As my tribute to Tim I have decided to give you all an overview of Tim's Wearside Wanderers Golf Society record along with a few anecdotes and memories I have of Tim.
Tim, along with Jim Rooks, Dave Sanders, Eddie Harrison, Steve Grant and Bernie Fitzsimmon joined our band of happy hackers in 2007. The new members gave a fresh impetus to the Society and Tim in particular made an immediate impact (if nothing else than with the noise made by his "frying pan" driver and his cack handed grip). Tim has the distinction of being the only member who has played more than one season in the Society to have won at least one trophy every one of the seven seasons he was with us.
2007 Season
Winner of the Longest Drive category, the first of many Society Category win's for Tim over the following seven seasons.
Tim finished 2nd in Main Championship (by 3 points).
He had 2 round wins - Whitley Bay (38 points) & Slaley Hall (33 points).
Semi Finalist in the Chairman's Cup (beaten by Derek Griffiths the eventual Cup winner).
2008 Season
Borders Championship winner (and recipient of “The Claw” for the first time, more on that later). This included a weekend trip to Goswick (a bloody hard Links course) and Bamburgh (with truly stunning scenery) golf courses plus games at Bellingham and Matfen Hall. Tim won by 2 points from Eddie Harrison.
Tim finished 2nd in main Championship again (by only 1 point this time). This was the closest finish in our society history. Tim was beaten to the Championship on the last shot of the last hole of the last round by his great friend and brother in law Jim Rooks.
He had 1 round win in 2008, Matfen Hall (41 points).
Semi Finalist in the Chairman's Cup again (beaten by John Ford this time).
2009 Season
Winner of the Longest Drive category (for the second time).
Once again Tim finished 2nd in main Championship, do you see a pattern emerging? (this time by 10 points). Once again Tim was beaten to the Claret Jug by Jim Rooks.
Tim took 1 round win in 2009 this time at Houghton by scoring 47 points (winning by 5 points!) sealing his reputation as the Houghton Expert.
Semi Finalist in the Chairman's Cup yet again (this time beaten by Derek Griffiths).
2010 Season
2010 saw Tim's second Borders Championship win (and recipient of “The Claw” again). This year's trip was memorable for a few reasons including the hospitality at Moffat Golf Club and the evening's entertainment in the Blacksmiths Arms at Talkin Tarn (double Drambuie's anybody?). But it's mostly memorable for Tim's 43 point demolition of the monster that is Brampton Golf Club the following day.
Finished 6th in the Main Championship.
He had 2 round wins – Brampton (43 points) & Bellingham (41 points).
2011 Season
Tim was the Borders Championship winner for the third time (as a three time winner we threatened to make him keep “The Claw” for good but he wouldn't agree to this for some strange reason).
He finished 2nd in main Championship for the fourth time (see what I mean about a pattern?) this time he was beaten to the Claret Jug by Paul Baker, but only by 2 points.
Tim took 2 round wins in 2011 - Bishop Auckland (36 points) & Ramside Hall (34 points).
This season Tim made it all the way to the final of the Chairman's Cup only to be beaten to the trophy by Paul Baker.
2012 Season
Joint winner of the Longest Drive category (with Jim).
Runner up in the Nearest the Pin category, losing out to Rico Liverani by a matter of 2cm!
Despite missing a large part of the season as he could only play 10 of the 17 rounds due to health issues Tim finished 9th in the Championship.
He took 2 round wins along the way at Richmond and at Arcot Hall. The 28 points he won with at Richmond is the lowest winning score in our Society history (28 points sounds poor but in all honesty it was an excellent score that day as it was blowing a gale).
2013 Season
Joint winner of the Longest Drive category (with Jim again).
This year Tim was a Quarter finalist in the Chairman's Cup. I had the pleasure of playing against Tim in the first round of this competition, we played at Houghton one Tuesday afternoon early in June. He shot off into an early lead but I managed to pull it back and hold it at 1 down till the 15th hole. Just when I was thinking I had a chance Tim stopped toying with me and he ended up winning 3&2. This was the final time I played with Tim and in hindsight it was the best as the two of us just talked and laughed as I hacked my way round trying to keep up with him. No matter how poorly you were playing Tim always encouraged you and cheered you up.
Sadly the 2013 Longest Drive win with Jim was to be Tim's final trophy with us but as I said at the beginning he has the distinction of being the only Wanderer to have won at least one of the major categories every season he played with us.
Larger than life in both stature and character Tim will be sorely missed by all who had the honour of knowing him.
GONE BUT NEVER FORGOTTEN.
Ian Gunn, WWGS Competition Secretary.