Hancock takes a stand ahead of Woodsome Hall event

Mark Hancock will make his bid for the Golfbreaks.com PGA Fourball Championship with a new club this year.

Hancock is again teaming up with Swinton Park Golf Club professional David Smith for the north qualifying event to be held at Woodsome Hall Golf Club near Huddersfield on June 22.

They will be aiming to reach the £33,000 BMW and SkyCaddie-supported final which takes place on the Jack Nicklaus designed course at Carden Park in Cheshire between August 17-19.

The pair had a top seven finish last year and have made the top five at the showpiece event.

But Hancock has moved from Cheadle Golf Club to Stand Golf Club, near Bury, where he has replaced the retiring PGA Professional Mark Dance.

“I’ve only been there since May 1, so I’m still getting my feet under the table and getting used to the new surroundings,” said Hancock.

“It’ll be good to get out and play in the Fourball event again but I might have to rely on David a little more this time around.”

Hancock goes into the event knowing the duo have a good record under their belts.

“I don’t think we’ve ever failed to qualify from the Woodsome Hall event,” he said.

“And we’ve done well in the final. Last year we had a bad couple of opening rounds but turned it around.

“It’d be nice to think we can go there and improve on what we’ve done before but we’ll have to see.”

Hancock believes the pairing works as they are good friends and not afraid to tell it like it is.

“We get on very well, which is good when you make a bad shot and get ‘that’ look,” added Hancock.

“At least when it happens you’re getting it from a mate, so we dovetail really well in these events.”

Also taking part in the Woodsome Hall event are: Gary Brown (Marple Golf Club) and Graham Neville (Northenden Golf Club); Jonathan Cheetham (www.1836tour.com) and Grant Hamerton (Pike Fold Golf Club); Adam Durie (Woodsome Hall Golf Club) and John Eyre (Woodsome Hall Golf Club); Simon Edwards (Windermere Golf Club) and David Shacklady (Mossock Hall Golf Club); and Jason Laszkowicz and James French (Owston Hall)