North Cliff Golf Club legend Simon Boddy appointed as 116th captain

Simon Boddy's place in the pantheon of North Cliff GC history is by his very golfing deeds already assured, while our club can only benefit from the reflected glory, enthusiasm and hard work he employs on a daily basis on behalf of North Cliff while balancing his work and family in equal measure.

Of course his golfing pedigree was seeded through grandparents Ken and Marion Boddy who both held their respective captaincy positions at North Cliff with Ken also attaining the presidency both here and for the East Riding Union Of Golf Clubs.

It was grandad Ken who would pick the young Simon up before six in the morning to get a quick nine in before dropping the young maestro off at school.

Sure enough the lad would be on his way back down here at the school bell chasing the glory years that followed playing with his contemporaries and learning the refinements of our game from some of North Cliff's wily old senoir exponents of its ancient craft.

Emerging through a strong and nationally successful junior section at North Cliff, Simon captured the East Riding Boys Championship in 1998 and the prestigious East Riding Matchplay in 2002 just before turning professional over an eight-year period which did sadly curtail his East Riding team appearances but where his years under Tony Skingle proved an integral part of his life and golfing development.

Still his proudest moments are the blistering 65 gross course record he shot around his beloved and increasingly challenging North Cliff course where he is also equally proud of the six Club Championships that places him just a three behind North Cliff's legendary Great Britain International Mike Kelley.

Also his two Auction club Matchplay Championship wins cannot be ignored with many years hopefully left in the tank. His name appears on Cliff’s major honours boards a multitude of times from the mid-1990s.

Simon is quick to reference the major part both Skingle and John Hinchliffe, his two bosses at South Cliff and Snainton Golf Centre respectively, have played in his golfing story as both mentors and friends during a 20-year career within the golf industry.

These days in a total career change Simon is employed in a managerial role by Builders Merchants "JT Atkinson" in Scarborough.

Although to state golf is not just a summer game, it is a stretch to call it an all-year round sport, hence he does keep his competitive edge sharp on the baize where he has been three-times Scarborough Pool champion and once held the town snooker title.

However, his great affection for North Cliff from his idyllic junior years playing three times a day with some cracking young golfers whose impact on him and indeed each other's development was invaluable to their individual developments as golfers, human beings and so many character building lessons both good and at times educationally wayward.

Simon wants his year to be about the club continuing to move forward with the brilliant and diverse membership we are currently fortunate to witness week in week out, filling the course and enjoying the terrific atmosphere and dynamic vibe the clubhouse and its attractive location is proving to be within the local community. This mantra can only serve the club’s long-term attraction and essential commercial requirements.

We truly wish one of our own, Simon Boddy, his wife Steph and son George the very best of golfing years!