Celebrations are put on hold at Hawkstone

It was cause for triple celebration in February as – squeezed between the devastating Shropshire floods and the coronavirus pandemic – the club officially launched its 100th year.

The raising of the centenary flag was joined by a drive in of the club's new captains and opening of Lyle's Bar, a new state-of-the-art clubhouse named after two-time Major winner Sandy Lyle.

A power cut almost interrupted cake and champagne but the bubbly is now on ice as the club have been forced to cancel or postpone many of the events scheduled to mark the big birthday.

"We were really looking forward to our centenary year," explained the club's president Dale Benbow. "We had an extraordinary drive in. After the floods there was a small window of opportunity to raise the centenary flag for the four captains to drive in.

"There was a massive power cut but we just managed to cut the ribbon and have some champagne and cake.

"It was such a special way to kick off our centenary year but everything is now completely closed. It's just terrible luck.

"It's just all so sad. We're trying to keep the club alive best we can."

The club's new men's and Ladies’ Captains, husband and wife Stuart and Christine Apperley, drove into office off the first tee earlier this year alongside senior captain Gerald Smith and junior captain Max Balmforth.

Skeletal staff remain hard at work doing everything they can – from maintaining the course, to capturing the local wildlife, to providing daily updates on members' online community – to, as Benbow puts it, 'make sure everybody remembers us'.

"Our secretary Louisa Goff is constantly working on website. Nigel Chesters has been policing the work the green staff are doing on the course from a distance," added Benbow, whose family have been involved at Hawkstone Park since 1975 and who works with Benbow Brothers Timber, alongside Ken and Les, at the Lee Brockhurst-based club.

"Nigel is doing a superb 'Swan Watch' for Facebook and Twitter. It's all to keep members involved and to make sure everybody remembers the club.

"We're all just longing to get back together again. ut the bigger picture is golf is not that important, is it?

"We will all get through it and hope that the club gets back too.

"We want to keep the centenary feeling going."

But anticipated events, such as the captain's charity meet, have fallen as causalities to Covid-19.

The club had planned a team event with participants using original hickory golf clubs to raise funds for the The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital in Oswestry.

The Easter Cup has also been postponed. Hawkstone Park chiefs are hoping that some of their showpiece meetings may be possible later in the line, but realise they are in the hands of government guidelines.

Technology ensures that none of the club's 340 members will miss a beat while away from the famous old course.

But for now those connected can do nothing but hope that the virus clears leaving sufficient time for the planned festivities.

"Our captain Stuart Apperley and Lady captain Christine are doing such a great job keeping everybody informed," added the president.

"The ladies have made a successful Whatsapp group called 'The 19th hole' and the seniors have been very witty with emails going out.

"For us it's just about keeping everybody going. I think that's the Great British spirit.

"With the Lyle's Bar we were looking to create more of a club atmosphere and we're all so devastated."