Northern Golfer magazine #33 - May 2015

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AT GOLF CLUBS IN THE NORTH EAST AND YORKSHIRE - ISSUE

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33

INSIDE

MAY 2015

56 PAGES

OF GOLF FACES, PLACES AND ACES www.northerngolfer.co.uk

LEGENDS LINE UP.

TORRANCE & JAMES HEAD UP NORTH HISTORIC HAT-TRICK.

DYKE HOUSE CLEAN SWEEP REVIEWED.

ALLENDALE GC & ROTHBURY GC

MATT FINISH

LAMB DETERMINED TO TURN TEEN PROMISE INTO A CAREER

WIN FOURBALLS AT DUNSTANBURGH GC & EAGLESCLIFFE GC

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EDITOR Paul Robertson editor@northerngolfer.co.uk CONTRIBUTORS Alan Hedley 07570 797 566 ahedley@northerngolfer.co.uk Paul Corney 07521 389 536 pcorney@northerngolfer.co.uk Dean Bailey 07792 608 162 dean@offstonepublishing.co.uk David Charlton 07734 697 760 david@sport-excellence.co.uk ADVERTISING MANAGER Gillian Corney 07903 500 401 gillian@offstonepublishing.co.uk PHOTOGRAPHY Peter Skelton www.photo-psp.co.uk

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EDITOR’S NOTE AND CONTENTS It is starting to feel like we are back in full swing following Jordan Speith’s romp to victory in the Masters Tournament.

His incredible performance to take the Green Jacket at such a tender age is sure to inspire many a young golfer on both sides of the pond as part of a new generation of great players.

Away from the stellar world of the professionals it is great to see something of a resurgence in grassroots sport with England Golf reporting a significant increase in participation.

Certainly the North East and Yorkshire region seems to be thriving thanks to some great initiatives encouraging more ladies and juniors into the game as well as more flexible membership schemes and attractive offers for visitors.

Many are featured in this issue of Northern Golfer alongside our usual diet of news, views and reviews.

Our cover features Matty Lamb as he builds on an impressive junior career with his sights firmly set on being the next one from the region to join the big time.

He will find inspiration from some of those in these pages who have enjoyed glittering careers - Sam Torrance and Mark James, both of whom will be playing in the ISPS Handa PGA Seniors Championship at Close House, and Nick Faldo, who has announced that this year’s Open Championship at St Andrews will be his last.

The young boys of Dyke House have certainly been inspired by their local pro Graeme Storm to complete a remarkable hat-trick, which you can read about on page 15.

Our two course reviews concentrate on beautiful Northumberland, we preview the county season, and we feature courses throughout our region under going improvements or preparing to host high profile tournaments this summer.

Plus we have news of charity events you can enjoy while raising money for great causes at the same time.

Good luck to all golfers young and old - let the weather be kind and your handicaps come down.

Published by:

04-15 TEEING OFF

Torrance and James on their way to Close House, aces galore, county season build-up, and a histroic treble for the boys from Dyke House

16 CHARITY FOCUS

Golf days across the region for some great causes

20 TOUR LIFE

Chris Paisley’s tour diary

32-39 GOLFER NEWS

Robinson’s Junior Solheim Cup call, new driving range for George Washington, Greenwatch, and the EuroPro is on its way to Longhirst

Paul Robertson, editor editor@northerngolfer.co.uk Publishers: Jane Pikett & Gary Ramsay Address: Offstone Publishing Unit 1, Bearl Farm, Stocksfield Northumberland, NE43 7AL Tel: 01661 844 115 E: enquiries@offstonepublishing.co.uk Twitter: @offstonepublish Facebook: /offstonepublishing

FRONT COVER

43-45 REGION FOCUS

England international teenager Matty Lamb on his plans to make the game a career

We take a trip to North Yorkshire

Pages 28-31

46 TIPS

Junior tips focus When you have finished with this magazine please recycle it ©Offstone Publishing 2015. All rights reserved.

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18 ALLENDALE GOLF CLUB

40 ROTHBURY GOLF CLUB

48 COMPETITIONS

Win fourballs at Dunstanburgh GC and Eaglescliffe GC

50 MATCH PLAY PAIRS Preliminary round draw

51 LADIES GREENSOMES Entry deadline extended for our new competition

62 FROM THE BUNKER Readers’ news and views

NORTHERN GOLFER 03

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04 NORTHERN GOLFER

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Strokeplay Championship will attract the best

T

he UK’s top golfers are expected to compete in the North of England Open Amateur Strokeplay Championship, which will be staged for the third time in Yorkshire this September.

A World Amateur Golf Ranking event, and the final fixture of the Titliest Footjoy England Order of Merit, the event is now firmly cemented on the calendar of the country’s top amateur championships.

With a field restricted to 117 competitors due to shorter daylight hours, and with a maximum prize pot of £1,800, a top field is anticipated when the event takes place at Open Championship qualifying venue Pannal in West Yorkshire from September 29-October 1.

Open to players with a handicap of 1.4 or less, the Championship attracted top golfers from across the UK last year and was won by

Windermere’s Adam Chapman.

The 19-year-old said after his victory that his target for 2015 was Walker Cup selection, an honour he is close to achieving after being confirmed among the squad.

The championship attracted another Walker Cup player in Callum Shinkwin of Moor Park, who competed at Pannal in 2013 shortly after representing the GB & I team in Southampton, New Jersey.

The event is organised by the Northern Counties Golf Union made up of the unions of Cheshire, Cumbria, Durham, Isle of Man, Lancashire, Northumberland and Yorkshire but is open to players from all over the UK and beyond.

Northern Counties secretary Dennis Trickett said: “After some disappointing weather in the first year the championship is now going from strength to strength. It was keenly contested in 2014 and we are anticipating an even better event this year.”

Entry forms and competition rules and conditions can be downloaded from www.englandgolf.com and ncgu.co.uk

TEEINGOFF

OutstANNEding achievement Northumberland stalwart honoured

N

orthumberland’s Anne Herbert has won England Golf ’s Lifetime Service Award for her outstanding contribution to the game.

Anne, who has just retired as president of the Northumberland County Ladies Golf Association, was recognised for her work with her club, county, region and county vets association.

She was nominated for the award by the NCLGA, which wrote: “the sustained leadership, enthusiasm and sheer hard work of Anne Herbert has made a major and very positive impact.”

She received the award from England Golf president Nigel Evans at a gala dinner at the England

Golf annual conference at Hinckley Island Hotel in Leicestershire.

Anne said: “I’m thrilled and honoured. I am also very lucky because I enjoy volunteering and never expected to be thanked.”

Anne is renowned for her organisational skills and the encouragement she offers to players.

Her legacy to the county includes a trophy for an adult/ junior foursomes competition to encourage female golfers.

Anne took up golf as a young girl and has been a keen player for 70 years and has represented the A team at her home club Gosforth Park Ladies for four decades.

At club level she’s been captain, handicap secretary, treasurer and

Anne receives her award from England president Nigel Evans (Image courtesy of Leaderboard Photography) president. She became involved with the county in the 1990s and has been county handicap adviser, county captain and president. She has also been captain and president of the county vets association.

In addition, Anne has represented Northumberland on

regional committees.

Anne is a great advocate of competitive golf. “I’m a great believer that it’s important to enter as many competitions as possible, to be involved in county competitions and to meet up with people from other clubs,” she said.

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TEEINGOFF

Junior tour back again

Young golfers in Durham will have the opportunity to play on a mini tour of their own again this year.

Entries are now open for the Cleveland/Srixon Junior Golf Tour - a series of nine-hole events designed to give the next generation of players competitive experience over a series of different courses.

The competition, which is now in its seventh year, is open to boys aged 8-12 and girls aged 8-13.

Each round is split into different age and ability categories, with novice players using forward tees and adapted rules. The Tour culminates with a regional final – involving junior tour players from Northumberland and Cumbria.

Each of the four rounds costs £6, although if all four are entered together the entrance fee is just £20.

Last year more than 70 boys and girls took part in the competition, with Durham going on to win the inter-county regional final for the second successive year.

The qualifying events are: Sunday May 10 - South Moor Sunday June 14 - George Washington Sunday July 26 - Hartlepool Sunday August 16 - Durham City For more information go to the Junior Tour page at www.durhamgolfpartnership.com

30 not out Abbeydale’s Mary Muhley won her club’s Scratch Trophy for the 30th time at the end last year.

She first won the event in 1973 and would have probably had a better record had she not missed the event a few times when her two sons were younger!

06 NORTHERN GOLFER

Sam Torrance (courtesy Getty Images)

Torrance tees up for seniors Ryder cup winner set to head field for the ISPS Handa PGA Seniors Championship, June 11-14 at Close House

R

yder Cup-winning captain Sam Torrance will be among the star names teeing up at this year’s ISPS Handa PGA Seniors Championship at Close House, which takes place June 11-14.

Torrance, who won the event in 2005 and 2006, will return to the championship, which takes place over the Lee Westwood Colt Course at the Northumberland club.

The 61-year-old Scot, who has won 11 Senior and 21 European Tour titles will be one of the players to watch at the four-day championship which this year boasts a £260,000 prize fund.

“The PGA Championship is one of our biggest events on the schedule so I look forward to playing in it,” said Torrance. “It’s a new venue which comes very highly rated and it would be great to win the title for a third time at a third venue.”

Close House, which has agreed to stage the tournament for three years, is looking forward to hosting the prestigious event.

“To stage a top-ranking tournament of this magnitude for the first time confirms an exciting period in our development and is testament to everyone connected with Close House and shows how far we have come since opening less than four years ago,” said owner Graham Wylie.

“The decision to stage the championship here at Close House gives us an excellent opportunity to showcase our facilities and will allow golf fans in the Newcastle area an exclusive opportunity to see top class professional golf at close quarters.

“We have already had 12,000 golf fans register for tickets, which are complimentary, and we are looking forward to hosting them as well as welcoming all the leading European Senior Tour players to the North East.”

The championship, which is the longestrunning event on the European Senior Tour, will be defended by Santiago Luna.

To register for your free ticket go to www.closehouse.com/pgaseniors

TEEINGOFF surgery followed and Lilly has now undergone eight operations.

The news is now better and David said: “Lilly just takes it all in her stride, she’s incredible. Her hair is starting to grow back now and the tumour is beginning to shrink.”

David - and Lilly - joined other fundraisers at Slaley Hall at the golf tournament to raise money for the Toma Fund, and Newcastle United player Ryan Taylor was among those attending the event, which was organised by Andrea Thompson, who set up the fund in memory of her son Jordan who lost his battle with acute myeloid leukaemia in September 2007.

Lilly’s lifesaver

Slaley Hall pro’s fundraiser as daughter battles brain tumour

D

avid Hartley handed over nearly £7,000 to the Toma Fund thanks to a golf day at Slaley Hall.

The cheque was a big thank you from David for the help his family has received while his five-year-old daughter Lilly has been receiving chemotherapy.

“Lilly is eight months into an 18-month course of treatment and is doing well,” said David.

“I named the event after my two children - Lilly and my son Sonny who has spent every milestone of his three years in hospital

supporting his big sister.” David, 28, who is based at Slaley Hall as a professional and membership advisor, added: “Lilly is such an incredibly happy little girl and thinks what is happening to her is just normal.”

Lilly was just two when she was diagnosed with a brain tumour and underwent a 10-hour operation at Newcastle’s RVI. After several days in intensive care and weeks in hospital, she was finally allowed to return home, but in October 2013, scans revealed the tumour was growing again and more

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Billy Dunmore and Rob King (inset)

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Whitburn and Eaglescliffe aces

I

t’s been a long time coming but Billy Dunmore finally scored his second hole-in-one in 48 years at Whitburn Golf Club.

His first ace came in 1995 at the Lizard Lane club’s 14th, a tricky sloping par three with a semi-blind tee shot of about 180 yards from the back tee.

This time around, it was at the iconic 16th, a tough 186-yard par three, although it was playing about 175 from the yellow markers when Billy, playing with Bill Robinson and Ronnie Pude, used a four iron.

“It was a good hole-in-one,’ said 75-year-old Billy who plays off a handicap of 16. “I creamed the tee shot and it carried the right hand bunker and rolled in. I was stunned.”

It was one of his better moments

of playing golf which includes his first ace and being a member of the Whitburn team which won the Durham County Teams Handicap Championship a few years ago at Throston Grange.

Meanwhile, if you want to have an ace - Eaglescliffe looks a good bet.

There’s been a flurry of holes-in one early this year with Rob King acing the 13th in February, followed

by Sam Donald at the same hole in March and Di Nutter acing the 17th in April.

Rob obviously likes his course, it was his second hole-in-one at 13 in 18 months and his third at the club having also aced the 17th…he now has five aces in 24 years playing golf, 20 of them at the Yarm Road club where he plays off 12.

TEEINGOFF

Mark of class

Golfing legend James on a trip back up North

M

ark James has never been short of forthright opinions, some of which were willingly shared at a clinic sponsored

by Bibby Financial Services and Patrick McLaughlin at Sunderland Golf Centre in April.

Members of Chris Pope’s forwardthinking operation on Newcastle Road attended the event, at which the former Ryder Cup captain and European Seniors Tour player was in top form - at one point hitting drives while on his knees in the style of the late Seve Ballesteros.

James, 61, has always had a strong connection with the North East with business partner Andrew Mair specialising in course design and management, and he will be at Close House next month for the ISPS Handa PGA Seniors Championship which will possibly be one of his last

competitive tournaments.

“This will probably be my last year on the Seniors Tour,” he said. “I’m looking to do a bit more TV commentary and maybe a bit more corporate stuff,” he said.

“This year I hope to play about 10 events and, hopefully, do commentary for the BBC at the Open. I will be playing at Close House in June, absolutely.”

Much wringing of hands followed the BBC’s loss of exclusive coverage of the Open - but the view is not shared by James. “It’s a fact of life that the coverage of the Open on TV is changing. The fact is an awful lot of people have access to Sky so I’m not so sure it’s going to be a situation where a lot of people are not going to see the Open, and the BBC will be doing a two-hour highlights programme.”

Mark James with Chris Pope (courtesy of Richard Hannam)

There’s no doubt golf faces difficulties and has to change, something which the old guard may not like, but James insists it has to be more accessible.

“I think there is a big argument for 27-hole complexes where you can play one 18-hole course and one shorter nine-hole course, but then trying to get planning permission for new courses is difficult.

“It was, frankly, a load of rubbish when we were told several years ago that we needed 700 new courses. Maybe there will be closures and amalgamations.

“We should be looking at complexes with golf courses, a gym, nice clubhouse with a thriving social membership that has to be the way forward. It’s a no-brainer.”

NORTHERN GOLFER 09

TEEINGOFF

Derby day is crucial for county rivals Northumberland and Durham captains look ahead to season-opening derby

N

orth East derby games are always important, whether you’re playing football, golf or tiddlywinks, and this year’s Northern Counties League kicks off on May 9 with a Northumberland-Durham clash at Blyth Golf Club.

Northumberland captain Andrew Minnikin is feeling confident going into the season, following a successful winter with

some 70 players taking part in a series of order of merit events.

“We often go into the county season cold with very little competitive golf ahead of the first match of the year,” says Minnikin. “Last year we decided to give players the opportunity to play a series of five winter events to give them the chance to play a little bit of competitive golf while giving us the chance to have a look at

Blyth GC Andrew Minnikin (inset)

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10 NORTHERN GOLFER

fringe players and new players.

“The series was a great success, we had a great turnout for the events and identified a number of new faces who we’ll be following throughout the year.”

Having opened the season with the traditional friendly against the Lothians, Minnikin is looking forward to getting underway, “We’ve got a lot of events in May and I hope to see a lot of guys find their

TEEINGOFF GolfWorking / www.golfworking.co.uk

form early and give us a good start to the year.

“As always, a big challenge will be getting our strongest possible team together regularly; I’ve worked hard with the players on stressing how important it is to build consistency in our team. Last season we used 26 players in six games, this year I’m aiming to use somewhere around 16.”

Following a disappointing campaign in 2014, Minnikin’s aim for this season is to set a platform for the future. “We have to set a foundation.

From there we can look to build the team and climb the league. I want to reward players who are committed to county golf and are proving themselves week-in-week-out.”

DURHAM The new season often brings with it new challenges. John Kirk, the man leading Durham this season, is facing a bigger challenge than most.

Kirk, who takes over from Bryan Ross, has had to get to grips with his new role quickly, but he’s ready and looking forward to a season-opening derby match against Northumberland.

“The senior members of the side have been incredibly helpful in getting to grips with things and their advice is invaluable. I think we’re in good shape going into the season and we’re ready to take on Northumberland in the first game,” says Kirk.

A number of Durham players had successful campaigns in 2014, and Kirk

is hoping to see them in the side as often as possible this season: “Players like Andrew Wilson can’t be ignored, he’s a supreme talent and we know that he can compete with the best players in the league. But, we have a number of strong players in the squad and my job is to ensure all the players in the squad remain enthusiastic about playing for the county and that I pick the best team I can for each game.”

Having started the year with a friendly against the Teesside Union, which saw a number of Durham players on both sides, Kirk is confident he has a strong side which can have success in this year’s Northern Counties League.

“The Durham-Northumberland match is always important to us, both for the derby feel of it, and for deciding where we finish at the end of the year with just five games each season. Our pre-season games have given us a chance to have a look at some of the young guys stepping up to the senior side this year and we’re very happy to see the young guys giving the senior players a good challenge.

“To have a good crop of young players is vital to continuing to compete every year and we’ll be developing them throughout the season with our coaching programmes and bringing them into the senior side.”

Look out for the June edition of Northern Golfer for a report on the match and round up of county events in Northumberland and Durham.

Northumberland take on Durham at Blyth Golf Club on Saturday May 9. For Northumberland fixtures, results and more information go to www.nugc.org.uk For Durham fixtures, results and more information go to www. durhamcountygolfunion.co.uk

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NORTHERN GOLFER 11

TEEINGOFF

Whitley Bay captain Duncan Keady

Bay watch

Seaside course revamp is on track

W

hitley Bay has never been afraid of change, but more than a few must have had doubts when the club revealed plans to completely remodel four holes in the middle of a recession.

However, the ambitious plans to improve the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth are now bearing fruit with the ninth completed and

the rest of the work scheduled to be finished in the next two years.

Jonathan Gaunt was responsible for the design and Nathan Stone, who worked on the construction of the Cathedral Course at Ramside, has also been involved in the project which has been overseen by course manager Simon Olver and the club’s management board.

Olver describes the new holes as “seamless and free flowing” and has

been keen to make sure disruption for members is kept to a minimum.

The club has not allowed the project to overshadow other course work and improvements and innovations which includes engaging ecology consultant James Hutchinson.

The remodelling work on the four holes has involved building two new greens, bunkering and tees, extensive mounding and planting of trees of gorse and a significant outlay on new machinery.

None of the work would have been possible without the generosity of club member Alan Anderson.

“I started playing golf here as a junior,” said Alan, “and I just felt I wanted to give something back for all the great times I’ve had here.”

As the club celebrates its 125th anniversary, it has moved with the times, active in initiatives such as Cafe Golf to boost the ladies section plus promotional activities with local schools and coaching which has led to the award of GolfMark.

Meanwhile, the club’s new captain Duncan Keady drove into office watched by members.

Bishop open new greens

Jessica Hall Bishop Auckland has officially opened its 15th and 16th greens following a major re-design.

The project, which has taken almost five months to complete, saw a complete overhaul by designer Jonathan Gaunt and sports surface specialist Marc Kerr.

Bishop captain Andy Graham said: “We are all excited to be members of a club that is investing for the future.”

England Under 18 cap and the reigning Durham County Ladies Champion Jessica Hall was invited to become the first golfer to try out two new greens at her club and she gave them the thumbs up.

CATTERICK GOLF CLUB Leyburn Road, Catterick Garrison, DL9 3QE

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Wilson shoots new course record but can’t cling on

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ndrew Wilson just missed out on the British Universities Championship at the Dukes Course in St Andrews.

The England squad golfer from Darlington and Northumbria University led by three shots going into the final round after shooting rounds of 71 and 68 - a new course record - to add to his opening 76.

But he couldn’t maintain his form and slipped to a 78 in the final round to be overtaken by defending champion Cormac Sharvin (Stirling/ Ardglass) who followed his round of 74 on Tuesday with a double of 73 and 72 for 219 and then closed with 73.

Wilson, a former winner of the North of England Youths Open and the Durham County Order of Merit, led the pack until the final stages, managing to stay ahead of Chris

Andrew Wilson MacLean (Stirling/ Balmore), Marco Iten (Stirling/Switzerland) and a charging Sharvin.

A critical late birdie by Sharvin and a bogey at the last by Wilson let in the Irish international to retain the crown he won last year at Machynys in South Wales.

Meanwhile, Hartlepool student Matthew Davison claimed a credible second spot in a 70-strong field at the AOC Sport Open Golf Championships, also in St Andrews.

Davison, from Hartlepool College of Further Education, was bang in form over the Fairmont St Andrews resort.

He was nicely placed after an opening 74, two shots behind and on day two posted a 76 in tough conditions on the Torrance Course to finish one shot behind Balby Carr Academy’s Dan Mould.

Gary Butler, right, shows a selection of his watches to PGA North secretary Graham Maly

North pros play for time The clock’s ticking for the start of the season.

And tee time will take on a different meaning when PGA in England & Wales (North) professionals peg up in five ranking tournaments spread over the campaign.

This year the winners of each one, plus the player who tops the Order of Merit for the coveted Michael Slater Memorial Trophy, will be presented with a must-have ETIQUS watch.

They have been created by Gary Butler, the founder and managing director of the Cheshirebased company.’

He said: “I realised a lot of watches are made for various sports so I designed one for golfers which features a bezel inspired by Pace of Play guidelines, originally published by the R&A, that can indicate how long it takes to complete a hole.

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The new par three Yearling Course at Close House

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Nestled beside the River Tees with the Cleveland Hills as a backdrop, the course has been described by Golf Monthly magazine as a ‘hidden gem’ of English golf.

This 6289 yard James Braid course is both picturesque and demanding due to the nature of the rolling terrain and sloping greens which provides a challenge for both novice and experienced golfers alike.

Golf Societies, Corporate Golf Days and Captain’s Away Days..............We will tailor packages to your requirements.

Lifetsyle Membership available from £250 Check our website for reduced Green Fee Dates For all enquiries or to arrange a visit, please contact Martin Ball on 01642 780238 or email secretary@eaglescliffegolfclub.co.uk

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14 NORTHERN GOLFER

T

he Masters tournament marks the beginning of every golf season and this year the event brought with it a new addition to Close House with the opening of the Yearling par three course at the Northumberland club.

The launch event coincided with the traditional par three tournament in Augusta, won this year by American Kevin Streelman following a playoff with Camilo Villegas, and saw more than 100 Close House members and corporate partners take on the par-27 course which features holes ranging from 35-70 yards.

Speaking following the launch, Close House owner Graham Wylie, who caddied for the club’s attached professional Lee Westwood during the par three contest in Georgia said: “The addition of the Yearling Course is a real asset to us at Close House, and will be an environment

in which those new to the game can learn the rules and etiquette of golf.

“It presents an enjoyable way for juniors to experience every element of the game, while more accomplished players will find it a great way to fine tune their game.”

The par-27 course is open to members, guests and residents and features the same high standard of presentation as the Lee Westwood Colt and Filly courses at Close House, the former one of the UK & Ireland’s top 100 courses.

Club captain Nigel Brown added: “Playing the course for the first time was a great experience and seeing so many members there on the day was fantastic. The course was beautifully presented and has been designed to test players as well as offer shorter holes for juniors to get to grips with. Anyone who plays it under-par is doing very well.”

For more information go to www.closehouse.com

TEEINGOFF

Team Dyke’s historic treble Teesside school takes championship by Storm

H

artlepool’s Dyke House is celebrating a historic hat-trick in the Durham County Schools Championships – with help from local pro Graeme Storm.

For the first time in the competition’s 44-year history Dyke House Sports and Technology College landed the team trophy to sit proudly alongside individual honours at both Under 18 and Under 16 level.

Cameron Wallace, who won the younger prize 12 months ago, turned on the style to equal the best score ever recorded in the tournament to land the Under 18 title, while Will Skipp finished five shots ahead of his nearest rival to claim the Under 16 crown.

Combined with the score of scratch player Jack Ainscough, who had also recently finished seventh in the Hawkstone Boys national tournament, Dyke House were crowned Durham Schools Champions for the first time.

Danny Evans, the director of Dyke House’s Elite Development Squad sports scholarship programme, said: “When we started the Elite scheme and brought the golf strand in it was always our ambition to claim this prestigious title. However, we didn’t think success would arrive so quickly, but thanks to the input of our golf consultant Graeme Storm and the dedication of the three talented youngsters, it has been a remarkable spell for Dyke House.”

Jack Ainscough, Cameron Wallace and Will Skipp with the team trophy Fifteen-year-old Wallace, playing off three, posted a brilliant 68 at Beamish Park Golf Club to finish four shots clear of Durham Sixth Form’s Aaron McManus equalling the best score posted by Lanchester’s Tom Rowland five years ago.

Skipp, 13, finished ninth in the

overall competition along with Ainscough after their 77s and for Skipp that proved enough to win the Under 16s.

English Martyrs’ Shannon O’Dwyer retained the girls crown she won 12 months ago with a 79 to finish a shot clear of Belmont’s Kitana Hollins.

NORTHERN GOLFER 15

CHARITYGOLF

Hospice target Hornsea members are taking on the challenge of playing 100 holes in a single day to raise at least £3,000 for Barnardos and Dove House Hospice.

The marathon event takes place at the Yorkshire club on June 26 and means some players will walk more than 30 miles. The players’ target is to have a combined medal score of under 1,800 shots.

Legends golf day Two members of Sunderland’s 1973 FA Cup winning team, Micky Horswill and Ritchie Pitt, are organising a Hope4Kidz celebrity golf day at the Houghtonle-Spring club on Monday May 11.

Horswill and Pitt are among the patrons of the charity which supports special needs youngsters in the North East.

There are a few spots left for the event, with teams costing £150 for three golfers to play a round alongside former Black Cats footballers. The price includes a bacon sandwich before the golf plus a meal and prizes afterwards.

Anybody interested can contact Ritchie Pitt on 07840 671 454 or richardpitt73@hotmail.com

Have a Heart 2015 A host of celebrities are set to join Lee Westwood at Close House for this year’s Have a Heart Trophy on May 18 in aid of the Children’s Heart Unit at the Freeman Hospital, Newcastle.

Westwood will be joined by CHUF patrons Ant & Dec, Alan Shearer and Graham Wylie, as well as sportspeople and celebrities from across the country including AP McCoy and Jeremy Kyle.

For more information go to www.closehouse.com

Celebrities at the Steve Cram Celebrity Golf Day at Slaley Hall

Cramming them in for COCO

Celebrities lining up for their annual trip to Slaley Hall to support Steve Cram’s charity

T

he Steve Cram Celebrity Golf Day returns to Slaley Hall this summer with a host of sportspeople and celebrities joining the Jarrow Arrow in aid of COCO on July 2.

Now in its 12th year, the golf day raised more than £25,000 for COCO in 2014 and this year it returns to the Priestman and Hunting courses at Slaley in Northumberland.

Celebrities confirmed for this year’s event include Andy Buist, Vicki Adams, Steve Parry, Rory Underwood, Phil Mustard, Eve Muirhead (left) and Cram, and more than 30 teams will take part in the event.

Cram, who setup COCO in 2000 to raise money for projects across the developing world, said: “We’re delighted to be back at Slaley Hall for another Steve Cram Celebrity Golf Day in aid of children’s charity COCO. “The event is so important to our annual fundraising and is a fantastic opportunity to tell people about the charity and projects we support worldwide. Every year we welcome back supporters and friends and to have the support of so many of my friends in the likes of Daley Thompson, Willie Thorne and Eve Muirhead, as well as those who have worked with us for a number of years from across the North East is amazing.

“It’s been 11 years and I’ve still not made the podium of my own golf day, perhaps I’ll make it up there this year.”

The event will be followed by a presentation dinner . Teams of three plus a celebrity are £800.

Teams of four without a celebrity are £500.

Contact Lucy Bewley lucy@extramileme.com or call 01434 689 040 For more on COCO’s work visit www.coco.org.uk 16 NORTHERN GOLFER

CHARITYGOLF

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and it seemed very appropriate to support a local children’s charity.

“We are delighted to achieve this amount and express thanks to all who made contributions.”

Meanwhile Saltburn is staging a team event on Saturday, July 18 to raise money for the MacMillan Nurses Charity Appeal.

Open to teams of four golfers with two scores to count on all holes except 12 and 18 where all four scores will count.

Teams are £60 and this includes a sandwich and hot drink on arrival.

There are also prizes for nearest the pin on all par threes.

Find us at Roseberry Grange Golf Club, Grange Villa, Chester le Street,DH2 3NF

Saltburn’s outgoing club captain John Dunn and ladies captain Carol Loughran handed over a cheque for more then £3,000 to Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice.

Elaine Dunning was delighted to receive the cheque on behalf of Zoe’s Place, which provides palliative, respite and end-of-life care to babies and infants aged from birth to fiveyears-old suffering from life-limiting or life-threatening conditions.

Both captains had agreed to join forces in supporting Zoe’s Place throughout 2014, John saying: “Both Carol’s family and my own had our first grandchildren this year

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Elaine Dunning (centre) receiving the cheque from John Dunn and Carol Loughran

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NORTHERN GOLFER 17

COURSEREVIEW

Golf in the wild at Allendale

Travel west from Hexham and an enjoyable day awaits at a super nine-hole course as Paul Corney discovers

S

et high in the Allen Valley, Allendale’s golf course is a truly spectacular location to play the game.

The clubhouse sits at 1,077 feet above sea level on the west-facing side of Green Hill, which peaks at 1,374 feet.

Although Allendale Golf Club celebrated its centenary in 2006, the course has only been sited at High Studdon since 1992 and is short by modern standards but don’t let that lull you into a false sense of security.

In the club’s centenary year, three local professionals were invited to challenge the course and break par, something which had never been 18 NORTHERN GOLFER

achieved before. Two out of the three hit their tee shots from the first out of bounds into the adjacent field, and all failed to break par.

Despite this, they soon appreciated the pleasures of this course on the side of a hill, prompting the winner on the day, PGA European Seniors player John Harrison to state: “It can be a bit of a shock getting the ball in the hole. Being short, the course has to protect itself and it does that very well. The course is a great antidote to every 7,000-yard course being designed for slambang hitters and with the scenery, it’s a perfect place to come and play golf.”

The treasurer at Allendale Golf Club is author

Robin Down. He commented: “If you are lucky, there will be a soft breeze and the turbine will spin gently against a deep blue sky. Sheep will be grazing on the fells; the lonesome call of the curlew will fill the silent air and a hare will be seen scurrying down the first. From the clubhouse, the high moors will be lit by a clean bright light, framed by the clubhouse windows and your heart will lift – this is surely golf heaven – Allendale is the perfect introduction to golf in the wild.”

Aptly named Long Reach, the first hole measures 417 yards and is the longest par four on the course. Beware of the out of bounds on the left so aim for the right side of the fairway. Don’t be long with your approach to the green, the rough at the back of the green is punishing. When played as the 10th, it maybe a few yards shorter but it is just as tough into the prevailing wind.

COURSEREVIEW

Allendale Golf Club is set in the beautiful Allen Valley in Northumberland

Only 118 yards, the second has a shallow green and all the danger at the back. The best place to be here if you miss the green is short.

Again the hole is shorter the second time around, but the premium remains accuracy rather than power.

The third at Allendale is a downhill par three, and at 187 yards, it’s a hole fraught with danger. There is out of bounds on the left, trees to the right and if you go over the back be prepared to take a lesson in mountaineering should you be lucky enough to find your ball.

Played as the 12th, the hole is much shorter and easier but the dangers are still there.

The next two holes are both shortish par fours and good birdie chances should you be able to read the severe slopes on the greens.

The sixth is a par five with a frightening tee shot between a line of trees, finding the centre of the fairway here is a must. On the back nine, this hole is played as a par four and is considered as the hardest hole on the course.

Another straightforward par four follows, before the eighth, which is played as a simple par four on the outward half and is the signature hole as the 17th (see factfile).

Finally the ninth and 18th, 149 yards and 222 yards respectively, where many players fall short of the green because of the uphill tee shot.

FACT FILE

Allendale Golf Cub was one of the first Dark Sky Discovery Sites in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty to be designated. It has been recognised as a great place for amateur and professional astronomers to stargaze and during organised stargazing events, the clubhouse is the perfect place to get warm and discuss the latest astronomical news and sightings

CONTACT Allendale Golf Club High Studdon, Allendale Northumberland, NE47 9DH Tel 07005 808 246 Email secretary@allendale-golf.co.uk Web www.allendale-golf.co.uk GREEN FEES Adults - £15 a day Juniors - £5 a day Groups by arrangement TOTAL DISTANCE White tees – 4,681 yards Par 67 Yellow tees – 4,501 yards Par 66 Red tees – 4,369 yards Par 68 FEATURES Nine-hole moorland course with 16 tees Practice net Putting green Bar and catering – available on Sundays and all open days (by arrangement for other days) Changing rooms Coffee machine Ample car parking CADDY’S TIP Consider leaving the driver in the bag here - accuracy is key here SIGNATURE HOLE One of the most challenging short holes in the region, the 17th measures 147 yards and the green is partially hidden behind a deep, tree-lined ravine. A carry of some 125 yards will just clear the top of the trees - a fantastic par three - if you find the green!

PAUL CORNEY’S VERDICT

Allendale is great fun to play and by no means a pushover. The views are fantastic and the layout is well manicured, a credit to greenkeepers Michael Keen and Ian Robinson

NORTHERN GOLFER 19

CHRISPAISLEY

Picturesque 18 hole course in the heart of Northumberland

Chris Paisley

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ALLENDALE GOLF

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secretary@allendale-golf.co.uk 07005 808246 Society bookings: 01434 683438 Scan for access to the full list of 2015 Open competitions.

20 NORTHERN GOLFER

BRAIN PAIN

OUR EUROPEAN TOUR PROFESSIONAL ON THE POWER OF GOOD PRACTICE So far this season has been a very positive one.

Although it has been slightly frustrating with a limited number of starts on the European Tour, some invaluable lessons have really hit home.

By nature I am a perfectionist; I pay close attention to detail which can be one of my strengths, but a lot of the time, it is my greatest weakness. This is because when things aren’t perfect my confidence takes a hit. I have realised that seeking perfection is admirable but reckless, at least in my world.

I began working with a sports psychologist named Dan Abrahams last year. I felt as though I needed to improve how I was thinking on and off the course. I often used to feel as though there were not enough hours in the day for me to practise. With the help of Dan, Andrew Nicholson (my coach), and Andy Paisley (my brother and putting coach) I have transformed my practice sessions.

Dan calls it “Brain Pain”. I now practise in short, intense bursts, setting myself increasingly difficult tasks which force me to engage my brain rather than senselessly beat balls. This leads to true skill development, rather than learning to make my golf swing look pretty!

I can already feel the benefits of this change in mindset. Beating balls can often be tiring and deflating. I used to be physically exhausted after a day of practice. Now I feel invigorated.

Brain Pain is mentally exhausting but because I am constantly testing myself and often actually succeeding at a task, it provides me with a boost of confidence.

I am now buzzing to get some starts on the main tour. I am playing in Mauritius and Spain in coming weeks. Hopefully a run of tournaments will allow me to transfer all of the Brain Pain into great performances and I can find a rich run of fun this summer.

In the meantime, back to practising...

TEEINGOFF

Ladies end 40 years of hurt Knaresborough finally take the league title

T

here were jubilant scenes when Knaresborough ladies finally put to rest a 40year jinx by lifting the Harrogate Union’s winter league salver at Thirsk and Northallerton.

Not even dismal weather conditions - sleet, freezing winds, occasional snow flurries and flashes of March sunshine - could dampen their enthusiasm as they secured the title.

When they went into the final, the Knaresborough ladies held a one-point lead over Oakdale. But they produced a total on the day of

77 points, beating the host club by two and earning them a season’s haul of 546 points, a victory margin of nine points.

A delighted Knaresborough ladies’ captain, Sue Ibbotson, said: “I’m thrilled for our team and the club. It’s been a long wait but I was very proud of the determination of our players. There was a strong and rising team atmosphere throughout the matches, and it was great to see how they all rooted for each other.”

The big turning point in the season came at Masham in February when Pam Dawson and

The winning team Sharon Braithwaite shot a brilliant 43 points in the foursomes, helping to catapult Knaresborough from fourth to first place in the

final league placings.

Club chairman Gee Fisher commented: “We have some gutsy fighters in the ladies’ ranks.”

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NORTHERN GOLFER 21

TEEINGOFF

Family golf at Matfen Hall

Matfen Hall in Northumberland is inviting families and beginners of all ages to take their first steps in the game on its EasyGolf course.

The course has been designed to appeal to beginners and younger players and features nine, extra large holes making the game easier and quicker for all the family.

“The new course is ideal, not just for beginners, but for those who are short of time and want a shorter, quicker round than that offered by our 27-hole course,” said golf club manager Peter Smith.

“And, because the holes are twice the normal size, players of all ages can enjoy a game – making it a great family day out.”

A round on the EasyGolf course is £7.50 for adults and £4 for players aged 16 and under. For more information go to www.matfenhall.com

22 NORTHERN GOLFER

Coach’s Walker success

E

ngland head coach Graham Walker has helped the York Union of Golf Clubs map out a plan to put juniors at the forefront of their 2015 season.

York had seven wins out of seven in the Yorkshire Inter-District Union last year - but they aren’t resting on their laurels and with the The Oaks pro they have put together a plan for players from the age of seven to 17 to make sure they have a steady stream of players coming through to the senior team.

Graham Walker Around 40 players were at a training session at Pike Hills and president Martin Greaves said: “We’ve had success with the senior team and now we are building the juniors up.”

Walker picked up the coaching achievement of the year trophy at England Golf Awards.

“This is a massive achievement for me and I’m immensely proud,” said Walker. “I love working with the players and getting them to improve to become the best they can be.”

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TEEINGOFF

Bold endeavour Duo clinch title on home soil

B

oldon’s Rhys Thompson and Gavin Nesbitt made home advantage count when they clinched the Northumberland and Durham InterCounty Foursomes title.

Thompson and Nesbitt got the better of Whitley Bay’s Paul Taylor and Seton Wakenshaw 6&5 in the final having seen off Whickham in the first round and Bishop Auckland on the 19th, both at Houghton.

Brancepeth Castle were comfortably beaten 5&4 at Seaham in the next round before the Boldon duo repeated that scoreline to knock out South Moor.

They then beat Eaglescliffe 4&2 in the morning semi-finals at Boldon before eventually cruising home

against Whitley Bay in the final. There were only a couple of holes in it on the front nine before Thompson and Nesbitt pulled away.

It’s only the second time Boldon has won the inter-county foursomes title, the first time was in 1991 the year that Nesbitt, 35, joined the Dipe Lane club and he and 19-year-old Thompson took their chances on the back nine to win comfortably.

“Home advantage definitely proved to be helpful,” said club manager Chris Brown, “but the event and venue is planned two years in advance so no-one can complain about it being unfair.

“It sounds like the final was an easy victory, but it was hard-fought on the front nine and our pair were only

Northumberland and Durham Inter-County Foursomes Champions Gavin Nesbitt (left) and Rhys Thompson two up, before a couple of breaks on the back nine helped them pull away.”

■ New Durham County captain John Kirk watched his team cruise to a 14-4 warm-up win over the Teesside Golf Union at Billingham.

Boldon’s Rhys Thompson, Chris Handy (South Moor), Stuart Brown (Castle Eden), Imran Aziz (George Washington), Kris Rae

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(Tyneside), Sam Robinson (Tyneside), Jordan Betts and Joe Fraser (both Ravensworth) and Jack Richardson (Durham City) all won their singles.

Billingham’s Brad Hildreth and Blackwell Grange’s Adam Bates got on the scoresheet for Teesside while Boldon’s Gavin Nesbitt and Eaglescliffe’s Sam Donald halved their match.

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TEEINGOFF

Driving force Club captains perform under pressure

D

urham club Whickham is one of the few clubs who make their captains’ drive-in a real showcase.

While many clubs content themselves with subjecting only their new captain to the paralysing fear of being watched by most of the club as they hit off the first tee, Whickham like to extend that to all their captains.

This year they also managed to arrange cold and wet weather for the day but that didn’t deter the members from turning up to support captains Ray Thew, Fran Bell, David Robinson

Whickham’s club captains: seniors captain David Robinson, ladies captain Fran Bell, bagpiper Darren Tench, men’s captain Ray Thew and Sam Hedley, standing in for brother Ben, junior captain and Sam Hedley, who lined up behind bagpiper Darren Tench for the short march up to the first tee.

Acting course director John Greenwood welcomed everyone before inviting ladies captain Fran Bell to tee off followed by

men’s captain Ray Thew, seniors captain David Robinson and finally Sam Hedley, who was standing in for brother Ben. If there was any nerves, they didn’t show as each struck good shots straight up the fairway.

We’re Open

A combined total of 663 yards for all four drives meant a bonus for sweep winner John Greenwood who had entered 666 yards. Formalities completed, members and captains returned to the clubhouse to enjoy a Geordie Tapas Buffet.

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TEEINGOFF

Wear going places Sunderland club opens its doors to attract new members

W

earside is rising to the challenge of attracting new members while retaining the traditions and heritage which is important to many clubs.

Like many clubs, Wearside has a history of achievement and success stretching back to when the course was built in 1892 and that is set to continue.

Recently, they moved 75 established trees - some of them 25ft in height - planted during its centenary in 1992 to new positions to transform several fairways.

At the same time, areas were set aside for the planting of whips to

26 NORTHERN GOLFER

have established trees to replace the current crop.

Newly reshaped bunkers to the first, seventh and 18th holes have also contributed towards a revamping of the Coxgreen course and further improvement projects are in the pipeline.

Wearside held its first open day on the Friday of the Masters with help from England Golf, the Durham Golf Partnership, Sunderland Golf Centre and Swing Solutions.

It resulted in a very enjoyable day for all who attended - especially the youngsters - with face painting and golf ball decoration in the clubhouse, plus a bouncy castle, ice cream

Some of the participants at Wearside’s Open Day van and Karen’s Hamburger stand in the grounds.

The practice areas were open to all-comers to experience Footgolf, Trigolf and Urban Golf with free lessons available from professionals Steve McNally and Ryan all day long.

The event was also supported by Sunderland Mayor and Mayoress Stuart and Marie Porthouse, who provided a formal opening which was followed by a walk around and trying the different types of golf on offer.

Moving the trees at Wearside

TEEINGOFF

Race is on again

Rockliffe Hall junior tournament is up and running

D

urham’s successful junior golf order of merit, the Mizuno Race 2 Rockliffe, is up and running with young players from across the region chasing a place in the Grand Final.

Last year more than 120 boys and girls played more than 800 rounds of golf in a bid to be one of finalists at Rockliffe Hall.

This year sees the 11 qualifying events, which started with the Durham County Junior Golf Society Spring Meeting last month and the DJGS’s Green and Crombie Trophy at Darlington earlier this month,

building up to the Grand Final on October 18. The remaining qualifying events are: May 25 Billingham Junior Open, 27 Ramside Junior Open, July 5 Brancepeth Junior Open, July 20 Houghton Junior Open, Aug 4 DCJGS Jack Golightly Trophy (South Moor), Aug 10 Boldon Junior Open, Aug 14 Bishop Auckland Junior Open, Aug 17 Beamish Junior Open, Aug 31 Durham City Junior Open, October 18 Grand Final (Rockliffe Hall).

The Mizuno Race 2 Rockliffe is now in its fifth year and is proving an ideal environment in which young

Last year’s winner, Jessica Hall

golfers can develop their skills by playing competitively against those of a similar ability on a variety of courses.

Last year saw Jessica Hall from Bishop Auckland crowned Mizuno R2R champion after beating Lily Downs (Eaglescliffe) in an exciting three-hole play-off to win the £500 Mizuno voucher.

Matthew Watson (Beamish Park) won the nett prize.

Phil Graham, county development officer for the Durham County Golf Partnership, said: “We are delighted with the way the Race 2 Rockliffe continues to develop as one of the country’s premier order of merit competitions for juniors.

“Competing on different courses against players of a similar ability is a great way for the young players to develop their golfing skills and test themselves against their peers.”

Players can find further information, registration details and rules by visiting the Durham County Golf Partnership website www.durhamgolfpartnership.com Registrations will close at the fifth event on the schedule while those registered must compete in a minimum of five events to be eligible for the final

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NORTHERN GOLFER 27

MATTYLAMB

From boy to man Matty Lamb is growing fast as a person and golfer with ambitions to reach the very top of the game.

Dean Bailey reports

28 NORTHERN GOLFER

MATTYLAMB

I

t’s been five years since I first met Matty Lamb, and little has changed at our meeting place, Hexham Golf Club in Northumberland.

At that time Lamb was 12 and had just competed in his first national event, the Scottish under-14 championship.

As every young golfer did, he wanted to be the next Tiger Woods. He was ambitious, but only time would tell if he could make it to the top.

Though little has changed at Hexham in those five years, you can still hear balls crashing into the trees from the first tee as you walk across the car park, the young man sitting opposite me has changed a great deal.

Lamb is taller, leaner and stronger too, and missing his mop of Rory McIlroy-esque hair. His determination to be a professional golfer remains however, as does his ever-present father Darren, who has dropped him off this morning.

Five years on, Lamb’s progression has been exactly as he wanted. He’s gone from competing in his first national event at 12 to winning the same event as a 13-year-old.

As a 15-year-old he won the Henry Cooper Junior Masters, as well as becoming the youngest player to win the Northumberland 72-hole Strokeplay Championship, while last season he represented

England for the third successive year.

This year’s he’s decided to step up to competing alongside some of the best amateurs in the world in men’s events, starting with the Lytham Trophy the day before we meet.

“For my first taste of a men’s event I was really happy with the experience,” says Lamb, who missed the cut at Royal Lytham and St Anne’s. “It’s one of the toughest courses I’ve played; if you hit the wrong shot at the wrong time it was nearly impossible to make bogey.

“This year is all about building experience at the highest level of the amateur game and getting to grips with playing course at their toughest against the strongest fields.”

Lamb’s mature approach to missing the cut at Lytham speaks volumes. At 17, he has a clear career path in mind but he’s also aware of the level of commitment required.

“I’ve never been forced into anything in golf, it’s always been about what I want and where I want to go. I’ve spoken to Andy [Paisley, his coach] about where I want to be and how I get there. We’ve decided that playing men’s events will give me the chance to progress more than another year of boy’s events.

“Last year I played great in the boy’s events and had a lot of good results, but it’s not all about results.

If you’re playing on the European Tour and golf is your only income then results are important, but

I just want to concentrate on getting better and pushing myself as much as I can.”

Despite missing the cut, Lamb is feeling motivated and ready for a season filled with top events, including the British and English Amateurs this summer. “I’ve come back a lot more motivated from Lytham than I did from the McEvoy Trophy [an under-18 event where Lamb finished fourth earlier this season]. The new level is exciting.”

As part of preparing for the 2015 season, Lamb has continued to work with his coach for the last seven years, Hexham’s Andy Paisley. “I’m really happy with the way I’m swinging the club going into this season. I’m a much better golfer than I was last year, I can get it around without playing my absolute best now.

“I finished fourth in the McEvoy and didn’t play great. Boys’ events used to feel really tough, but I feel really comfortable in them now and I feel like I can contend in them even when I’m not at my absolute best – a lot of that is down to the big improvement in my chipping and putting - the ability to save pars.

“I suppose I’m also more mature and bad shots don’t affect me like they used to.”

“I worked with Andy a lot during the winter and I’ll aim to see him a couple of times a week through the summer. It’s great working with Andy because I can have 15 minutes or a few holes in the evening - he’s really good at making time for his students.

I talk to him most days and we have a fantastic working relationship.”

With a year of big events to come, as well as exams this summer, it’s impressive to find that Lamb has put a lot of thought into his future and how he sees himself progressing in the game. “I’d like to be a top amateur when I finish my A Levels,” he explains.

“If that was the case, I’d think about turning pro rather than going to college in the US. But, if I feel like I haven’t reached that level and I’m not ready, I know that going to study in the US would give me more opportunities to improve and develop.

NORTHERN GOLFER 29

MATTYLAMB “I want to work as hard as I can for the next year and a half and come out of my A Levels ready to turn pro.

“I suppose the dream is to then play a year of top amateur events as a 19-year-old and make the Walker Cup team that year. Playing in that would open so many doors and I’d aim to make my card through invites, or by going to Q-School.”

As for this season, Lamb is looking forward to the return of his Northumberland junior teammates Jake Storey and Jack Hermeston, who have been studying in the US. “This year’s county events will be a great chance to measure where my game is at. We’ll have Tom [Rowland], Jake and Jack back from college and I can’t wait to play with those guys again.

I get on really well with Jake and Jack, having played so much golf with them as a junior, and it’ll be great to catch up with them about life in the US.” Lamb is the youngest in a string of top players from Northumberland which includes European Tour player Chris Paisley, British Amateur champion Garrick Porteous and US college players Tom Rowland, Jake Storey and Jack Hermeston.

“I think I am the luckiest of them all because I’m the youngest and have the chance to learn from them and gain so much experience from each of them.

“I know Chris really well and seeing him playing on the European Tour then catching up with him at Hexham is fantastic as it gives me a chance to see

where I am compared to a European Tour player.

“It gives me a lot of motivation to see Chris and be able to measure myself against him. I’m not miles and miles away from him and I know where he’s much stronger than me, and where I need to get to.

“He doesn’t give me any shots round here anymore!”

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With that, all that’s left to find out is, where did that iconic hair-do go? “It was time for a change…and there was a girl involved too,” he tells me.

“I miss the hair when it’s cold, and it doesn’t look as good now when I’m wearing a cap, but it did get a bit ridiculous by the time I had it cut off,” he jokes as he collects his bag and heads out for a few holes.

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GOLFERNEWS

Steve in select company Robinson given a key role in choosing the European Junior Solheim Cup team

S

andburn Hall head professional Steve Robinson will be keeping a close eye on some of Europe’s best young golfing talent after being appointed a Junior Solheim Cup selector.

Robinson, based at the Flaxton club near York, is one of four experts who will decide the make up of the European outfit taking on the United States at St Leon-Rot in Germany in September.

Six players will qualify to represent Europe at the event, which mimics the senior competition held just days later, but the other half of the team will be selected through captain’s

picks. Robinson, whose England girls team excelled at St Leon-Rot in qualifiers for the European girls’ team championship three years ago, is delighted to have been chosen to play a part.

“I am pleased with it,” he said. “It comes with its own obligations. There are four of us in Europe so we will be looking to select a team prior to the Solheim Cup, which this year is in Germany. I was a selector two years ago and this is the third time that I’ve been a selector.

“It is good to see some of the best young talents in Europe. It obviously helps with my work with England and I meet up with the other guys

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Sandburn Hall head professional Steve Robinson four times a year. It came about when we won at St Leon-Rot with England girls and won by 20 shots. I had set the game plan round there for the team. It’s a very technical course and I have got a number of players who, over previous years, have gone on and done well at a very young age.”

Robinson is relishing the opportunity to learn from the best as he continues to plot England’s domination in the future.

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32 NORTHERN GOLFER

Open Golf Competitions 2015 Sunday 24th May

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He added: “Europe are still in front of us - physically and mentally. They have an honesty about their work rate and where they are with their games.

They don’t hide. They don’t make excuses and there are some hugely talented players out there.

“It’s great because it allows me to benchmark better what I feel we need to develop. We have still got a bit of catching up to do. It will be interesting.”

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Pike Hills

Gotts saved, Pike revamp It seems municipal course Gotts Park in Leeds has been saved from closure.

The course is to be operated by a social enterprise group after an agreement was reached in principle with Leeds City Council.

Gotts Park, in Armley, could be managed by the community interest company Gotts Park Golf Club after the council’s executive board approved the possibility of a new management agreement being

reached with the club to stop the course closing.

Meanwhile, Pike Hills is looking at a redesign of their 18-hole Tadcaster Road course.

The York club has re-submitted a planning application for a change of use of 7.7 hectares of agricultural land.

Meanwhile, Swan Golf Designs has been appointed by Huddersfield Golf Club to advise on making improvements to their golf course.

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Cookridge Hall Golf Club, Cookridge Lane, Leeds, LS16 7NL NORTHERN GOLFER 33

GOLFERNEWS

Double date

Sand Moor couple John and Shelagh Stephenson believe in keeping up with each other.

They both had a hole-in-one on the club’s 17th hole within a week of each other in club competitions.

John was playing with John Scouller and Tim Dickinson in a men’s stableford competition on April 18 when he aced the hole with a four iron for his second hole-inone.

Shelagh followed five days later with a five wood - her first ace while playing with Debbie Howarth and Karen Hogarth in the ladies stableford competition.

On the range

New driving range and academy for George Washington

G

eorge Washington Golf Club will open the North East’s newest driving range in May, adding to the resorts championship and par three golf courses.

The £500k state-of-the-art driving range and academy will be open to the general public and features 14 heated bays including six bays with

power tee automation. The new facility also features internal and external golf teaching and custom fit facilities with the latest Flightscope technology as well as a new halfway house.

The club will be offering a loyalty discount card and expects golfers of all ages and abilities to benefit from access to the new facility.

For more information go to www.georgewashington.co.uk/golf

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34 NORTHERN GOLFER

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Slaley Hall Priestman course fourth hole and Kris Gray (inset)

Gray take his Q Kris backs Slaley Hall’s offering for juniors Top North East player Kris Gray has hailed Slaley Hall’s junior golf programme.

The award-winning golf resort near Hexham in Northumberland has been Gray’s home club for the last 15 years ever since he first began a series of weekly Saturday morning golf lessons at the age of 10.

Having returned to the North East last autumn after six years studying at Gardner-Webb University, North Carolina, and playing and coaching on the American college circuit, Gray is keen to get behind Slaley’s new drive to unearth golf’s next generation of stars.

Available to children aged 15 and under as part of its new QFairway flexible golf membership, all juniors are being offered the chance to enjoy a free membership when they sign up to the scheme at Slaley Hall, providing their parent or guardian also has adult membership at the same time. They will also get a complimentary seven iron thanks to The Masters Golf Company.

Gray, who is planning to spend much of this summer playing on the EuroPro Tour, said: “Slaley Hall is

the perfect golf venue for juniors to learn and play. I would recommend it to any youngster, and offering free memberships to youngsters is a fantastic new initiative.

“Facilities-wise, the resort is second to none. It has two great golf courses and the great thing about Slaley is the way that juniors are treated - they are equals and there are no restrictions on times that they can play.”

Jeff Mills, Slaley Hall’s head of golf, added: “Juniors are the lifeblood of the game and it’s vital for the long-term future of golf that they are given the best chance possible to play and develop.

“It’s our aim at QHotels to encourage as many people as possible to play, whatever their age, and it would be lovely to think that in 20 years’ time, someone is in contention to win a major as a direct result of the new QFairway membership initiative.”

Launched this spring, QHotels QFairway club offers golfers the chance to enjoy up to 50 rounds of golf from as little as £375 and is based on a flexible points-based membership.

To discover more about Slaley Hall and QHotel’s new QFairway club, visit www.QHotels.co.uk/Qfairway or call 01434 676 587

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GOLFERNEWS Mitch Gunn / Shutterstock.com

Captain’s pep talk

Darren Clarke Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke is considering asking Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard to address his European side when they play the United States in 2016.

Europe will face the US at Hazeltine in Minnesota when Gerrard is set to be playing in the US with LA Galaxy.

Clarke’s predecessor Paul McGinley asked ex-Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson to speak to his players during their 2014 success.

“If I did something like that, he’d be someone I’d consider,” said Clarke.

The 46-year-old Clarke is a Liverpool fan and called Gerrard a “real legend”.

Golf grows in popularity The number of people taking up Get into Golf opportunities grew rapidly over the summer months according to a new report on grass roots activity across England.

More than 24,000 people aged 14-plus, were encouraged by counties to take structured coaching courses and to become regular, once-a-week golfers in the six months from April to September 2014.

That’s up by 59% on the same period in 2013, says the latest impact report on county activity prepared by England Golf’s Participation & Club Support team.

The figures reflect a new focus by counties on delivering structured coaching and regular playing opportunities, rather than one-off taster sessions.

36 NORTHERN GOLFER

Sir Nick Faldo competing in the first round of the PGA European Tour Barclays Scottish Open in Loch Lomond, Scotland

Faldo bows out Nick Faldo and Rory McIlroy

Legend announces 2015 will be his last Open

N

ick Faldo will play in his last Open at St Andrews this summer on the 25th anniversary of his victory at the home of golf.

The six-time Major champion plans to make a farewell on the famous Swilcan Bridge after a long and hugely-successful career which saw him win at St Andrews in 1990 and at Muirfield in 1987 and 1992.

He also achieved 10 top 10 finishes in The Open between 1978 and 2003.

Faldo, who will celebrate his 58th birthday during The Open, will join five-time Open Champion Tom Watson in making a final appearance in the championship in July.

“The Open and St Andrews will forever hold a significant place in my heart. My fondest moments on my journey with this great sport are woven with pictures and emotions in this setting. It all means a huge amount to me,” said Faldo.

“I look forward to celebrating all that golf has given me as I cross that storied bridge and the wonderful memories I share with many

people. I am grateful for it all and grateful to golf.”

Faldo will be among a cast of golf ’s greatest players who will take part in the Champion Golfers Challenge on the Wednesday ahead of The Open. He will join five-time Champions Peter Thomson, who is celebrating the 60th anniversary of his triumph at St Andrews in 1955, and Watson, on the 40th anniversary of his win in his debut appearance at Carnoustie in 1975.

In a glittering career, Faldo won the Masters Tournament on three occasions, played in 11 European Ryder Cup teams, becoming the leading points-scorer in the competition’s history, before captaining the team in 2008.

He was also runner-up in both the US Open and the USPGA Championship, won 24 European Tour events and led the money list in 1983 and 1992. He also won three events on the PGA Tour.

Faldo established The Faldo Series in 1996 Open Champion Rory McIlroy is among those to have played in the series.

Padraig’s honour Triple major champion Padraig Harrington was the 2014 recipient of the PGA Recognition Award for his outstanding contribution to golf.

Away from the fairways he has been equally dedicated, establishing the Padraig Harrington

Charitable Foundation, becoming an ambassador for both the R&A and Special Olympics and supporting a number of charities.

Harrington with PGA “It’s a real honour to receive the captain Neil Selwyn-Smith PGA Recognition Award,” he said.

(photograph courtesy Getty Images)

GREENWATCH

GREEN WATCH

NORTHUMBRIA GOLF BREAKS FOR THE BEST GOLFING HOLIDAYS UNDER THE SUN

With JON WYER, ROCKLIFFE HALL

SPECIAL LIMITED OFFER IN SPAIN

As with many golf courses, plans are underway to begin our annual spring renovation of the greens.

Many golfers know this as a time where the putting surfaces will be intensively disrupted as it usually involves some form of aeration, be it hollow-coring or solid-tinning, various forms of aggressive verticutting, then refilling these tine holes or grooves with sand.

The course management team here at Rockliffe Hall has opted to use solid tines followed by a sand injection graden.

This machine in simplest terms is a scarification machine that cuts into the green removing the thatch layer while backfilling the grooves left behind with sand and seed, combining three operations

in one to maximise efficiency.

The surface will then be brushed or blown clear of any debris and further dressing will be applied and worked into the turf sward if required.

This operation, although disruptive, will be completed within two days and require us to close half of the course on either the front or the back nine while we carry out the operation.

The putting surface with the right weather conditions should then recover within a week or two with complete grass density.

It is vital to understand the necessity of this work, as this renovation period is an essential part of managing consistently firm and fast greens with true ball roll.

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Sunday 14th June Saturday 12th September Open Team Event (4 players) Open Texas Scramble Hunting Course (4 players) NEWCASTLE UNTIED GOLF CLUB Course Hunting 60 Ponteland Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE5 3JW entry £80 per team per event www.newcastleunitedgolfclub.co.uk Entries/further information to Doug Ellison – office@dougellison.co.uk or Telephone 07745753000

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2015 GOLF SOCIETY PACKAGES (Weekdays & Weekends) Coffee & Bacon Roll, 18 Holes £20.00 per head Coffee & Bacon Roll, 18 Holes, Soup & Sandwich £23.00 per head Coffee & Bacon Roll, 18 Holes, 2 Course Meal - £27.00 per head

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60 Ponteland Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE5 3JW NORTHERN GOLFER 37

EUROPROTOUR

Young guns T

EuroPro Tour set for return to Longhirst June 4-6 he HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour once again brings the UK’s best young golfers and the Sky Sports cameras to the North East this summer, with the first stop a visit to Longhirst Hall Golf Club for the Dawson and Sanderson Travel Classic, June 4-6.

The tour gets up and running for 2015 at Celtic Manor in May. Prize funds have been increased by 25% this year and the tour will stage its first 72-hole event at Moor Allerton Golf Club in Leeds this August. Northumberland’s Close House is among the new additions joining regular hosts such as Prince’s, The Carrick on Loch Lomond and Slaley Hall.

Last year’s Dawson and Sanderson Travel Classic was the first EuroPro Tour event to be staged on Longhirst’s Dawson Course after several successful years on the Lakes Course. William Harrold

claimed a play-off victory over European Tour regular Bradley Dredge and went on to win on the Challenge Tour.

The Dawson Course hosts again as 156 of Europe’s top young pros compete for their share of a £50,000 prize fund. The Sky Sports cameras will film the action for a two-hour highlights package which premieres on June 16.

The HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour is offering free entry to spectators for all three days of this and every event, which comprises 54 holes with a cut to the leading 50 players and ties after the second round. The final round, played on Friday, June 6 this year, always provides a gripping day. Among the players hoping to take home the £10,000 winner’s prize will be Middlesbrough Golf Club’s Michael Skelton, who finished inside the top ten at EuroPro Qualifying School to earn full playing privileges on the tour.

Michael Skelton

For the full schedule and more information go to www.europrotour.com

The GEOrge washington golf club

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GOLFERNEWS

James the first I

Freeman triumphs at Cookridge Hall t was not quite seventh heaven for James Freeman when he won the PGA in England and Wales (North) Druh Belts Assistants’ Shoot-out at Cookridge Hall.

But the second year trainee professional at Doncaster club Owston Hall was clearly delighted to pick up a £500 cheque and crystal glass trophy from sponsor Simon Hurd – nearly six months after the original date was washed out.

The 32-year-old former England amateur international birdied the final green when he pitched from 42 yards to two feet in a competition format which could be best described as “different” as it was played out over

seven holes. The format was decided by ex-European Tour player Hurd who was keen to add a “bit for excitement” to the event.

There was certainly plenty of that when all eight finalists teed off together from the first.

Those who failed to make a par were eliminated. And if the remaining players were level over the ensuing holes a sudden death pitch and putt or a bunker splash-out decided their fate.

Last man standing was Freeman, winner of five events since turning professional, who has set his sights on a playing career, or coaching, once he finishes his PGA training.

James Freeman

THE HOTELPLANNER.COM PGA EUROPRO TOUR RETURNS TO LONGHIRST HALL GC JUNE 4-6 FREE SPECTATOR ENTRY THROUGHOUT

NORTHERN GOLFER 39

COURSEREVIEW

Rothbury’s a thoroughbred

Paul Corney travels north and experiences a golfing gem on an old racecourse in the heart of Northumberland

N

estling in the Coquet Valley and surrounded by the Cheviot Hills, it is easy to see why Rothbury Golf Club is so popular with both members and visitors.

Having begun life as a nine-hole course in 1892, Rothbury has undergone many changes at different locations.

In July 2007 members celebrated the official opening of their new clubhouse and 18-hole course on the old Rothbury racecourse with his Grace, the Duke of Northumberland as guest of honour.

Under the watchful eye of head-greenkeeper 40 NORTHERN GOLFER

Graham Stephenson, the course is presented to a very high standard and is maturing into a very good test of golf.

The first is a short par four and at 327 yards, and very good birdie chance to get your round off to a flying start. The sensible shot for the big hitters is to lay-up at the top of the hill, leaving an approach of just under 150 yards. If you want to have a go at the green, a drive with a slight left to right shape over the marker post will get you close.

Next is a tough par three measuring 179 yards and usually played into the prevailing wind. There are hedges at the rear of the sloping green to

worry about - it’s better to be short than long.

The third is 423 yards and a tough par four. The drive needs to be to the right side of the fairway to avoid being blocked out by a huge oak tree on the left, For many, the approach will be a long iron or fairway wood to a sloping green.

Two par fives follow and the signature seventh hole (see factfile) before the par three eighth.

Aim to the left side of the flag as the ball will be gathered to the right by the contours onto the green. Don’t miss short right as the bunker shot from well below the pin can be tricky.

The final hole on the front nine is a 392-yard par four, played back to the clubhouse. The drive is over a valley to a generous fairway with bunkers left and right. Find the top of the hill and you will be left with a shortish approach down to the green.

There are a number of really good holes on the

COURSEREVIEW

FACT FILE

Rothbury is a well-presented course with great facilities and stunning views of the Coquet Valley

back nine, the first of which is the par four 11th aptly named The Ponds. With thick woodland to the right, ponds left and a ditch crossing the fairway to take into account, accuracy from the tee is at a premium.

The 15th is a 525-yard par five, often played into the prevailing westerly wind. Three good shots are required to get anywhere near the green but watch out for the fairway bunkers left and right along with wooded copses.

Next is an excellent par four and at 441 yards from the medal tee, the hole is a tough proposition. The River Coquet flows along the left so try and keep your shots right of centre.

The fairway is quite wide and bunkerless but watch out for the trees on the right, they come into play if you hit any errant shots towards them.

The 17th is a 175 yard par three and a real tester. The tee-shot is played over a burn and the old racecourse water jump to an elevated green bunkered at the front and to the left.

The closing hole is a sharp dog-leg left where the big hitters maybe tempted to cut the corner and risk the out of bounds on the left. A sensible shot up the centre of the fairway to the corner of the dog-leg will leave only a shortish pitch to an elevated green banked at the back and right.

CONTACT Rothbury Golf Club Whitton Bank Road, Rothbury Northumberland, NE65 7RX Tel 01669 621 271 Email secretary@rothburygolfclub.com Website www.rothburygolfclub.com GREEN FEES Mon Adults £10 a round Juniors £10 a round Tue-Fri Adults £15 a round, £26 a day Juniors £10 a round, £13 a day Sat-Sun Adults £18 a round Juniors £13 a round Buggy hire £15 a round Golf trolley hire £3 a round Club hire £10 a round

The building of the new clubhouse and extra nine holes at Rothbury proved a long term project. Talks with the course owners, Northumberland Estates began in 1998 with building beginning at the end of 2004. Finance came from a number of sources including Alnwick District Council, Rothbury Parish Council and the Community Foundation.

The members raised more than £20,000

TOTAL DISTANCE White tees – 6,168 yards Par 71 Yellow tees – 5,569 yards Par 71 Red tees – 5,200 yards Par 73 FEATURES 18-hole parkland course Easy walking Ample car parking Putting green Short game practice area GolfMark accredited Clubhouse with outside decking area Well-stocked bar serving real ale Restaurant (no catering on Mondays) Pool table CADDY’S TIP The greens at Rothbury can be difficult to read so have a good look at the slopes and make use of the practice putting green.

SIGNATURE HOLE The seventh has superb views along the Coquet Valley. A long iron to the bottom of the hill, followed by a short pitch to a sloping green or a higher risk drive over the hedge could get you there but avoid the bunkers at the back – either way, this hole is a good birdie chance.

PAUL CORNEY’S VERDICT

The lovely market town of Rothbury is well worth a visit and the members at the golf club can be proud of what they have now achieved – it’s a very good course and a great test of golf for players of all abilities.

NORTHERN GOLFER 41

MAGDALENE FIELDS GOLF CLUB

MINDGAMES

Berwick upon Tweed TD15 1NE

1ST TIME MEMBER SPECIAL £100 OFF your 2015 /16 Golf Fees (all categories) I.E - Full Adult £400 - £100 = £300

Excellent Visiting Party Packages ring for details For further details telephone the Secretary on 01289 306130 e: secretary.m.f.g.c@hotmail.co.uk www.magdalene-fields.co.uk

With DAVID CHARLTON

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PERFECT GOLF IS DANGEROUS A lot golfers I have come across struggle with perfectionism when practising and playing competitively. Perfectionist golfers demand a lot from themselves and often have high and sometimes unrealistic expectations.

This can then lead to self-doubt and uncertainty when they do not perform to the standards that they set themselves. These golfers often focus too much on the perfect swing or strike, the score or their handicap targets.

The good news for perfectionists is that they are driven, determined and motivated to improve.

The downside is that they: Quickly lose confidence, expect to make no errors, are very hard on themselves, often lose their temper, dwell on bad swings or mistakes, get stuck in a practise mindset.

HOW CAN I FIX MY PERFECTIONIST TENDENCIES? Perfectionist golfers lack knowledge on how to deal with the problem or deny that it damages their game.

The solution isn’t an easy one, however it is possible to achieve and the rewards can be fantastic!

GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR GOLF IN 2015 I work with golfers of all abilities on a one on one basis. Also, your club may wish to host a Hole Out in Less Shots seminar, Golf Performance Café workshops or a Golf Performance Psychology Programme. All of these events are organised in a fun and educational way so that any golfer can take away tools to help them overcome golfing challenges. Our website has more details. Please get in touch!

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Northern Golfer Performance Enhancement Specialist David Charlton tel 07734 697 769 • email info@sport-excellence.co.uk www.golf-excellence.co.uk

NEXT MONTH The Early Season Blues

REGIONFOCUS The last six holes include five par fours, including a quartet exceeding 400 yards, while the 179-yard 12th is the signature hole and is played from a raised tee to a tricky green.

The next is a long par four of 469 yards with out of bounds on the right and Belmont Wood left.

One of the virtues of Harrogate is that the condition of the course is generally first class and it promises to be a busy year for the club once again as they stage the Vardon Grip Trophy again and at the beginning of September, the club will also welcome England Golf for its senior men’s and women’s North Tournament.

A very visitor friendly club, Harrogate has also introduced fiveday and flexible memberships and the creation of a new 18-hole short green course has helped to attract junior and beginner golfer.

Harrogate Golf Club, Forest Lane Head, Harrogate, HG2 7TF www.harrogate-gc.co.uk

Golfing in Harrogate Alan Hedley takes a trip around some of North Yorkshire’s most beautiful courses

RUDDING PARK HOTEL, SPA AND GOLF CLUB

Harrogate Golf Club

N

orth Yorkshire is famous for its stunning natural beauty and it’s golf courses especially in and around Harrogate.

For those who love shopping and eating, this elegant spa town boasts a wide choice of shops from independents to high street names and restaurants offering food from every corner of the world.

Its parks, gardens and stunning architecture make it a delightful destination to simply relax and enjoy while there is plenty to do in the evenings and not just in Harrogate - after that game of golf.

Not surprisingly, it’s a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with wetland nature reserves, deer parks and open moorland and, of course, quality golf courses.

Harrogate Golf Club

HARROGATE GOLF CLUB The oldest club in Harrogate where European Tour player John Parry learned his golf, Harrogate is well worth a visit.

A fairly flat tree-lined course of 6,250 yards, Harrogate has strategically placed bunkers and copses to catch the unwary and the many mature trees makes the course more difficult than its length suggests.

Recognised for the quality of its four-star hotel and spa with a Grade I-listed Regency house as its centrepiece and a top quality restaurant, golfers also know it for its excellent championship course and its truly exceptional six-hole Repton Short Course.

Add to that a golf academy and floodlit 18-bay driving range staffed with PGA professionals, indoor swing studios with video teaching technology, golf shop with custom club fitting and you’re in golfing heaven.

Designed by Martin Hawtree the course can be a real test off the back tees, but is very playable off

Summer Visitor Packages Available Special offers after 1.30pm on Monday, Tuesday & Thursday We can offer nearest the pin and longest drive competitions to add to your away day Quote ‘Northern Golfer May’ and book for over 16 players and the organiser plays for free!

Contact Ruth or Judi on 01423 862999 email: secretary@harrogate-gc.co.uk or visit our website www.harrogate-gc.co.uk Forest Lane Head, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG2 7TF

NORTHERN GOLFER 43

REGIONFOCUS the yellows and red markers. Water comes into play on several holes and there are more than a couple vying for the title of signature hole, including the fourth, fifth, 14th and 15th and there is an excellent finish with a short par five at 16, a lovely driving hole at 17 and a strong par four of 414 yards at 18.

The Repton short course has one parkland hole, two woodland and two water holes and an island signature hole - a replica of the notorious 17th at Sawgrass. It can be played in only an hour and it’s huge fun.

Play and stay is an option worth considering with golf packages available and the Clocktower Restaurant is not to be missed.

Rudding Park Hotel Spa and Golf Club, Rudding Park, Follifoot North Yorkshire, HG3 1JH www.ruddingpark.co.uk

PANNAL GOLF CLUB Pannal is the only course in Harrogate and North Yorkshire recognised by the R&A as an Open Championship Qualifying venue.

this day a venue to test your golf.

But it is perhaps the special 17th that attracts most attention, and not merely for the finest views on the course. The approach is well guarded and the long, narrow, left to right sloping green is cunningly cut into the side of a hill and going left or right is not an option!

It is well worth the wait and par here will be as welcome as your celebration drink on the Centenary Terrace just one hole later.

The Pannal Golf Club, Follifoot Road, Pannal, Harrogate, HG3 1ES www.pannalgolfclub.co.uk

Rudding Park Golf Club So it’s a test, but a most enjoyable one. At 6,614 yards and set in woodland and heathland with outstanding views of Harrogate and surrounding areas, it’s a joy to play.

The signature 17th hole provides the most stunning view of all, but it’s most certainly worth taking in the 16 holes that precede it and the one that ends which should be a great day with superb views of Almscliffe Crag to the west, the Crimple Valley and viaduct to the north and the rolling plains of York to the east.

Situated in the middle of the famous spa town of Harrogate This MacKenzie designed 18 hole course winds its way through the majestic Oakdale woodland and its charismatic clubhouse offers both members and visitors the perfect opportunity to experience an unforgettable Harrogate golfing experience.

This July, Pannal will be co-hosting the English Amateur Championship and in September will stage the Northern Counties Strokeplay Championship for the third consecutive year - an indication of the quality of the course which started in 1906 as a ninehole layout.

It was soon expanded to 18 holes with help from Open Champion Sandy Herd, but it was in the 1930s that the Pannal course took on its championship layout and remains to

OAKDALE GOLF CLUB Oakdale is one of North Yorkshire’s premier layouts.

Designed by Dr Alister MacKenzie, of Masters Augusta fame, this 18 hole 6,484 course (off the back tees) offers a mix of moorland and parkland golf to be savoured.

Oakdale is proud of its flora and fauna with many varieties of wildlife, including grey squirrel, roe deer and foxes plus kingfishers, dippers and jays and the club has fostered

FREE Basket of Driving Range balls for all bookings

STAY AND PLAY at the Best Golf Hotel in the UK

Over the next century Oakdale want to encourage growth in junior golf With any new or existing adult membership, Oakdale is offering complimentary junior memberships for children or grandchild, aged up to 18 years old.

Societies from £20pp (incentives available) Bed and Yorkshire Breakfast from £82.50pp

Please contact Alan W Purdie with any enquireries to manager@ oakdalegolfclub.co.uk or 01423 567162

Call 01423 871350 and mention Northern Golfer

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RUDDING PARK FOLLIFOOT

HARROGATE

NORTH YORKSHIRE

www.ruddingpark.co.uk/golf

44 NORTHERN GOLFER

HG3 1JH

REGIONFOCUS wild flowers into the certain areas of the course. The Oak Beck comes into play on four holes. Water is also found near the 11th and the 12th where two lakes have been constructed while the 10th and 14th are particularly memorable but then so are the par threes.

The sixth is a 207-yard hole of great character and the ninth is the signature hole, despite being just 153 yards, as it is played across a water hazard to a shallow green.

MacKenzie designed Oakdale in 1914. Although modified over the years, much of the original design remains unaltered.

Visitors are guaranteed a warm welcome at a club which holds the Yorkshire Order of Merit award.

Oakdale Golf Club, Oakdale Glen Harrogate, HG1 2LN www.oakdale-golfclub.com

KNARESBOROUGH GOLF CLUB

Pannel Park Golf Club

Knaresborough is a real gem of a golf course located just outside the market town.

Set in undulating parkland with mature wooded areas and

Knaresborough Golf Club surrounded by open countryside, it has developed into one of the finest golf courses in the North despite being one of the “newer” kids on the block after being founded in 1920.

Continuous investment in both the course and clubhouse facilities ensures visitors and members enjoy their golf and all that goes with it.

With the clubhouse being refurbished and the course having been further developed to a par 72, measuring 6,780 yards from the competition tees and 6,553 yards from yellows, it’s one not to miss.

Friendship is the cornerstone of Knaresborough’s success over the years and visitors are particularly

welcome. Highlights include the par five eighth with an exhilarating drive from an elevated tee while the dogleg 13th demands an accurate tee shot and the 14th is a strong par four with a testing, undulating green.

Knaresborough is now recognised as one of the leading courses in the region as proven by hosting last year’s England Senior Women’s Championship and will be the venue for this year’s Yorkshire Seniors Championship for the first time in the club’s history.

Knaresborough Golf Club Boroughbridge Road Knaresborough, HG5 0QQ www.knaresboroughgolfclub.co.uk

Knaresborough Golf Club

Host to the Yorkshire Seniors’ Championship 2015 2015 OPEN COMPETITIONS

Mon 11th May - Seniors Open Saturday 23rd May - Rabbits Open Sunday 7th June - Castle Trophy (36 Hole Scratch Open) Friday 24th July - Ladies Open Texas Scramble Sunday 2nd August - Mixed Open Thursday 20th August - Seniors Open Thursday 3rd September - Ladies Am-Am Friday 2nd October - Men’s Open Please visit our website or contact the Club Office for future details or an entry form Visiting Party Summer Packages from £30pp

please contact the club office for further details

Knaresborough Golf Club Boroughbridge Road, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire HG5 0QQ Tel: 01423 862690 www.knaresboroughgolfclub.co.uk email: secretary@kgc.uk.com

We promise our Visitors a very warm welcome and the opportunity to play a real championship golf course in the year we are co-hosting the Men’s English Amateur Championship.

Why not consider our Spring and Summer packages or Twighlight Offers, by visiting www.pannalgolfclub.co.uk or contacting Managing Secretary, Neil Douglas on 01423 872628 Whether you visit as an individual or part of a society we can offer a complete package to suit your budget and ensure you will be determined to play Pannal again.

Come over to Pannal – Yorkshire Golf at its best!

Follifoot Road, Pannal, Harrogate, HG3 1ES NORTHERN GOLFER 45

LEEDS GOLF CENTRE - THE LEADBETTER ACADEMY

START THEM YOUNG AND MAKE IT FUN Why do kids play sport? They do it because they get to socialise, develop skills, compete and let off steam all at the same time. The danger with golf is to over complicate things.

Of course at Leeds Golf Centre’s Junior Golf Academy we teach good technique, that’s a given. But with a class of six-year-olds, how

long are they going to be able to concentrate on technique for? I can tell you the answer is about 10 minutes.

They love challenges and improvement.

You give them achievable tasks, rewards and monitored progression and improvement, and you’ve got a great chance of producing talented, happy little golfers.

JUNIOR DRILLS

When it comes to technique, here are just a couple of examples of ways to improve their understanding of their fundamentals and technique.

BALANCE DRILL I use this all the time with the juniors to help them understand the importance of balance during the golf swing (most amateur golfers also benefit from this drill). The drill involves simply getting them to stand on the balance cushion and swing the club, maintaining their balance while doing so. It is a fun drill for them to do, and teaches them great balance, rhythm and helps develop their hand eye co-ordination.

THROW IT FURTHER HIT IT FURTHER Golf, as with most explosive actions rely on rotation, weight transfer, and good timing to create speed and distance. This drill gives juniors an understanding early on in their golfing life of how to generate power and speed.

FUNDAMENTALS ARE EVERYTHING Juniors form habits very quickly Teach them a perfect grip, perfect posture, and perfect setup. If they develop the habit of setting up to the shot perfectly every time at a young age, these fundamentals will last them a life time and give them the best chance of hitting great golf shots from the start.

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO REGISTER YOUR CHILD PLEASE: CALL 0113 288 6000 email: Joe Feather, Junior Academy Manager joe@leedsgolfcentre.com 46 NORTHERN GOLFER

Firstly get them to stand facing the target, both feet planted, and to throw the ball as far as they can. Let them acknowledge how far the ball has travelled. Then, get them to adopt the Usain Bolt stance, standing side on to the target with a wide stance, with the weight on their trailing foot. Get them to launch their body weight and rotate their body towards the target as they throw the ball. Juniors will often throw the ball two or three times further. (I’ve seen some pretty amusing attempts to throw a ball prior to gaining some understanding).

In short, get the basics right, keep them balanced, give them an understanding of how to generate power, and you will be amazed at how well they can swing the club with very little technical information.

A BETTER PLACE TO PLAY

UK’S LEADING GOLF ACADEMY

UNRIVALLED V VALLED FACILITIES & THE NORTH’S PREMIER GOLF SHOP

SUMMER SOCIETY PACKAGES FROM JUST £18.50PP

- 18 HOLE CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF COURSE - 12 HOLE PAR 3 COURSE - FLOODLIT DRIVING RANGE

DISCOUNT DEALS WITH LOCAL HOTELS

BOOK TO PLAY ONLINE AT LEEDSGOLFCENTRE.COM OR CALL 0113 288 6000

win GOLFERCOMPETITIONS

Enter online Lo northe g on to rngolfe r.co.uk

Northern Golfer competitions are also listed on our website www.northerngolfer.co.uk/competitions, Alternatively, you can enter via email at competitions@northerngolfer.co.uk (mark the competition name in the subject field) or post your entry to: Competitions, Northern Golfer, Unit One, Bearl Farm, Stocksfield, Northumberland, NE43 7AL

Please include your contact details and telephone number.

Closing date May 28. Usual competition rules apply – available on request.

Winners will be published in our next edition.

WIN GOLF FOR FOUR AT .EAGLESCLIFFE GOLF CLUB One of Teesside’s best courses, Eaglescliffe presents a tough test for all golfers and remains a firm favourite in its 101st year.

Measuring 6,289 yards from the back tees, the course at Eaglescliffe was designed by James Braid, while Henry Cotton undertook the design of four new holes in 1968.

Image credit: photogolfer / Shutterstock.com For your chance to win answer this question: Who won the 2015 Masters Tournament?

WIN £100 A GIFT VOUCHER FOR .PERFORMANCE PSYCHOLOGY AND .FITNESS SERVICES

WIN GOLF FOR FOUR AT .DUNSTANBURGH GC

Inspiring Excellence in Golf owner and Northern Golfer columnist David Charlton helps motivated golfers to get the most from their golf by applying tools from Sport Psychology and Sport Science.

The methods are used by elite professionals and can make a huge difference to players of all abilities and ages.

The Dunstanburgh Golf Club links, at Embleton Bay in North Northumberland is one of the region’s finest examples of coastline golf. Laid out along the clifftop in the shadow of the ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle, the course examines every part of your game on a calm day, and tests the very best when the wind blows.

For your chance to win answer the following question: Where will this year’s ISPS Handa PGA Seniors Championship be played?

For your chance to win answer this question: Who won the 2014 Race to Dubai?

We had another great response to our April competitions, with more than 600 entries. Congratulations to the winners: Allendale Jason Sockett of Chesterfield • Garesfield Anthony Lambert of Newton Hall • George Washington Gordon Taylor of Bishop Auckland

MONDAY OPEN SERIES EVENTS £9 per player - first five from each qualify for the final Monday 1st June Monday 3rd August Monday 7th September Grand Final Monday 5th October

TRIAL MEMBERSHIP 12 Months only £395 18 Rounds of golf including 3 with a Club Member to obtain a handicap 12 x 1 Hour group coaching sessions Complimentary use of the Clubhouse for functions with 15% DISCOUNT on food and beverage purchases

Telephone 0191 5342518 | email: wearside_golf@yahoo.co.uk | www.wearsidegolfclub.co.uk 48 NORTHERN GOLFER

1/2 PRICE GOLF LESSON With PGA Professional Steven Fawcitt at Slaley Hall - Individual 60 Minutes only £25.00 (normally £50)

Flight Scope Launch Monitor, Video Analysis

Telepho ne Steve n 07584 6 51083 to on book your ap po MUST Q intment uote NG 33 (Offer v alid 31st July until 2015)

Get your game up to scratch this season!

Summer Sizzler Golf Packages at Slaley Hall

£25

Tea, coffee and bacon rolls | 18 holes of championship Golf | Longest drive | Nearest pin

from

*

PP

To enquire call the team

01434 676525

Slaley Hall, Slaley, Hexham, Nr. Newcastle, Northumberland, NE47 0BX *Terms and conditions apply. Based on a minimum of 12 people. Book before the end of May to receive 1 in 12 goes free offer. Subject to availability. New bookings only.

1 golfein 12 rs go es

free Book be

quotfore end of May e: NSS G15

MATCHPLAYPAIRS

Top venues

MATCH PLAY PAIRS

Preliminary Round 13. Graeme Robson (6) & Phil Swann (15) (Ramside Hall) V Steve Bell (13) & Chris Walton (8) (Hobson)

Some of Britain’s finest golf courses will be venues for the 2017 major amateur championships and international matches.

Royal St George’s, where Darren Clarke won The Open in 2011, will host the Amateur Championship for the 14th time, with the qualifying strokeplay rounds also being played at nearby Prince’s.

The Boys Amateur Championship will be played at The Nairn Golf Club and nearby Nairn Dunbar.

The Boys Home Internationals will be played at St Annes Old Links and the Jacques Leglise Trophy will be held at Ballybunion’s Old Course for the first time.

The Seniors Amateur Championship, meanwhile, will make its first visit to Sunningdale’s Old Course.

Meanwhile, Martin Slumbers will succeed Peter Dawson as chief executive and also as Secretary of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews later this year.

Dawson, a member of the Northumberland Club, retires in September after 16 years leading the body which organises The Open Championship and governs golf worldwide.

Entries open Richmond is holding an individual stableford competition with a maximum 24 handicap with a 10.30 shotgun start on June 23 as part of their captain’s week.

Cost is £25 which includes coffee and bacon roll on arrival and one course meal after the golf plus prizes for the top five.

All are welcome please contact Dave Redford on d.redford67@sky. com or 07791 524 906 50 NORTHERN GOLFER

Last year’s winners Peter Gallagher and Neil Walmsley

Champions to defend title Last year’s winners are among those competing in our fourth Match Play Pairs tournament.

Peter Gallagher and Neil Walmsley have a home draw against Beamish Park’s Rodney

Martin and Brian Jones in the first steps to defending their title and a return to the NE/NW PGA Overseas Pro-Am in Portugal organised by Kevin Batty of Golfing Holidays.

Also making a return

is former England cricket star Steve Harmison with Newbiggin partner Billy Bennet.

This season’s semifinals are at Wynyard Golf Club and the final is at Ramside Hall Golf Club.

1. Peter Newman (20) & Jason Green (16) (Brancepeth Castle) V Stewart Jones (10) & Alec Jones (3) (Bellingham)

5. Griffin (14) & Scott Williamson (12) (Stocksfield) V Robert Ellison (17) & J. Jamfrey (16) (Roseberry Grange)

9. Howard Wooton (11) & Colin Grieve (8) (Goswick) V Ken Bell (9) & Alan Heslop (16) (Hexham)

2. Graeme Bailey (10) & Rick Longmire (9) (Darlington) V Jamie McPhillips (8) & Craig Beadling (10) (Romanby)

6. Andrew Sharp (15) & Paul Chapman (10) (Garesfield) V Anthony Kelly (13) & David Jenkinson (14) (Roseberry Grange)

10. Martin Crossland (6) & Patrick Ward (21) (Whitley Bay / Matfen Hall) V Brendan Murphy (13) & Adam Murphy (13) (Tynedale)

3. Billy Bennett (4) & Stephen Harmison (6) (Newbiggin-by-the-Sea) V Ben King (2) & Michael King (2) (Bellingham)

7. David Lillico (5) & Dean Hope (6) (Alnmouth-Foxton) V Richard Wallhead (12) & Richard Lindsay (16) (Rothbury)

4. Peter Gallagher (11) & Neil Walmsley (18) (Durham City) V Rodney Martin (12) & Brian Jones (18) (Beamish Park)

8. John Barnes (16) & David Wailes (5) (Bedlingtonshire) V David McColl (5) & Alan Walton (6) (Durham City)

14. Stuart McIntosh (18) & Craig Watts (7) (Wilton) v Clive Harbron (7) & Neil Ashby (14) (Hartlepol)

15. Ian Irving (12) & Gary Foxwell (2) (Arcot Hall) V Dave Braddick (17) & Paul Howe (7) (Ravensworth)

16. Russell Hunter (10) & Joe Hunter (14) (Alnmouth) V Len Eyre (6) & Alan Scambler (10) (Magdalene Fields)

17. Steve Slater (2) & Gary Wright (12) (City of Newcastle /

Backworth) V Karl Nolan (10) & Brian Ord (18) (Whitburn)

11. Ted Cromar (13) & Graham Dodds (13) (Morpeth) V Neil Baker (10) & Carl Hunter (5) (Hobson)

12 Jeff Lightle (7) & Steve Gray (6) (Slaley Hall) V Peter Basford (5) & Peter Boyle (11) (Burgham Park)

All remaining competitors have a bye into Round 1 MATCHES TO BE PLAYED BY SUNDAY MAY 24 2015

LADIESGREENSOMES LADIES GREENSOMES APPLICATION FORM For your chance to win a golf break to Matfen Hall, simply fill in this application form and send it to: Tournament Organiser, Northern Golfer, Offstone Publishing Unit One, Bearl Farm, Stocksfield, Northumberland, NE43 7AL DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES: SUNDAY MAY 31, 2015

LEAD PLAYER PLAYER NAME

HANDICAP GOLF CLUB

ADDRESS POSTCODE TEL (DAY)

TEL (EVE)

EMAIL

ENTRY FEE

£10

Ladies Greensomes 2015

C

alling all ladies from Northumberland, Durham, Teesside and North Yorkshire. Why not take the opportunity to compete in a pairs knock out event.?

So far 17 pairs have entered The Northern Golfer Ladies Greensomes Championship, sponsored by Matfen Hall, which will be played throughout the season.

Entries have been extended to May 31 to give as many women as possible the chance to enter - so why not join them for only £10?

The event will see pairs of ladies, who are active members of golf clubs with a handicap of 36 or less and aged over 18, compete in knockout matchplay rounds at courses around the region ahead of the semi finals and final at Matfen Hall, Northumberland in September.

The winning pair will receive a

two-night stay for four people at Matfen Hall, which includes dinner, bed and breakfast, use of the spa facilities and two rounds of golf as well as the championship trophy.

Peter Smith, golf club manager at Matfen Hall, says: “We are delighted to be working with Northern Golfer to launch an event specifically for the region’s lady golfers.

“We are working hard to promote participation in ladies golf, both to beginners and active club members; with the number of active players decreasing nationally, we think it is vital to grow the game in any way we can.

“The prize includes two nights in our award-winning hotel, use of the excellent new spa facilities and golf on our 27-hole championship layout.

“It is worth in excess of £500 and I am sure our inaugural winners will be very happy to win the prize.”

For more information, including rules for the event, go to www.northerngolfer.co.uk To enter, simply fill in the application form and send it to: Tournament Organiser, Northern Golfer Ladies Greensomes, Offstone Publishing Unit 1, Bearl Farm, Stocksfield, Northumberland, NE43 7AL

PARTNER

HANDICAP

PLAYER NAME

GOLF CLUB

ADDRESS POSTCODE TEL (DAY)

TEL (EVE)

EMAIL

PAYMENT:

ENTRY FEE

I have enclosed a cheque made payable to Offstone Publishing for £10  Or I authorise Offstone Publishing to debit my Mastercard/Visa/Maestro/Delta card by £10 only



£10

Card Number Issue No:

Valid from:

(Maestro only)

Exp date:

CSC: (3 digits on the back of your card)

Cardholders Signature:

Please fill in the name and address the card is registered to: Title

Inital

Surname

Address

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NORTHERN GOLFER 51

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Pick up a copy of Northern Golfer at any of these venues

COUNTY DURHAM Barnard Castle Golf Club Harmire Rd, Barnard Castle, DL12 8QN 01833 638 355

To be listed or to advertise please call 01661 844115 or email enquiries@northerngolfer.co.uk

Beamish Park Golf Club Beamish Park, Stanley, DH9 0RH 0191 370 1382 Birtley Golf Club Portobello Road, Birtley, Chester-le-Street, DH3 2LR 0191 410 2207 Bishop Auckland Golf Club High Plains, Bishop Auckland, DL14 8DL 01388 661 618 Blackwell Grange Golf Club Snipe Lane, Darlington, DL2 2SA 01325 464 458 Brancepeth Castle Golf Club Brancepeth Castle, DH7 8EA 0191 378 0075 Castle Eden Golf Club Castle Eden, TS27 4SS 01429 836 510 Chester le Street Golf Club Lumley Pk, Chester le Street, DH3 4NS 0191 388 3218 Cocken Lodge Golf Cocken Lodge Farm, Leamside, DH4 6QP 0191 584 1053 Consett & District Golf Club Elmfield Road, Consett, DH8 5NN 01207 505 060 Crook Golf Club Low Jobs Hill, Crook DL15 9AA 01388 762 429 Darlington Golf Club Haughton Road, Darlington, DL1 3JD 01325 355 324 Dinsdale Spa Golf Club Middleton St George, Darlington, DL2 1DW 01325 332 297 Durham City Golf Club Littleburn, Langley Moor, DH7 8HL 0191 378 0029 Hallgarth Hotel Golf & Country Club Coatham Munderville, Darlington, DL1 3LU 01325 300 400 Hobson Golf Club Hobson, Near Burnopfield, NE16 6BZ 01207 270 941 Ineos Golf Club School Aycliffe Lane, Newton Aycliffe, DL5 6EA. Sec: Patrick Montgomery, 07974 742 679

52 NORTHERN GOLFER

Oak Leaf Golf Club School Aycliffe Lane, Newton Aycliffe, DL5 4EF 01325 310 820 Ramside Hall Golf Club Ramside Hall Hotel, Carville, Durham, DH1 1TD 0191 386 9514 Rockliffe Hall Golf Club Hurworth-on-Tees,Darlington, DL2 2DU 01325 729 980

Bamburgh Castle Golf Club The Wynding, Bamburgh, NE69 7DE 01668 214 321

Seahouses Golf Club Beadnell Road, Seahouses, NE68 7XT 01665 720 794

Saltburn by the Sea Golf Club Hob Hill, Saltburn by the Sea, TS12 1NJ 01287 622 812

Bedlingtonshire Golf Club Acorn Bank, Bedlington, NE22 6AA 01670 822 457

Slaley Hall Slaley, Hexham, NE47 0BX 01434 673 350

Seaton Carew Golf Club Tees Road, Seaton Carew, TS25 1DE 01429 266 249

Belford Golf Club South Road, Belford, NE70 7DP 01668 213 232

Stocksfield Golf Club New Ridley Rd,Stocksfield, NE43 7RE 01661 843 041

Bellingham Golf Club Boggle Hole, Bellingham, NE48 2DT 01434 220 152

Tynedale Golf Club Tyne Green, Hexham, NE46 3HQ 01434 608 154

Teesside Golf Club Acklam Road, Thornaby Stockton on Tees TS17 7JS 01642 616 516

Blyth Golf Club New Delaval, Blyth, NE24 4DB 01670 540 110

Warkworth Golf Club The Links, Warkworth, NE65 OSW 01665 711 596

Burgham Park Golf Club Near Felton, Morpeth, NE65 8QP 01670 787 898

Wooler Golf Club Dod Law, Doddington, Wooler, NE71 6AN 01668 282 135

Close House Heddon-on-the-Wall, NE15 0HT 01661 852 953 Dunstanburgh Golf Club Embleton, NE66 3XQ 01665 576 562

Roseberry Grange Community Golf Club Grange Villa, Chester le Street, DH2 3NF 0191 370 0660

Goswick Golf Club Goswick Beal, TD15 2RW 01289 387 256

Seaham Golf Club Shrewsbury Street, Seaham, SR7 7RD 0191 581 1268

Gubeon Golf Centre Walton Road, Morpeth, NE61 3YJ 01670 519 090

Sharpley Golf Seaton, Seaham, Co Durham, SR7 0NP 0191 513 1100

Haltwhistle Golf Club Banktop, Greenhead, NE49 9JR 01697 747367

South Moor Golf Cub The Middles, Craghead, Stanley, DH9 6AG 01207 232 848

Hexham Golf Club Spital Lane, Hexham, NE46 3RZ 01434 603 072

Woodham Golf & Country Club Burnhill Way, Newton Aycliffe, DL5 4PN 01325 319977

Longhirst Hall Golf Club Longhirst Hall, Morpeth, NE61 3LL 01670 791 562

CUMBRIA Brampton Golf Club Talkin Tarn, Brampton, CA8 1HN 01697 72255 Seascale Golf Club The Banks, Seascale, CA20 1QL 019467 28202

NORTHUMBERLAND Allendale Golf Club High Studden, Allenheads Road Allendale, NE47 9QL 01434 683 926 Alnmouth Golf Club Foxton Hall, Alnmouth, NE66 3BE 01665 830 231 Alnmouth Village Golf Club Marine Road, Alnmouth, NE66 2RZ 01665 830 370 Alnwick Castle Golf Club Swansfield Park, Alnwick, NE66 2AB 01665 602 632 Arcot Hall Golf Club Dudley, Cramlington NE23 7QP 0191 236 2794

Macdonald Linden Hall Golf and Country Club Longhorsley, Morpeth, NE65 8XF 01670 500 011 Matfen Hall Golf Club Matfen, NE20 0RH 01661 886 400 Magdalene Fields Golf Club Berwick-upon-Tweed, TD15 1NE 01289 306 130 Morpeth Golf club Loansdean, Morpeth, NE61 2BT 01670 504 942 Newbiggin Golf Club Newbiggin NE64 3DW 01670 817 344 Percy Wood Golf Club Coast View, Swarland, Felton, NE65 9JG 01670 787 010 Ponteland Golf Club 53 Bell Villas, Ponteland, NE20 9BD 01661 822 689 Prudhoe Golf Club Eastwood Park, Prudhoe, NE42 5DX 01661 832 466 Rothbury Golf Club Whitton Bank Rd, Rothbury, NE65 7RX 01669 621 271

Wilton Golf Club Wilton,Near Redcar, TS10 4QY 01642 465 265 Wynyard Hall Golf Club Wellington Drive, Wynyard Park Billingham, TS22 5NQ 01740 644 399

TYNE AND WEAR SCOTTISH BORDERS Eyemouth Golf Club Gunsgreenhill, Eyemouth, D14 5SF 01890 750 004 Hirsel Golf Club Kelso Road, Coldstream TD12 4NJ 01890 882 678 Roxburghe Golf Club Kelso, Roxburghshire, TD5 8JZ 01573 450 333

TEESSIDE Billingham Golf Club Sandy Lane, Billingham, TS22 5NA 01642 533 816 Cleveland Golf Club Majuba Road, Redcar, Cleveland TS10 5BJ 01642 471 798 Eaglescliffe & District Golf Club Yarm Road, Eaglescliffe, TS16 0DQ 01642 780 238 Hartlepool Golf Club Hart Warren, Hartlepool, TS24 9QF 01429 274 398 High Throston Golf Club Hart Lane, Hartlepool, TS26 0UG 01429 268 071 Hunley Hotel & Golf Club Brotton, By Saltburn, TS12 2QN 01287 677 444 Ingleby Barwick Golf Club Lullingstone Crescent, Ingleby Barwick, Stockton on Tees, TS17 5GJ 01642 765 000 Knotty Hill Golf Centre Sedgefield, Stockton on Tees, TS21 2BB 01740 620 320 Middlesbrough Golf Club Brass Castle Lane, Middlesbrough TS8 9EE 01642 311 515

Backworth Golf Club The Hall, Backworth, NE27 0AH 0191 268 4247 Beamish Park Hotel Golf & Driving Range, Marley Hill, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE16 5EG 01207 230666 Boldon Golf Club Dipe Lane, East Boldon, NE36 0PQ 0191 536 5360 Centurion Park Golf Club Rheydt Avenue, Wallsend, NE28 8SU 0191 263 0041 City of Newcastle Golf Club Three Mile Bridge, Gosforth Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 2DR 0191 285 1775 Garesfield Golf Club Chopwell, NE17 7AP 01207 561 309 George Washington Golf Club Stone Cellars Road, Concorde Washington, NE37 1PH 0191 417 8346 Gosforth Golf Club Broadway East, Gosforth Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 5ER 0191 285 3495 Heworth Golf Club Gingling Gate, Heworth, Gateshead, NE10 8XY 0191 469 9832 Hetton le Hill Golf Club Elemore Vale, Easington Lane, DH5 0QR 0191 517 3061 Houghton le Spring Golf Club Copt Hill, Houghton le Spring, DH5 8LU 0191 584 7421 Newcastle United Golf Club 60 Ponteland Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE5 3JW 0191 286 9998

Middlesbrough Municipal Golf Club Ladgate Lane, Middlesbrough, TS5 7YZ 01642 315 533

Northumberland Golf Club High Gosforth Park, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 5HT 0191 236 2009

Norton Golf Club Blakestone Lane, Norton Stockton on Tees, TS20 3LQ 01642 676 385

Parklands Golf Club High Gosforth Park, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 5HQ 0191 236 4480

Ryton Golf Club Clara Vale, Ryton, NE40 3TD 0191 413 3253

Filey Golf Club Skelton Lane, Wigginton,York 01904 769400

South Shields Golf Club Cleadon Hills, South Shields, NE34 8EG 0191 456 8942

Forest of Galtres Golf Club Flaxby, Knaresborough, HG5 0RR 01423 863 444

Tynemouth Golf Club Spital Dene, Tynemouth, NE30 2ER 0191 257 4578

Forest Park Golf Club Stockton-on-Forest, York, YO32 9HF 01904 400 425

Tyneside Golf Club Westfield Lane, Ryton, NE40 3QE 0191 413 2742

Fulford Golf Club Heslington Lane, York, YO10 5DY 01904 413 579

Wearside Golf Club Cox Green, Sunderland, SR4 9JT 0191 534 2518

Ganton Golf Club Station Road, Ganton, Scarborough, YO12 4PA 01944 710 329 Harrogate Golf Club Forest Lane Head, Harrogate, HG2 7TF 01423 862 999

Whickham Golf Club Hollinside Park, Fellside Road Whickham, NE16 5BA 0191 488 1576

Heworth Golf Club Muncaster House, Muncastergate, YO31 9JY 01904 426 156

Whitburn Golf Club Lizard Lane, South Shields, NE34 7AF 0191 529 4210

Kirkbymoorside Golf Club Manor Vale, Kirkbymoorside, YO62 6EG 01751 431 525

Whitley Bay Golf Club Claremont Rd, Whitley Bay, NE26 3UF 0191 252 0180

Knaresborough Golf Club Boroughbridge Road, Knaresborough, HG5 0QQ 01423 862 690

YORKSHIRE (EAST)

Malton & Norton Golf Club Welham Park, Welham Road, Norton,Malton, YO17 9QE 01653 697 912

Beverley and East Riding Golf Club Anti Mill, Westwood, Beverley, HU17 8RG 01482 868757 Bridlington Golf Club Belvedere Road, Bridlington, YO15 3NA 01262 606 367 Bridlington Links Golf Club Flamborough Road, Marton, Bridlington, YO15 1DW 01262 401 584 Driffield Golf Club Sunderlandwick, Driffield, YO25 9AD 01377 253 116 Flamborough Head Golf Club Lighthouse Road, Flamborough, Bridlington, YO15 1AR 01262 850 333 Hornsea Golf Club Rolston Rd, Hornsea, HU18 1XG 01964 534989

Masham Golf Club Burnholme, Swinton Road, Masham, Ripon, HG4 4NS 01765 688 054 Oakdale Golf Club Oakdale, Harrogate, HG1 2LN 01423 567 162 Pannal Golf CLub Follifoot Road, Pannal, HG3 1ES 01423 872 628 Pike Hills Golf Club Tadcaster Road, Askham Bryan, YO23 3UW 01904 700 797 Richmond Golf Club Bend Hagg, Richmond, DL10 5EX 01748 823 231

Scarborough South Cliff Golf Club Deepdale Avenue, off Filey Road, YO11 2UE 01723 360 522

Moortown Golf Club Harrogate Road, Leeds, LS17 7DB 0113 268 6521

Selby Golf Club Mill Lane, Brayton, YO8 9LD 01757 228 622

Otley Golf Club West Busk Lane, Otley, Leeds, LS21 3NG 01943 465 329

Skipton Golf Club Short Lee Lane, Skipton, BD23 3LF 01756 795 657

Oulton Hall Rothwell Lane, Oulton, Leeds, Yorkshire, LS26 8HN 0871 222 4690

The Oaks Golf Club Aughton Common, Aughton, YO42 4PW 01757 288 577 Thirsk & Northallerton Golf Club Thornton le Street, Thirsk, YO7 4AB 01845 525 115

Pontefact & District Golf Club Park Lane, Pontefract, WF8 4QS 01977 792241

Whitby Golf Club Low Straggleton, Whitby, YO21 3SR 01947 600 660

Rawdon Golf and Lawn Tennis Club Buckstone Drive, Rawdon, Leeds, LS19 6BB 0113 2506040

York Golf Club Lords Moor Lane, Strensall, YO32 5XF 01904 491 840

Sand Moor Golf Club Alwoodley Lane, Leeds, LS17 7DJ 0113 268 5180

YORKSHIRE (WEST)

Scarcroft Golf Club Syke Lane, Leeds, LS14 3BQ 0113 289 2263

Bradford Golf Club Hawksworth Lane, Guiseley, LS20 8NP 01943 875570 Cookridge Golf Club Cookridge Lane, Cookridge, Leeds, LS16 7NL 0113 230 0641

Wakefield Golf Club 28 Woodthorpe Lane, WF2 6JH 01924 258778 Woodhall Hills Golf Club Woodhall Road, Calverley, Pudsey, LS28 5UN 0113 255 4594

Dewsbury District Golf Club The Pinnacle, Sands Lane, Mirfield, WF14 8HJ 01924 492399

Wetherby Golf Club Linton Lane, Linton, Wetherby, LS22 4JF 01937 580 089

Garforth Driving Range Barwick Road, Garforth, Leeds, LS25 2DN 0113 287 1111

OTHER GOLF OUTLETS

Garforth Golf Club Long Lane, Garforth, Leeds, LS25 2DS 0113 286 2021 Headlingly Golf Club Back Church Lane, Adel, Leeds, LS16 8DW 0113 267 9573

Ripon Golf Club Palace Road, Ripon, HG4 3HH 01765 603 640

YORKSHIRE (NORTH)

Romanby Golf Club Yafforth Road, Northallerton, DL7 0PE 01609 778 855

Horsforth Golf Club Layton Rise, Horsforth, Leeds, LS18 5EX 0113 258 6819

Aldwark Manor Golf Club Aldwark Alne,YO61 1UF 01347 838 146

Rudding Park Golf Club Rudding Park, Harrogate, HG3 1JH 01423 872 100

Huddersfield Golf Club Fixby Hall, Lightridge Rd, HD2 2EP 01484 426203

Bedale Golf Club Leyburn Road, Bedale, DL8 1EZ 01677 422 451

Sandburn Hall Golf Club Flaxton, York, YO60 7RB 01904 469 929

Leeds Golf Club Elmete Lane, Leeds, LS8 2LJ 0113 265 9203

Scalm Park Golf Club Bishop Wood, Wistow Common, Selby, YO8 3RD 01757 210 846

Leeds Golf Centre Wike Ridge Lane, Shadwell, Leeds LS17 9JW 0113 288 6000

Catterick Golf Club Leyburn Road, Catterick Garrison, DL9 3QE 01748 833 268

Moor Allerton Golf Club Coal Road, Wike, Leeds, LS17 9NH 0113 266 1154

Scarthingwell Golf Club The Scarthingwell Centre, Scarthingwell, Tadcaster, LS24 9PF 01937 557 878

Hollins Hall Hollins Hill, Baildon, Shipley, Bradford, BD17 7QW 01274 530 053

The KP Golf Club Pocklington, York, YO42 1UF 01759 303 090

Mid Yorkshire Golf Club Havercroft Lane, Pontefract, Darrington, WF8 3BP 01977 704522

Dynamic Indoor Golf Wideopen, Newcastle, NE13 7BA 0191 481 3590 Eureka Copt Hill, Houghton le Spring, DH5 8LU 0191 584 1198 George Paylor 5th Tee 5th Tee,Garesfield Golf Club Chopwell, NE17 7AP 07737 963881 Jeffrey Musgrove Golf Shop Garesfield Golf Club Chopwell, NE17 7AP 01207 563082 Leda Discount Golf Centre Grange Villa, Chester le Street, DH2 3NF 0191 370 1757 Marshalls Golf Heworth Golf Club, Gingling Gate, Heworth, NE10 8HY 0191 4384223 Gordon Catterill Golf Shop Middlesbrough Golf Club, Brass Castle Lane, TS8 9EE 01642 311766 Philips Golf Discount Unit 3 Strand Business Centre Locomotion Way, Camperdown Ind Est Killingworth, NE12 5UJ 0191 268 0008 Riverdale Hotel Bellingham NE48 2JT 01434 220 254 Snainton Golf Direct Coast View, Swarland, Felton, NE65 9JG 01670 787 010 Stokesley Driving Range Broughton Road, Stokesley, TS9 5JJ

AB Golf Middlesbrough Driving Range, Ladgate Lane, Middlesbrough, TS5 7YZ 01642 300 720 Andy Paisley Golf Centre, Hexham Golf Club, Spittal Lane, Hexham, NE46 3RZ 01434 603 072 Aslan Golf Lizard Lane, Whitburn, NE34 7AF 0191 5294210 Bargain Golf Seaham Golf Club, Shrewsbury Street, Seaham, SR7 7RD 0191 5130837 & Hobson Golf Club Burnopfield, Newcastle, NE16 6BZ 01207 271605 Custom Fit Golf South Moor Golf Club Superstore Craghead, Stanley DH9 6AG 01207 283 525 Direct Golf Lullingstone Crescent Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, TS17 5GJ 01642 765 000

The Hobson Golf Range Hobson Golf Club, Burnopfield, NE16 6BZ Tim Jenkins Golf Cleveland Golf Club, Majuba Road, Redcar, TS10 5BJ 01642 471 798 also at Castle Eden Golf Club, Castle Eden, TS27 4SS 01429 836689 ZFL Golf Unit 8d, North Tyne Ind. Estate, NE12 9SZ 0191 270 2362

SELECTED TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRES ALNWICK, BELLINGHAM, BERWICK, CORBRIDGE, HALTWHISTLE, HEXHAM MORPETH, NEWCASTLE, ROYAL QUAYS, SALTBURN, SEAHOUSES WHITLEY BAY AND SELECTED GOLF CLUBS IN THE BORDERS AND CUMBRIA NORTHERN GOLFER 53

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Westerhope Golf Club Whorlton Grange, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE5 1PP 0191 286 9125

Scarborough North Cliff Golf Club North Cliff Avenue, Scarborough, YO12 6PP 01723 355 397

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Easingwold Golf Club Stillington Road, Easingwold, YO61 3ET 01347 822 474

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Ravensworth Golf Club Angel View, Longbank, Gateshead, NE9 7UU 0191 487 6014

from the

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Welcome to your reader feedback page. We want to hear your likes, dislikes and funny golfing stories, and if you’d like to make suggestions about Northern Golfer, let us know. We want to hear from you!

NG: The new season at Prudhoe Golf Club kicked off in traditional style earlier this year with a past captain’s dinner and captain’s drive in. New captain Paul Potts was joined by past captains and fellow members to see in the new year with some questionable attire on show. Our good friend Richard Hannam wrote: “Helped by a stiff back wind, heckling from the members, a ship’s Captain’s hat, some dodgy trousers and a slight hangover from the previous evening, Paul launched his drive 233 yards.

Thanks Richard, and good luck Paul.

Thanks to Stocksfield Golf Club’s Roger Jones for the above picture of this year’s captains following their respective drive-ins in April. They are, left to right, junior captain Sam Wilkinson, seniors’ captain Denis Noble, ladies’ captain Angela Stubbs, and club captain Mick Byerley.

NG: Thanks Roger, and good luck to all

NG: Following Paul’s drive-in, Vets captain Dave Smith took to the tee to welcome in the new year at Prudhoe. Below, left to right, are: John McKillup (vets vice captain), Dave Smith vets captain), Larry Hindmarsh and Brian Hedley (vets captain 2014)

You’re never too old for golf!

Malton and Norton members Frank Lownsbrough and Roy Stenton proved that when they celebrated their 90th birthdays with nine holes and a breakfast celebration in the clubhouse.

Frank and Roy are the oldest playing members at the club and still play Roy (left) and Frank nine holes three times a week.

A number of golfing friends joined them for nine holes of birthday golf followed by that breakfast celebration and there was plenty of reminiscing.

Roy joined Malton and Norton in 1985 and Frank in 1995. Both are veterans of the Second World War - Roy was an RAF pilot while Frank served in the Royal Artillery. Now that is worth raising a glass too.

Send your feedback, news and photos (inc contact details) via email to editor@northerngolfer.co.uk, tweet us @negolfer or find us on facebook.com/northerngolferuk

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