A golf specialist tour operator with its UK HQ in Macclesfield has become the shirt sponsors of the Congleton club's North Staffs and District League team.

This follows Steve Nicholson, the UK Sales Manager of Bilyana Golf Holidays, moving house from Macclesfield to Congleton and joining the club which bears the name of his new home town.

Steve loves the sport so much he has a single figure handicap of 5.4 and Bilyana have also put up prizes of free four-night golf holidays in the Algarve - one for a club competition of the men's section's choosing and another for the ladies.

Bilyana's association with Congleton stems from a successful meeting involving Steve, the club chairman Paul Bennett and secretary David Lancake.

Steve, a former King's School Macclesfield pupil who used to be a member of Mottram Hall, said: "There were two main objectives for me.

"Firstly, as a golfer, the priority was somewhere where I could play a quick nine holes, practice, enjoy my golf and the occasional comp and feel part of a club.

"Secondly, I enjoy an opportunity to network, promote the golf holidays business and give something back to the club at the same time. It's reciprocal, a two-way street.

"I enjoyed a very welcoming meeting indeed with the chairman and the secretary who I both found very open to ideas.

"Also, Congleton is such a warm and friendly club I have felt at home there right away."

Steve, 42, worked for Bilyana for seven years in Antalya, Turkey, before asking to front up the UK operation in Macclesfield five years ago.

The destinations Bilyana cover are Turkey, Morocco, Portugal and they will soon be adding the UK for domestic golf holidays.

Pre-pandemic, over 20,000 golfers travelling to Belek in Turkey booked with Bilyana in 2019, more than any other golf travel company in the world.

Bilyana have just moved into new offices at the Kathleen Roylance Buildings in the centre of Macclesfield, near the railway station.

Steve added: "We are very excited to be sponsoring Congleton Golf Club and we look forward to contributing to the all the fun of the enjoyable events for the members this year as we get back into the game we all love so much."

Club chairman Paul: "Steve is a breath of fresh air, very accommodating and has become a valued member of the club."

For more info on Bilyana, visit here.

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