BITS’s Steve Taylor overall winner at Westlake NTDA Golf Day

Wholesaler BITS can lay claim to the UK tyre industry’s keenest golfing prowess after its company representatives, Brian Jenkins, John Chappel, John Sipson and Steve Taylor, won the Team Prize – and Taylor the overall first place – in the Westlake-sponsored NTDA Golf Day 2011. John Tarbox, honorary captain of the NTDA Golf Society and ex chairman of the NTDA, labelled this year’s event, “one of the best Golf Days ever” in his prize-giving speech at dinner. The event was held on 15 September at the Oxfordshire Golf Club, with Westlake providing the trophies, including a new permanent prize specially flown in from Dubai for the overall winner – Taylor will also keep a copy.

The event was attended by various members of the NTDA, of the automotive charity BEN, which managed to raise £420 on the night and representatives of Westlake, including Surender and Harjeev Kandhari, chairman and executive director respectively of worldwide Westlake distributor the Al Dobowi Group, and Jorge Crespo, European sales manager for Eskay Tyres.

Surender Kandhari, who flew from the United Arab Emirates to participate in the one-day event, said that it was “an honour” to sponsor the NTDA Golf Day and thanked the NTDA’s members for the opportunity. “We believe in giving back to society, and, as a family, we are committed to the tyre industry. We believe in motion, and the tyre industry’s future is in motion,” he said. In reference to Westlake’s future Golf events Kandhari said that “we hope to be here year after year”.

Crespo said that the whole day had been a success and was very glad that Westlake had been able to make so many people happy on the golf course. “We really enjoyed meeting and playing with the other members. All in all, it has been a great day out and we really look forward to strengthening our partnership with this particular trade association in the UK”, he stated.

Commenting on the event after his victorious round, Taylor said that it had been a “superb day and venue”. He concluded: “I want to thank all my teammates, and thank you Westlake!” he added.
Another of the participants, Peter Harries, group executive director for Axle Group Holdings Ltd., said that the day’s events had been a “fantastic success” and further stated that “this was surely the best attended golf day for many years. It was great to meet up with so many friends from the industry and we all appreciated Westlake’s generosity in sponsoring the day. It is very exciting that Surender Kandhari pledged to sponsor the event for a few years. The trophies were magnificent, and I believe these are copies of those won at the Emirates!”

He further stated that he was “looking forward to next year’s event because it promises to be even better attended”, and mentioned that although there were about 60 people playing this year, another “40 or 50 tried to get a game but couldn’t get a place. Next year will be huge!”

Finally, Tarbox thanked all present, including the NTDA’s director, Richard Edy, and his PA Lynne Smith, who helped to organise the event Tarbox concluded: “Change is a great thing, and the NTDA has changed, and Westlake has made that change possible. The NTDA has become a part of our life because the tyre industry is fundamental for the economy of this country, and many other countries”.

The winners of the night’s prizes were:

Overall Prize:
Steve Taylor (42 points)

Division 1’s Les Amiss Bowl:
First: Gary Oliver (40 points)
Second: Grant Willman (39 points)
Third: John Sipson (37 points)

Division 2’s Fullwood Cup:
First: Adit Chopra (36 points)
Second: Martin Irwin (34 points)
Third: John Chappell (33 points)

Division 3’s Godsall Cup:
First: Brian Sprott (36 points)
Second: Philip Hodges (35 points)
Third: Martin Rowland (33 points)

Team Prize:
BITS (Brian Jenkins, John Chappel, John Sipson and Steve Taylor)

Beat the Pro competition, Hole 2:
Gary Oliver
Clive Mansfield
John Chappel
Steve Taylor
Paul Glencross

Longest Drive, Hole 11:
Richard Hayward

Nearest the Pin in 2, Hole 14:
Dene Arnold

Nearest the Pin, Hole 5:
Angela Cole