President Darren shows the way

However, he was delighted to be on the receiving end at Ogden yesterday when he and Dean Bradley won the pro-am section at the last Alliance of 2014 with a sparkling score of 47 stableford points.

Halifax’s vice-captain Simon Willis did the honours in place of Arber, who instead had to produce a winner’s speech as well as saying the usual thank-yous to the host club.

The course was in very good condition, although wet from the earlier rains, and scoring was very good in the sunny, windless conditions and with the tees pushed forward.

West End professional Arber felt he had been playing well but still described his success in a bumper field of 58 pairs as “very unexpected.”

While Arber played solidly and sunk his share of putts, he gave much of the credit to his 10-handicap clubmate Bradley saying: “I played well but he played great.”

The eventual winners, among the last out just before noon, notched the first of nine nett birdies through Bradley on the first.

The ultra-competitive Bradley had a four-pointer on the 16th when he followed a fine drive with a wedge to seven or eight inches of the flag.

The West End pair overhauled long-time leaders Tom Wild and Gary Ward (6) of Bradley Park who had sat on 46 points for several hours.

The am-am honours went to home club players Tony Gerrard (6) and John Broadbent (12) who matched the excellent 47-point return of Arber and Bradley.

They were one of several pairs to start on the 16th as organisers managed to get everyone round before dark.

The Alliance now takes a three-month break before resuming at Crosland Heath on Tuesday, February 24.

Ex-Bradley Hall man Rob Booth is the clear leader in the professionals’ order of merit on 33 points from Richard Lambert and Tom Wild, who are tied on 20 points.

Crosland Heath lead the club championship on 215 points from Outlane on 210 and Meltham on 205.

Scores - Pro-am: 1, D.Arber Pro & D.Bradley 10 (West End) 47; 2 T.Wild Pro & G.Ward 6 (Bradley Park) 46; 2, R.Lambert Pro & A.Dyson 6 (Crosland Heath) 46; 4, N.Reeves Pro & M.Birkett Scr (Stadium Golf/Todmorden) 43; 5, R.Booth Pro & S.Hopkinson 6 (Crosland Heath/Bradley Hall) 42; 6, T.Pollard Pro & P.Caldwell 12 (Bradley Hall) 40; 7, R.Stansfield Pro & N.Russell 15 (Bradley Park/Hebden Bridge) 39; 7, L.Shepherd Pro & V.Hudson 10 (Stadium Golf/Halifax) 39; 7, J.Ward Pro & F.Speight 9 (Dewsbury) 39; 7, C.Hanson Pro & M.Appleyard 6 (Woodsome Hall/Bradley Hall) 39; 11, J.Lester Pro & O.Shaw 5 (Crosland Heath) 35; 11, D.Chapman Pro & M.Cullimore 14 (Outlane) 35; 13, D.Astin Pro & H.Bradley 13 (Elland) 31; 14 S.Race Pro & A.Baier 13 (Meltham) 30.

Am-am: 1, T.Gerrard 6 & J.Broadbent 12 (Halifax) 47; 2, M.Hanson 12 & O.Barstow 7 (Bradley Park) 45; 3, J.Lawton 6 & S.Beeby 6 (Outlane) 45; 4, J.Caine 5 & J.Hazelden 3 (Crosland Heath/Outlane) 44; 4 J.Smith Scr & J.Jennings 5 (Bradley Hall/Halifax) 44; 6, T.Garrett 1 & R.Barker 14 (Crosland Heath) 41; 6, D.Stafford 2 & C.Thornby 3 (Todmorden) 41; 6, R.Turner 8 & D.Hughes 12 (Ind Huddersfield) 41; 6, G.Broadbent 11 & A.McMahon 7 (West End) 41; 10, R.Speight 4 & M.Haigh 6 (Dewsbury) 40; 10, M.Campbell 7 & R.Langley-Webb 10 (Crow Nest Park) 40; 10, I.Sidebottom 10 & P.Ratcliffe 5 (Hanging Heaton) 40; 10, D.Knapton 11 & P.Reynolds 13 (Outlane) 40; 10, B.Cassidy 12 & L.Campey 20 (Outlane) 40; 10, M.Russell 19 & E.Pearson 19 (Crosland Heath) 40; 16, L.Pilkington 1 & R.Thornton 12 (Crosland Heath/Dewsbury) 39; 16, N.Hirst 11 & C.Twigg 12 (Outlane) 39; 16, P.Heywood 11 & D.Mallinson 13 (Marsden) 39; 16, S.Whitham 12 & R.Wimpenny 12 (Crosland Heath) 39; 20, D.Whitwam 6 & S.Burns 5 (Bradley Hall/Crosland Heath) 38; 20, C.Holmes 7 & H.Murray 14 (Metham/Dewsbury) 38; 20, R.Dass 9 & D.Baxter 11 (Crosland Heath) 38; 20, M.Dempsey 11 & P.Sellen 13 (Ind Huddersfield) 38; 24, J.Horrocks-Taylor 12 & K.Hammond 12 (Halifax) 37; 24, M.Powell 13 & R.Stimpson 12 (West End) 37; 24, R.T.Owen 13 & P.Crosse 13 (Crosland Heath) 37; 27, D.Law 6 & M.Illingworth 15 (Meltham/Crosland Heath) 36; 27, K.Puckering 14 & R.Wilson 17 (Outlane) 36; 27, D.Hartley Scr & P.Barron 5 (Dewsbury) 36; 30, D.Campbell 5 & A.Campbell 9 (Meltham) 35; 30, N.Day 7 & D.Wilson 5 (Crow Nest Park) 35; 30, R.Fairburn 7 & P.Firth 14 (Bradley Hall) 35; 30, A.Wallis 8 & S.Hitchenor 8 (Crosland Heath) 35; 30, N.Crowther 12 & M.Atkinson 12 (Outlane) 35; 30, J.Smith 14 & A Mellor 14 (Longey Park/Outlane) 35; 30, E.Howker 17 & T.Beddis 16 (Bradley Hall) 35; 37, M.Travis 6 & R.Gledhill 15 (Crosland Heath) 34; 37, S.McKenzie 8 & G.Atkin 9 (Outlane) 34; 37, P.Hesselden 12 & D.Middleton 11 (Bradley Hall) 34; 37, R.Johnson 16 & J.Crosland 8 (Meltham) 34; 41, R.T.Williams 12 & C.L’Estrange 12 (Crosland Heath) 32; 41, D.Harrison 13 & P.Kinghorn 20 (Bradley Park) 32; 41, A.Hirst 14 & P.Pitchforth 13 (Bradley Hall) 32; 41, H.Bailey 16 & R.Ely 20 (Dewsbury) 32.