Bury Golf Club Seniors prepared for their 2014 season in the Lancashire County Red Rose League with their traditional home and away challenge matches against Great Lever and Farnworth Golf Club.

Following the club’s upturn in fortunes, which saw them finish in fifth position last year, after sustaining a title challenge right up to the closing weeks, incoming captain, Steve Bracegirdle found over 50 players registering for the new campaign.

In the absence of skipper Bracegirdle, vice captain John Latham led the team for the home leg with the Unsworth Hall course in magnificent condition, following a winter of major upgrading and improvement. Bury continued their impressive home form of the last campaign, winning 6-2 in a match played in a friendly yet competitive manner throughout.

The same camaradie was evident in the return match at Great Lever with the home side running out convincing winners by 6.5-1.5 to leave the 2014 challenge at “honours even”.

Bury made the trip to Preston for their opening Red Rose match on Tuesday before visiting Heysham on Thursday, May 1.