Hart Common duo renew old partnership

A pair of Manchester golfers are set to reunite for the chance to secure glory at 2014 Ryder Cup venue Gleneagles.

Amateur Terry Battersby (left) and Hart Common PGA Professional Steve Parry (right) teamed up to compete in the PGA Pro-Captain Challenge in 2012.

And although they failed to make the final on that occasion, the lessons learned have provided them with the perfect opportunity to challenge for honours this time around.

The duo have qualified for the £43,600 Lombard Trophy grand final, which will be played over Gleneagles’ King’s Course on September 2-3.

The event, which will take place just three weeks before the Ryder Cup, is the largest pro-am in Europe, with more than 700 clubs being whittled down to just 16 during a series of regional finals across the British Isles.                                  

Remarkably this is the second year in a row that Hart Common have progressed to play in the final.

Parry teamed with amateur Derrick Rigby last year to finish in a very respectable ninth place.

And Battersby, a service engineer by trade, admitted the pressure is on as the club look to improve on last year’s performance.

“Obviously at the minute I’m just feeling very excited, but we will be going there wanting to do well,” he said.

“Derrick was out of this world last year, and he has been given me some little bits of advice before I travel.

“He’s basically told me not to be scared by the event – just go and play as I would do normally.

“I’ve never played in anything quite like this before, so it will be interesting to see how far we can go.”

Parry, meanwhile, was in confident mood as he plotted the pair’s assault on the silverware.

“Yeah we’re raring to go,” he enthused. “I don’t see why we can’t go there and win.”

“I played in the final last year but that was the PGA Centenary Course which will be hosting the Ryder Cup, so I don’t necessarily see that giving us an advantage.

“We just need to go there and hit as many birdies as possible.”

For 10-handicapper Battersby, the trip to Gleneagles marks his biggest day’s golf since his friends persuaded him to swap fishing rod for golf clubs 10 years ago.

“I only started playing golf as I was invited to go with a few friends – my main hobby was fishing before then - but I soon got into it and enjoyed the social aspect of the game,” he explained

“People talk about golf being elitist, but one of the main things I enjoyed when I started playing regularly at the club was that I was playing and socialising with people from all walks of life.

“That was probably the main reason I got hooked on the sport, and the reason that it has now become such a big part of my life.