Yorkshireman Tim is new Leighton Buzzard club captain

Bowler-hatted new Leighton club captain Tim Mitchell with vice captain Stuart Mills, and (left to right) senior section skipper Paul Bishop , new junior captain Max Brunker, ladies captain Oonagh Russell and supporting cast.

Bowler-hatted career-banker Tim Mitchell has been installed as the new captain of Leighton Buzzard Golf Club, suitably attired for a hard day at the office planning a fund-raising campaign to support children with life-threatening illnesses.

Yorkshire-born Tim, 62, ten years a member of the 600-strong Plantation Road club, teed-off as skipper on Sunday just hours after fireman Graham Freer was “thrown out” after his successful year as captain, jointly raising £28,000 with ladies captain Lesley Bednarek and donated to the Milton Keynes-based charity Emily’s Star on Saturday.

During his year in office, father-of-seven Tim and ladies captain Oonagh Russell will be raising funds for the children’s care facility at Keech Cottage hospice from a range of golfing and social events which got under way on Sunday with the traditional “drive-in”, with members restricted to using just two clubs and a putter for the opening event of the year.

Winner was former Mentmore golfer Graham Robinson, who beat Alan Payne on countback after both carded 27 points on the event restricted to 12 holes due to heavy rain, despite Alan potting a hole-in-one on the 150-yard Par 3 ninth. Dean Oakley took third place from Alan Savage on countback after both finished with 26 points. The event raised £600 for charity.

The drive-in with a strong Yorkshire accent and flavour was the work of vice captain Stuart Mills and a panel of celebrity club colleagues including fellow banker John Latimer, Trevor Mcaleese and the Yorkshire Tea marketing team, Hovis delivery boy Max Brunker, Last of the Summer Wine lookalike Foggy Bishop, Compo Stephenson, Clegg Beesley and Oonagh Batty.

A native of Bingley in West Yorkshire and avid Bradford City soccer fan and amateur player, Tim was also an accomplished squash player and keen cricketer for Eldwick & Gilstead before taking up golf.

*Seniors captain Paul Bishop, John Latimer and Peter Myrants were elected members of the club management committee at the annual meeting on Thursday with outgoing captain Graham Freer nominating course manager Paul Harris and green-staff colleagues as ‘Team of the Year’ for their excellent work in maintaining the course during hot and dry summer months.