Makers’ Own Captain Marvel
For the last 10 years Steve Warner has been renown for delivering and driving all over the UK supporting our Construction Sites in his usual enigmatic style, but 2016 see’s him doing a different type of driving, with good reason.
To mark his achievement at reaching 60, (a feat in itself if you know Steve) but most of us didn’t think he would make it including his lovely partner Carol, but Steve has been selected to be Captain of Branston Golf and Country Club in Burton, Staffordshire for the 2016 season.
For Steve it’s almost a return home where after being encouraged to take up the game aged 8 by his grandfather at Oxley Park, he steadily reduced his handicap from 36 to professional status in a matter of 7 years.
Having moved to Whipsnade Golf Club as an assistant professional, Steve met George Hamshaw who had interests in several golf clubs, one being Branston.
Steve was ‘encouraged’ to move from Whipsnade and became Head Professional at Branston in 1975, where according to him he did everything bar sell any golf balls! Then only a 9 hole course and 100 members the club passed through different owners to become an 18 hole course designed by Charles Ellerington and golf pro Gary Gilligan.
During Steve’s time at Branston winter months were spent mowing grass until 1985 when the club sent him away to Kuwait to teach! Steve being Steve arrived in Kuwait, he arrived but his clubs didn’t and after waiting what seemed a lifetime he took the slow camel ride to his new temporary home Ahamadi Golf Club.
Steve described this part of his life as “sandy, hot and freezing and very very busy!” There Steve learned to putt on ‘Browns’ (sand drenched in crude oil and rolled to provide a putting surface.)
“It was like playing golf on a highway”
“At 8.00 I’d be dressed like an eskimo, by 10.00 I was in my swimming trunks!”
Steve first victory came at the age of 29 where as professional he won the Kuwait Open. A remarkable victory considering he borrowed all his clubs from different members and was a late replacement for the head pro who pulled out at the last minute.
“I hadn’t even seen the course, and between Roger Pellent and Bill McCawley who had won it last 6 times between them I really went for the party.”
Steve will tell you that how he has been affected by many things in his life, his journey is one of circumstances but his main fear is ‘speech making’ and this worry has seen Steve rather come second than win to avoid this situation.
He was nearly successful in doing this in Club Championship at Branston in 2009 when at the age of 53 he 4 putted the 18th only to find out he had still won!
Steve took a career break from golf disillusioned with the game after so many years and entered the real world of work working in logistics in warehousing for over 10 years until he finally arrived 
at Makers after what can only be described as a short interview.
As is tradition at Branston, the season starts with the ‘drive in’ a gathering of all golfers to start the season with a Texas Scramble but before play can begin, the awaiting throng are entertained by the incoming captain and their supporting Vices! in a theme of their choice.
This year saw Steve and his lady captain Jenny Hollis put on an interpretation of ‘Grease’ but with a twist of gender reversal. 
Apparently Steve feels quite comfortable in ladies clothing and was up for the challenge of playing Olivia Newton John.
The original Grease movie cost $6 million to make, Steve’s budget was a little more pressed but still managed to carry off the routine to ‘Grease Lightning’ and ‘Summer Nights,’ supported by the students of Burton College and the Famous ‘T’ Birds!
Everyone at Makers wishes Steve and his partner Carol the very best with his Captaincy, golf and all the speeches, you never know Steve you might actually get to make scratch again!