even more successful, was all really down to Adrian.
Adrian settled in very quickly when he joined the league in 2009, his organisation skills were well known to the committee as he organised and captained Woodspring‘s 1st and 2nd teams, he also captained two Woodspring teams to the Gloucestershire four ball better ball league.
Adrian was also competition and handicap chairman at Woodspring Golf Club, and as well as being on the management committee at his club, did a similar job at Tracy Park and Woodlands.
As well as being on the Bristol & District Golf League Adrian is also coordinator of the Gloucestershire four ball better ball league along with being fixtures secretary.
Away from golf Adrian grew a full beard and raised £642 forChildren in need charity.
Adrian was elected Woodspring club captain in 2015 a post richly deserved for all his effort‘s, and luckily for the league has opted to stay on the committee even though Woodspring Golf Club resigned from the league.
Sadly Adrian passed away in October 2021 - at the comparatively young age of 68. He leaves the league organisationally in a much better position - having been the main driver in getting the Web Site and League App developed and delivered.
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Mike Downs - 2009 to 2018
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Everything Mike did for the league was done extremely well, quietly and with the minimum amount of fuss. He assumed responsibilities to liaise with club secretaries and caterers to organise the league‘s foursome championships and the league finals, as well as usually being the first person on the committee to arrive at these venue‘s and one of the last to leave “ usually in those days close to a twelve-hour shift.
Mike started his team golf at Tracy Park in 1998 and went on to captain the side from 2003 “ 2009, it was during this time that Mike became known to the league committee in particular Alan Shore as Tracy Park and Wells golf clubs were in the same divisions, in those days it was only one promoted and relegated so clubs did not tend to move divisions as frequently as today with the current system of two promoted and two relegated. Under Mike you were always assured of a very warm welcome whenever a club visited Tracy Park.
Mike was persuaded to join the Bristol & District Golf League committee in 2009 and despite by this time living in Chippenham was usually the first person to arrive at committee meetings, you always listened when Mike spoke as he was so knowledgeable about golf and was always the man to go to settle any disputes as he thoroughly researched the facts before usually coming up with the most fair and correct conclusion.
Mike joined The Players club in 2011, and played for their 3 rd team in 2012, Mike & Adrian Hands (Woodspring) were the first members to join the committee from privately owned clubs so their experiences were invaluable. Mike despite battling cancer never complained and until it was physically impossible for him to carry on his committee duties with his usual dignity, he relinquished some of his duties, but sadly Mike lost his battle and passed away early September 2018.
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Alistair Hannan - 2010 to 2015
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Alistair was another person who was well known to the committee as he represented his club “ Henbury for many years in the Bristol & District Golf League, and again was a very quietly efficient gentleman. Alistair was recommended to the committee by his club colleague Bob Harvie “ so how could any of us question this kind of recommendation!!
Very quickly Alistair established himself on the committee and became an integral part of the running of the league, always willing to do anything that was asked of him. His preferred post was starter for the two "open" competition‘s, must be a Henbury thing!!
Alistair has represented Henbury in the league at all levels becoming 2 nd team captain from 2003 “ 2006, he has represented Gloucestershire at senior county level from 2011 “ 2013. Also, he has served on the Henbury management committee in 2011.
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Barbara Bennett - 2010 to Present
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Barbara joined the committee in 2010 taking over the secretary and Treasurers duties from Roger Webb, this made total sense being the wife of the chairman.
Barbara was a bit apprehensive at first as she was not a golfer but very soon settled into the bookkeeping tasks. Over the years with her careful eye for finance the league is in a very good financial position.
Barbara always attends the foursomes championship and league finals days and assists with the score card checking and final results.
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Vince Halton - 2015 to Present
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Vincent has a lifetime of golf experience having enjoyed membership of fourteen clubs throughout Scotland and England including twenty years at Gullane.
When Vincent moved South, he eventually joined Clevedon where he was playing regularly to a 5 handicap, before joining Long Ashton where he remained for another twenty years, these days living just outside Bath it made sense for him to join a course closer to home so he joined Lansdown.
Vincent is also a member at St Andrews New Club and at Merchants of Edinburgh.
In the early sixties Vincent was a sports journalist working with the Edinburgh Evening News and covered major golf events before the introduction of television and mobile telephones simplified the work of the sports reporter. He had Interviewed most of the leading professionals of that era.
Whilst at Long Ashton Vincent played golf regularly with Richard who recruited him onto the Bristol & District Golf League committee, you will always find Vincent very efficiently in charge of the "signing in" desk at the foursome‘s championship and league finals, checking players handicap‘s, handing out score cards, along with their meal tickets.
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Duncan Wellington - 2019 to Present
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Duncan joined Knowle Golf Club in 1984 as a junior member, and played his first Bristol & District match in 1988, he played regularly until 1995 when he took a break from golf due to marriage and the arrival of two daughters.
Duncan re-joined Knowle in 2004 and started playing team golf again in 2006, he has since played for 2nd, 3rd & 4th teams, as well as being captain of them all. He became League Rep in 2008 (taking over from Mark Priest).
Duncan was elected Club Captain at Knowle Golf Club in 2011. Knowle along with Henbury are without doubt the two most successful clubs in the Bristol and District Golf League since it started in 1953 and Knowle‘s continued success is down to Duncan‘s organisation skills, so when he was approached in 2019 to fill a committee vacancy he was voted in unanimously “ anyone who has come into contact with Duncan will know what a thoroughly organised person he is, and with a wealth of computer skills and league knowledge will be a major asset to the league for future years.
Duncan has very much enjoyed playing team golf over the past 30 years, and now being on the committee is grateful for the opportunity to put a something back into the League.
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Neil Dun - 2021 to Present
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Neil joined Shirehampton Park Golf Club in 1998. As a member of Shirehampton Neil has been a member of the executive since 2003, holding all the positions over the years, in particular Club Captain (2010) and Club Chairman (2013-2018).
Neil came to the attention of the B&D League in 2014 when the Hi Lo Foursomes were held at Shirehampton. Being from an IT background (and running the IT at Shirehampton) Neil supplied a computer program to enable the compeition to made avaiable on the internet. In 2018, when the BDGL were looking to revamp the BDGL website, Adrian Hands and Rich Bennett enlisted Neil's help. As part of the revamp process a web app to run the league was delivered by Neil, which has greatly simplified the running of the league and making it much simpler for Team reps, captains and players.
In 2021, the decision was taken to formally bring Neil and his skills onto the committee for all things IT.
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Tony Halloran - 2021 to 2023
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Tony has been playing golf locally for over 35 years at Cotswold Edge, Long Ashton and now Filton. Over the last few years he has been helping out at various BDGL events and was elected onto the committee at the 2021 League AGM. Recently Tony has passed level 1 R & A Rules exam and hopes to move on to Level 2 in the near future.
Amongst his claims to golfing fame are a couple of holes in one while at Long Ashton, and winning the Les Golledge seniors trophy at Filton.
Tony is now retired, having worked in Bristol primary schools for over 25 years, mainly in Southmead and Withywood (13 of those as headteacher).
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