Gordon Edwards
Bromborough G.C.'s Gordon Edwards was one of Cheshire's most successful and respected golfers for well over half a century.
He made his first appearance in county colours for the Colts team in 1951, and his final match was for the Seniors team in 2012. Between these dates he won numerous championships and, alongside Roy Smethurst, achieved enormous success as a senior golfer when Cheshire dominated the 55+ age group.
Gordon first won the County Championship in 1962, the first year it was played in 72 hole strokeplay format. In winning at Wallasey, Gordon ended Jack Jones' remarkable run of 3 straight championships, but he needed a play-off against J.W.Howard to do it. He went on to share the English County Champions' Tournament with Alan Thirlwell.
The County did not want to say goodbye to matchplay golf, and introduced a new championship in 1964. Gordon clearly appreciated this as he won the forst two matchplay championships, both at Mere, beating Alan Cliffe and Matt Wesley.
He won his next County Championship at Prestbury in 1966, and was runner-up the following year at Wilmslow, although he trailed in an incredible 20 strokes behind Arnold O'Connor of Hazel Grove
When a new handicap system was introduced in 1967, there were only five scratch players in Cheshire:
Jack Jones (Upton)
John Youdale (Upton)
Peter Dennett (Mere)
Geoff Lloyd (Ashton-on-Mersey)
Gordon Edwards (Bromborough)
In 1973 Gordon was to beat Roy Smethurst for the County Championship at Prestbury, in what proved to be his last win in the event. The following year he won another Matchplay Championship, beating Sandiway's Clive Tickell at Royal Liverpool. In 1986 he won it again at the age of 54, beating a young Gareth Bradley at Wallasey.
Bromborough, winners of the Team Championship 1971. Gordon Edwards, T.Fost, D.P. "Dipper" Jones, J.Neville
County Champion, 1973 at Prestbury
Seniors golf was to be a source of even more success for Gordon, however this time it was to be at at national level.
Gordon and others initiated the establishment of a County Seniors Team and an English Seniors team – both initially independent of the CUGU and EGU who showed a lack of interest in organised seniors golf at the time. Gordon had badged team shirts and jumpers made (not a problem for someone in the men's fashion trade) and team members paid for them. Soon, and especially after Roy Smethurst came of Seniors age, the success of Cheshire’s Seniors outstripped that of the younger players,could not be ignored, and Cheshire adopted the team. In 2000 Cheshire held a very enjoyable dinner to celebrate the achievement of the Seniors.Gordon played for England against Wales at Newport,1997. This may well have been the first seniors home international.
Gordon won the English Seniors Championship in 1988 on home soil at Sandiway, won it again in in '93 and again in '96 when he shared the title. He went on to win his age catoegory several tmes. He won the Cheshire Seniors Championship in 1994 and '95.
In 1996 Gordon tied for first place in the European Seniors Championship at The Hague, but lost after a last round card play off. What a way to settle a championship! In Spain in 2001 he was 5th in their Seniors Open but won the Spanish Doubles Seniors in the same year. Interestingly, in 2012 he managed to score 6 shots less than his age while competing in the Northern Seniors at Darlington G.C.
Gordon Edwards' incredible success stretched over a period of 60 years. A modest but very competitive player, he brought enormous recognition to both Bromborough Golf Club and to CUGC.