Cottrell Park Golf Club

The local golfing community, and wider afield into the Denbighshire Golfing Union, North Wales golf and the Golf Union of Wales will be shocked and saddened to hear of the death of R. Malcolm Edwards of Wrexham Golf Club, one of the most competent and popular golfing characters to have played the game over the last fifty years.

Originally a member of Llangollen golf club when it was a nine holes golf course, Malcolm joined Wrexham in 1967 / 68, about the same time as myself, and quickly established himself as a serious low handicap player. We both started playing for the Denbighshire scratch team in 1974 and amassed well over sixty matches each for the Denbighshire team against the other North Wales counties. Our affinity was such that we were almost constantly drawn with each other to play in the morning foursomes and, as long as I did as I was told, we accumulated a very fair share of wins playing in this format.

Malcolm was always a far better stroke player than a match player despite representing North Wales as recently as 2007 in Seniors golf, and playing for Wales in the Seniors’ Home internationals in the nineties. Totally unflappable, he was a model of an effective if untutored swing, but his tee shots with their characteristic soft draw were a joy to behold and, coupled with a razor sharp short game, he was a very difficult man to beat.

In 2008 he was awarded a long service Merit award by the Denbighshire Golfing Union and never has it been more justifiably earned. He played in our Saturday morning fourball for over thirty five years and if the usual “over the shoulder” throw up of the balls meant that you were drawn with Malcolm, the half a crown was as good as safe.

Wrexham golf club has lost a wonderful golfer and a true friend.

Malcolm’s funeral is at Wrexham Crematorium next Monday at 10.30 a.m.

Still with the Wrexham club, last Sunday was the occasion of the club Finals day when all of the match play knock out events were decided on the one day with but a couple of events played on the previous day when finalists were playing in more that two finals.

Giving every match the credit it deserves, it was inevitable that both the mens’ and ladies’ finals were the featured events of the day.

The mens final was between Alyn Torrence and Rod Fieldhouse, both players off a plus one handicap. Alyn was the DGU scratch champion in 2010 and Alyn was the 2011 champion. Alyn won the scratch cup at the club and Rod was the runner up but this was a rare occasion for them to meet in thirty six holes of match play.

The morning round saw Rod go into lunch with a two holes advantage, but the final reckoning saw Alyn win the championship but the same amount. The club captain, John D. Williams, who refereed the final, commented at the evening presentation at the wonderful standard of golf exhibited by both players.

The ladies’ final was between Jo Nicolson, nine times winner of the event, and sixteen year old Welsh international golfer Chloe Williams, daughter of club professional Paul Williams. At lunch Chloe was three upon Jo and increased the score to seven up before losing the twenty seventh hole to go back to six, but never the less emerged the winner at the end of an excellent match refereed by Lady Captain, Janet Brunyee.