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Warren Bingham wins the ‘Bill Blake Memorial Putter’

Each year the Handsworth past captains have an away day to play for the ‘Bill Blake Memorial Putter’.

Bill was the founding member and driving force in setting up The Society of Wawickshire Golf Club Captains, adding to the list of already current county societies. It came into being in 1981 and comprises the 21 private members golf clubs in the county. So each year as each club has a new captain so the SWGCC recruits them. Each year clubs take it in turn to provide the overall captain of the society and it was Reg Neale’s honour so to do in 2000. It will be 2021 before Handsworth is called upon again to provide a captain from it’s membership of (living) captains! 

Reg was asked as a captain in the Society to think of an appropriate piece of memorabilia that could be presented to Bill as he was about to step down as the Society’s President. A position he held held since it’s inception. As it happened Bill passed away before this could take place and so we (Handsworth) were left with a trophy on our hands and what better use could it be other than the trophy Handsworth captains play for annually. It is the resposibily on the previous year’s captain to make the arrangements for the day out, ie Barry Willetts did it for this year.

This year Warren Bingham score a credible 35 points to win the putter at Walmley Golf Club.

Previous winners are as follows:

2002 Bernard Gowing.
2003 Ian Ashford.
2004 Frank Wallington.
2005 Jim Faultless.
2006 Jim Faultless
2007 Godfrey Mansell.
2008 Godfrey Mansell.
2009 Ted Mason.
2010 Mike Edwards.
2011 Warren Bingham

The putter itself like many trophies never leaves the clubhouse but can be seen in the first alcove overlooking the putting green.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Front row – left to right – Barry Willetts, Warren Bingham, Ian Ashford, Reg Neale, Len Brown, Paul Hodnett, John Whelan, Dereck Trueman

Back row – left ro right – Jim Faultless, Alan Spalding, Ted Mason, Godfrey Mansell, Mike Edwards. Alan Hopewell, Don MacColl