FREE
AT GOLF CLUBS IN THE NORTH EAST AND YORKSHIRE - ISSUE
70
DEC 2018-JAN 2019
northerngolfer.co.uk
A YEAR TO REMEMBER Caitlin Whitehead’s year of international success. WIN A POWAKADDY BAG WORTH £229 WITH ORIGINAL GREEN
THE BIG
SALE Starts 12th December
Massive savings instore sale ends 15th January PRO/SL
Big Bertha OS Irons 4-PW were £779
£449 M4 Irons 5-SW
40 OFF%
were
£99
£59.99 £89.99
SRIXON DISTANCE DZ
35 OFF%
PUTTERS
X-SERIES STAND BAG
were £129
£8.99
ORIGINALS were
£69.99
UP TO 70% OFF JRB, Callaway, adidas & Under Armour clothing
£49.99 LADY ADIPOWER BOOST BOA were £129
£79.99
BIG DISCOUNTS ON OVER 600 PAIRS OF SHOES
JANUARY OFFER MASSIVE SAVINGS WHEN YOU BUY EITHER A FW5 OR FW7 TROLLEY NO ONE BEATS OUR DEALS
FREE WINTER WHEELS WORTH £79
OFFER 1ST JAN-31ST JAN
ON WOODS & IRONS IN STOCK
FREE CUSTOM FITTING AVAILABLE
Tim Jenkins P.G.A Golf Professional The custom fit specialists for over 40 years
Castle Eden Golf Club 01429 836689 Cleveland Golf Club 01642 498772
golfer N OR TH ER N
EDITOR Dean Bailey 01661 844 115 dean@offstonepublishing.co.uk CONTRIBUTORS Alan Hedley 07570 797 566 ahedley@northerngolfer.co.uk John Harrison Matfen Hall 01661 886 146 EVENTS Dean Bailey 01661 844 115 dean@offstonepublishing.co.uk ADVERTISING MANAGER Doug Brolls 07721 031 482 doug@offstonepublishing.co.uk PHOTOGRAPHY Kevin Gibson & Nicky Rogerson info@kgphotography.co.uk
ADVERTISING
01661 844 115 Follow us @negolfer Like us /northerngolferuk Follow us @northerngolferuk
Published by:
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
When you have finished with this magazine please recycle it ©Offstone Publishing 2018. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. All information contained in this magazine is as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Offstone Publishing cannot accept responsibility for errors of inaccuracies in such information. If you submit unsolicited material to us, you automatically grant Offstone Publishing a licence to publish your submission in whole or in part in all editions of the magazine. All material is sent at your own risk and although every care is taken, neither Offstone Publishing nor it’s employees, agents or subcontractors shall be held liable resulting for loss or damage. Offstone Publishing endeavors to respect the intellectual property of owners of copyrighted material reproduced herein. If you identify yourself as the copyright holder of material we have wrongly attributed, please contact the office. Offstone Publishing do not guarantee the insertion of any particular advertisement on a specified date or at all.
WELCOME&CONTENTS The end of year brings with it time to reflect on the past 12 months, along with the weather we’ve long been dreading. As I write the final editor’s note of 2018, wind and rain batters our windows and the region’s courses continue to stand up well to the test of wintry weather. Let’s hope this is just a blip and we can continue to get out on our courses and into our clubs as we head into 2019. As we reflect on 2018, the stand-out story of the year has to be the success of female golfers from our region. Three girls have made many of the headlines this year - our Champions of Champions Rosie Belsham and Jess Baker and this month’s cover star Caitlin Whitehead. Caitlin has led the way for girls from our region on the national and international stage, and she reflects on her rise to the top of the game on pages 24-26. Girls golf is in fantastic hands right now. Caitlin, Rosie and Jess are leading the way for girls across our region, many of whom have achieved national success of their own this year. There are too many to mention here but all of them have done us proud this season and we’re looking forward to following their success in 2019. The man behind a great deal of that success, JJ Vallely - coach of the girls’ England North Region Squad - was recognised for his work by England Golf in November - as you’ll read on page 5. The men have kept up their success this month too. Close House attached professional Lee Westwood produced a supreme performance in South Africa to lift his first trophy in four years - as you’ll read on page 4. Meanwhile, Graeme Storm continues to put his injury break to good use, joining forces with the Golf Foundation to further support junior golf in the North East. Chris Paisley also made a welcome return to form to end the European Tour season and he reflects on a fantastic year in Tour Life on page 31. Closer to home, it was great to see Ramside Hall’s Kevin Jackson return to the winners’ circle on the NE/NW PGA circuit. Kevin has worked incredibly hard in the last six years to return to playing golf having feared he’d never be able to hold a club again. Read his remarkable story on page 6. The last 12 months have brought huge success for our region at all levels of the game. We can’t wait to see what 2019 holds!
04-08 TEEING OFF
Westwood wins and Graeme Storm teams up with the Golf Foundation
10-16 TEEING OFF
Seventh heaven, taking golf into the community and more
18 PRO-FILE
With Sally Hinton-Lewis
21 YEAR REVIEW A look back at 2018’s golfing highlights
29 DEAN BAILEY Winter rules!
31 TOUR LIFE With Chris Paisley
32 A ROUND WITH
North East Ambulance Service COO Paul Liversidge
Dean Bailey, editor editor@northerngolfer.co.uk
FRONT COVER
England international Caitlin Whitehead on her rise to the top of the game at just 16
40 TRAVEL
Pages 24-26
42 TIPS
In love with Lisbon
Ready to launch with John Harrison
34 ARCOT HALL COURSE PROFILE
37 THE LATEST GEAR NEWS
44 PROMOTIONS
Win golf for four at Tyneside, Hartlepool and Romanby
46 BUNKER
Golfing tales from our readers NORTHERN GOLFER 03
TEEINGOFF Lee Westwood
OPENS 2019
Pairs Open – 22nd June, 21st July & 6th October Team of 4 – 29th June & 1st September Texas Scramble – 10th August Seniors Open – 15th May & 25th September Ladies Open – 6th July Book online at www.seahamgolfclub.co.uk
VISITING PARTIES WELCOME
Bookings are now being taken for 2019 Packages tailored to suit your needs
MEMBERSHIP AVAILABLE FOR 2019 See our website for details
FOR MORE INFORMATION RING 0191 5811268 FOR MEMBERSHIP / 0191 5130837 FOR VISITING PARTIES OR EMAIL SEAHAMGOLFCLUB@BTCONNECT.COM SHREWSBURY STREET, SEAHAM, CO. DURHAM SR7 7RD SEAHAMGOLFCLUB.CO.UK
RICHMOND (YORKS) GOLF CLUB
Westwood back in the winners’ circle
L
2019 Membership Full membership £740
Winter Membership (until March) Available at just £150
2019 Golf Open Dates Winter Open 1 (Jan 26) Winter Open 2 (Feb 23) Spring Open (Mar 30) Ladies Team Open (Visitors) (Apr 5) Senior Mixed Open (Apr 24) Stevie Dee Texas Scramble (May 27)
Senior Gents Open (Jun 11) Gents Open 4BBB (Jun 22) Dales Festival (Aug 21) Mixed Pairs Open (Sep 14) Ladies Team Open (Sep 28) Autumn Open (Oct 5)
Web: www.richmondyorksgolfclub.co.uk Tel: 01748 823231 @richyorksgolfclub 04 NORTHERN GOLFER
@richgolfclub
ee Westwood produced a stunning closing round of 64 to win the Nedbank Golf Challenge hosted by Gary Player – his first win since 2014 and his first with girlfriend Helen Storey on the bag. The Close House attached professional and Newcastle resident entered the final day at Gary Player Country Club three shots behind leader Sergio Garcia but an eagle on the second put him at the top of the leaderboard, and set up an enthralling three-way battle between those two and Louis Oosthuizen. The trio went blow for blow and the former world number one birdied five of his last eight holes to get to 15 under-par and collect his first Rolex Series title. Garcia signed for a 70 to finish at 12 under-par, one shot ahead of Oosthuizen who closed with a 69. Following the win, Lee said: “I’m a bit emotional to be honest. You’re never sure whether you’re going to be able to do it again.
“Until now my emotions have felt really under control, which is what I’ve been working hard on. I was just trying to hit fairways, stick to my game plan and hit it in the right places. “I’ve got a bit of a process that I’m going through with my golf swing and I’m starting to see better shots. The seven iron into 17 is probably one of the best shots I’ve ever hit. “It’s just nice to do it again under pressure and win against a couple of quality players at the end there. I can’t wait to watch the highlights to be honest - I hit so many good shots coming in.” Westwood’s triumph was his fourth at Gary Player Country Club after the Sunshine Tour’s Dimension Data Pro Am in 2000 and this event in 2010 and 2011. The 45-year-old’s last victory on the European Tour came at the 2014 Maybank Malaysian Open and this win takes his tally to 24 wins on the European Tour and 43 worldwide titles.
TEEINGOFF
JJ crowned coach of the year
Rosie fifth in Spain
J
J Vallely has been honoured with a coaching award from England Golf. JJ, who is based at Matfen Hall in Northumberland and coaches the England Golf North Region girls’ squad, was named Squad Coach of the Year at a gala dinner at Woodhall Spa Golf Club. Three outstanding female golfers who have all come through the North squad have helped to shine the spotlight on JJ’s work. Cumbria’s Caitlin Whitehead won the European Young Masters and then helped Europe to a clean sweep in the Asia Pacific Junior Championship, while Jess Baker and Rosie Belsham have played their way into the national squad. “There’s a lot more waiting in the wings,” said JJ. “They’re on a mission, they’ve been pulled along by watching Caitlin, Rosie and Jess, they’re inspired and it’s given them belief. It’s like a mini-explosion and we want to keep it going.”
Rosie Belsham Whitley Bay Golf Club’s Rosie Belsham finished fifth in the Telegraph Vitality Junior Golf Championships in Spain as Yorkshire’s Barclay Brown took the boys’ title. Rosie moved into contention at the PGA Catalunya course with a second round 75 to add to her opening 76, and at one stage was just a shot off the lead. A closing 80 dropped her down to fifth place on 231. Meanwhile, Barclay emulated fellow Yorkshireman and club teammate Matt Fitzpatrick in winning the boys’ title.
JJ Vallely (right) receives his award from England Golf chief executive Nick Pink (© Vicki Head) JJ, who is supported by squad manager Bryan Ross, ensures there is a pipeline of talent by also coaching the girls in the North of England Futures, made up of players who are pushing for places in the regional line-up. Jess and Rosie were among the early intake and together with two other girls, knocked a total of 50 shots off their handicaps in their first season.
JJ, who has been involved with England training for 12 years, added: “I absolutely love it, I live and breathe it. You do make a lot of sacrifices, but it’s really satisfying to help them understand their game and themselves. Some of the skills and habits they develop are wider reaching than golf and will stand them in good stead with whatever they do.”
Consett & District GOLF CLUB
COME AND ENJOY THE FINEST VIEWS IN THE NORTH EAST
VISITING PARTIES
15 MONTH
MEMBERSHIP OFFER
2019 SUMMER WEEKEND DEALS PACKAGES AVAILABLE
DECEMBER 2018 TO FEBRUARY 28TH 2020
£19PP
ONLY
£525
FROM
WINTER MEMBERSHIP OFFER- DECEMBER TO FEBRUARY 28TH £75 WINTER GREEN FEES FROM £7.50 PACKAGES TAILORED TO SUIT YOUR REQUESTS
Consett & District Golf Club
Elm�eld Road, just o� Durham Road (A691), Consett, County Durham (DH8 5NN) Book now on 01207 505060 or visit www.consettanddistrictgolfclub.com NORTHERN GOLFER 05
TEEINGOFF
Bowled over
Kev back to winning ways
R
Maggie Whitehead and Rachel Gourley Arcot Hall’s Rachel Gourley lifted the Barlow Bowl at City of Newcastle, overcoming Close House’s Maggie Whitehead in the event’s final. The knockout competition, which brings together the top eight nett scores from the Northumberland Ladies Golf Association’s Margaret Crofton Trophy earlier in the year, ended with Rachel winning a close final 2&1.
amside Hall’s Kevin Jackson made a return to fine form to win the North East & North West PGA’s Portugal Pro Am. Kevin posted a four-round total of 11 under-par to finish six shots clear of the field on The Algarve. His closest chasers were Brampton’s Philip Waugh and Sharpley’s Simon Robinson - who both finished on five under-par. “It’s a great feeling to be back at the top of a leaderboard after a really tough few years,” said Kevin, who has undergone surgery and years of rehabilitation on his left wrist having lost the feeling in his hand six years ago. “It’s been a long road to be able to hold a club again, let
alone get back out and play. I’ve had to work out how I can swing the club and what I need to do to play golf, but it’s proof that anyone can get out and play this game after an injury. “To be back playing is fantastic and I want to compete more next season.” In the team event, Rockliffe Hall’s Jon Stacey led the team of Neil Riddell, Richard Roper and Tanny Sinfield to victory with a score of 358 points as Westerhope’s Michael Nesbit led his team of Tony Brown, Dave Lawson and Paul Stevenson to second place on 345 points. In the Presentation Pro Am at Rockliffe Hall, David Clark and Craig Goodfellow shared the top prize with rounds of 66. Mark Ridley finished in third place a shot further back.
The PGA’s Tom Flowers with Kevin Jackson
GOLF SOCIETIES PACKAGES FROM £15PP
GARESFIELD GOLF
CLUB
2020 Opens now bookable through Golf Empire or the Garesfield website NEW MEMBERS OFFER Winter +7 Day membership until March 2020 Contact the Secretary for details GOLF OFFERS Winter green fee £10 Winter warmer Round of golf /homemade soup and crusty bun £13 per head Tuesday – Friday Golf + Pie/ peas & Chips £15 Golf + Fish & Chips mushy peas £18
All enquiries contact the secretary on 01207561309 or email garesfieldgc@btconnect.com 06 NORTHERN GOLFER
TEEINGOFF
Pro takes on county captaincy
T
he Durham County Golf Union will break new ground next year after naming PGA professional Simon Robinson as its new county captain. It’s believed to be the first time a golf professional has been asked to captain a county side in the UK, which might raise a few eyebrows, but it also signals a change in county golf. Robinson, 37, has previously worked with the county side and outgoing captain Gerry Johnson. “I’ve spoken to Gerry about how I can help over the last couple of years,” said Simon. “Then he asked if I was interested in taking over. Initially I said I didn’t have the time but people kept asking why I wouldn’t do it and in the end I thought ‘why not?’ “I don’t talk about amateurs or professionals, I just talk about golfers. It’s not a radical idea - golfers are golfers so why not have a pro as county captain? “I really care about Durham. The county gave me a lot in my early career and I think it’s time for me to give something back. Gerry has put a good
system in place and the county squad is a good blend of youth and experience, and we’ll be trying to continue that.” Simon grew up playing at Seaton Carew Golf Club and was a Durham regular before joining the paid ranks. Now based at Sharpley, he is a past winner on the EuroPro and Challenge tours.
4 BALL DEAL - £100.00 OCTOBER-MARCH ‘19 V/P SPECIAL £25.00 PER HEAD TO INCLUDE MEAL OF THE DAY (MINIMUM OF 8) 2019 OPEN DATES: GENTS 4BBB: 26TH MAY ‘19: £38.00 PER PAIR SENIORS 4BBB: 3RD JULY ‘19: £35.00 PER PAIR LADIES OPEN TEAM OF 4: 12TH JULY ‘19: £60.00 PER TEAM JUNIOR OPEN SINGLES: 26TH JULY ‘19: £5.00 MIXED OPEN 4BBB: 28TH JULY ‘19: £35.00 PER PAIR GENTS 4BBB OPEN: 29TH SEP ‘19: £38.00 PER PAIR ENTRY FORMS AVAILABLE FROM WEBSITE: WWW.MIDDLESBROUGHGOLFCLUB.CO.UK
MIDDLESBROUGH GOLF CLUB BRASS CASTLE LANE
Telephone 01642 311766 /311515 www.middlesbroughgolfclub.co.uk
WINTER GREEN FEE ONLY £15
League of their own England Golf president Desmond Duffy was the guest of honour at the Northumbria Junior Golf League presentation night as winners, including league champions Whitley Bay, collected their prizes. NJGL chairman Marcus Chisholm gave special thanks to all the club junior organisers for their work while also highlighting the success of the league with three
GROUP BOOKINGS 1 IN 8 GOES FREE clubs - Hexham, Matfen Hall and Parklands - all reaching the final stages of the England Junior Team Championship this year.
BOOK NOW - 01845 525 115 www.tngc.co.uk NORTHERN GOLFER 07
TEEINGOFF
Work continues at Whitburn
Whitburn Golf Club-based pro Steven McDonnell is proving a positive influence. The 41-year-old (pictured above), who succeeded Greg Jobling as the club’s professional earlier this year, has implemented a long-term plan to rebuild the club’s junior and ladies sections, and is working to improve the club’s practice and coaching facilities. Steven has already set up a PGA Junior Academy at the club on Saturday mornings, which has proved popular and increased junior membership. The programme will restart this coming March. The club has also built a new short game area on the former 18th hole alongside the 13th hole and close to practice area, which includes a large chipping green, practice bunker and a number of short holes. Elsewhere at the club, there are plans to extend the lake at the 12th hole this coming year and a major clean up operation on the lake has been completed. Work has also been carried out to improve walls, tree areas, bunkers and greens, including the purchase of a green iron. 08 NORTHERN GOLFER
Storm teams up with the Golf Foundation
D
ouble European Tour winner Graeme Storm has become a Golf Foundation ambassador. While planning his return to the tour next season following wrist surgery, Graeme has been giving up his time to inspire youngsters from across the region to play golf. He headed up a recent Golf Foundation Tri-Golf initiative in his hometown of Hartlepool and played a major role in a school
sports festival event at The Dome, coaching more than 100 boys and girls. He has also visited 15 primary schools armed with a new bag of Golf Foundation TriGolf kit, which has provided an early playing experience to more than 400 youngsters so far. Earlier this year Graeme was made a Durham County vice president in recognition of his work with young golfers through Dyke House College and his Storm Junior Open and
Graeme Storm in action (© Andrew Bryson)
Mini-Storm tournaments, and he has now joined Andrew ‘Beef ’ Johnston and Felicity Johnson as Golf Foundation ambassadors. As we went to print there was still no news on whether Graeme would compete on the European Tour in 2019 through a medical exemption. He said: “They haven’t said anything to me as yet, but I’m hoping to hear something soon. I know I won’t get a full exemption, but I would like to know soon what the figure will be. It’s a little disappointing as I can’t plan or talk to sponsors until I know what’s happening. “The pressure is going to be on to hit the ground running and I really want to get back. I don’t want my career to dwindle away and never get back out there on tour.” Storm’s lay-off has however allowed him to spend more time encouraging youngsters. “I am passionate about this and I do enjoy it, but I do have a very good team leader in my wife Sara - she keeps pushing me along the right road and is involved as much as me. My collaboration with the Golf Foundation is a continuation of that passion to grow the game of golf in the North East and beyond.”
George Washington-based professional Ryan Ingram was crowned the inaugural winner of the Yorkshire PGA Dubai Pro Am. Ryan posted rounds of 41, 39 and 38 points for a 10 under-par total and led the field by 16 points. Meanwhile, his George Washington team picked up the team prize with scores of 87, 80 and 85 points to win by eight points.
2019/20 MEMBERSHIP SPECIAL OFFER JOIN NOW AND PAY NO MORE UNTIL APRIL 2020!!
JOIN NOW AND GET 5 MONTHS FREE!! CONTACT US ON 01670 787010 FOR MORE INFORMATION
CALL US ON 01670 787 010
Email percywoodgolf1@gmail.com www.percywood.com/golfing/ Chesterhill | Swarland | Morpeth | Northumberland | NE65 9JG
BARGAIN OF A LIFE TIME!!!
TEEINGOFF
Play at our course NOW
FOR ONLY £5 PER PERSON
Times available Mon-Fri, 10.30am-11:30am / PLEASE BOOK
We are also offering a deal to new adult members for £300 This will take you to 31 January 2020 or why not just come for a game of golf! See club secretary for details
01289 306130
MAGDALENE FIELDS GOLF CLUB Berwick upon Tweed TD15 1NE
www.magdalene-fields.co.uk
Golf in the Scottish Borders Traditional Country Inn ideally situated for playing MINTO, HAWICK, THE HIRSEL AND ROXBURGH plus many more. 12 en-suite bedrooms with tv, wi-fi, tea/coffee making facililties, Sky tv. Restaurant and bar serving cask ales (good pub guide)
STAY & PLAY - £85 pppn
Auld Cross Keys Inn
Restaurant • Public bar • Lounge • Patio ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence
(based on two people sharing) or single occupancy £95.00 per night. This will include Bed and Breakfast two course evening meal and a round of golf
Tel: 01450 870305
bookings@crosskeysdenholm.co.uk www.crosskeysenholm.co.uk
The Green, Denholm, Scottish Borders, TD9 8NU
WINTER ONLINE SPECIAL GREEN FEES 18 HOLES £15PP NEW MEMBER INTRODUCTORY RATE 2019 FULL £250 • SECOND CLUB £195 COUNTRY ( OVER 25 MILES ) £195 NOTHING MORE TO PAY UNTIL 1.11.19 VISITING PARTIES WELCOME 7 DAYS A WEEK BOOK NOW FOR 2019 DISCOUNT RATES EARLY BIRD SPECIAL OF FREE 4 BALL PRIZE FOR PARTIES OF 12+ BUGGIES & CATERING AVAILABLE
Bellingham Golf Club Boggle Hole Bellingham NE48 2DT admin@bellinghamgolfclub.com
www.bellinghamgolfclub.com VISITORS WELCOME 7 DAYS A WEEK
BOOK NOW ON 01434 220530
10 NORTHERN GOLFER
Alan Frost
Seventh heaven
A
lan Frost has hit quite the run of form this season - racking up three holesin-one in 2018 to take his personal tally of aces to seven. Alan, from Stockton, has recorded a trio of aces at Seaton Carew this year, one at each of the challenging links courses’ par threes - Doctor, Mashie and Cosy Corner. “I’ve never had anyone buy me a round for a hole-in-one and I’ve had to do it seven times now!” joked the 71-year-old. “A lot of the players at Seaton have said they can’t remember anyone hitting a hole-in-one on all three in a year, they think there’s probably
someone who has done it on each hole but maybe not inside a year. They are notorious holes here, so there can’t be many out there who have done it.” Frost turns 72 in February and started playing at Seaton Carew eight years ago having been a member at Dinsdale Spa and Teesside, where he reduced his handicap to single figures. His first hole-in-one came 25 years ago in Lancaster and he has recorded aces at El Rompido in Spain and at Gloria Hotel’s New Course in Turkey as well as at Teesside to go with his hat-trick at Seaton Carew this season.
Les Walker (left) receives his award from Nigel Edwards (© Vicki Head)
Volunteer of the Year Yorkshire’s Les Walker has been honoured for his years of volunteer service as an England and GB&I selector. Walker, from Selby Golf Club, received England Golf’s Award for Excellence in Coaching at the annual coaching conference at Woodhall Spa. He is renowned for his vast
experience and encyclopaedic knowledge, and his eye for spotting talent. He has proved it over and over again by helping to pick successful teams for events around the world including the Walker Cup, with players such as Justin Rose, Lee Westwood, Paul Casey and Luke Donald among his selections.
TEEINGOFF
Wilson weighs up options
A
ndrew Wilson is taking a no-nonsense approach to his first year in the professional ranks. The 24-year-old Darlington golfer aims to play in at least 10 Challenge Tour events thanks to his performance in the Final Stage of the European Tour Qualifying School in Spain. He is hoping to pick up more starts depending on results and invitations, while appearances on the EuroPro Tour are also a possibility. He signed off his amateur career by playing a key role in England’s 2018 Home Internationals triumph at Conwy. “I’m hoping my amateur career may lead to some invites early on, then I hope to get around 10 starts on the Challenge Tour based on Q School,” he explained. “Then it’s up to me to perform and make as many top 10 finishes as possible to get into the following events. “I’ve not signed with any
Moortown date
Moortown Golf Club Andrew Wilson management group as I’m not willing to sign my life away,” he added, “but I’m always looking at it and assessing things like sponsorship, equipment and clothing possibilities, and what club I might be attached to. I’ll be going through everything with my coach, Graham Walker, and putting together more plans.” Andrew posted two rounds of 69
to start Q School before shooting 75 and 73 to miss out on the final 36 holes, and the chance to earn a full European Tour card. Elsewhere at Q School, Leedsbased Daniel Gavins secured a place among the top 25 and collected his full European Tour card while Chris Hanson narrowly missed out on his card - finishing in 37th place.
The British Boys Championship will be played at Moortown Golf Club in 2020. It will be the fifth time the Yorkshire course has hosted the championship and nearby Alwoodley will co-host the championship on August 11-16 during the strokeplay stage. Meanwhile, the Girls Under 16 Open Championship will return to Fulford in Yorkshire on April 24-26.
*Terms & Conditions Apply
JANUARY MEMBERSHIP
JOIN NOW AND GET 15 MONTHS FOR THE PRICE OF 12
18
18
UNLIMITED USE:
HOLE MINI GOLF
S HO RT GA ME A REA
PLUS
FREE FOURBALL VOUCHER £595*
HOLE GOLF COURSE
DISCOUNTED
GUEST GREENFEES | BUGGY HIRE | RANGE BALLS | MINI GOLF FOR GUESTS | SHOP PURCHASES | FOOD AND DRINK AT THE CLUBHOUSE AND BORDER MINSTREL
AGE RELATED DISCOUNTS & MONTHLY PAYMENT OPTIONS AVAILABLE
PARKLANDSGOLF.CO.UK
0191 236 4480
High Gosforth Park | Newcastle Upon Tyne | NE3 5HQ NORTHERN GOLFER 11
TEEINGOFF Leeds Golf Centre has lodged plans for a £9m expansion of its Wine Ridge complex. Owners The Parklane Group have submitted proposals to Leeds City Council for a new clubhouse, stateof-the-art driving range and 37 eco lodges. The site was bought by the company in 2011 and is home to the Leadbetter Golf Academy.
Riordan revels in Europe’s success
O
ulton Hall member John Riordan has helped Team Europe win on American soil in the Phoenix Cup. The event is run by Scottish Disability Golf and Curling, and is a Ryder Cupstyle event for golfers with various disabilities from Europe and the US. John, 66, is a director and northern events co-ordinator for the Disabled Golf Association, a pan-disability charitable interest organisation, and was selected as part
John Riordan
of the European side for the match against the US in Florida. Although he lost narrowly on the 18th hole of all three of his matches, his team managed to secure victory in the three-day event 13.5-10.5. John said: “We were all buoyed by the success of the European team in the Ryder Cup, and it led to some good-natured banter with our opponents. It was a great experience playing against the American guys in Florida and we were delighted to win.”
Castle Eden Golf Club 18 Hole picturesque parkland course
OPEN COMPETITIONS 2019 Gents 4BBB Stableford - Saturday 18th May - £24 per pair Gents 4 Man Team Stableford - Sunday 19th May - £48 per team Mixed Open Team Stableford - Saturday 1st June - £48 per team Seniors Open 1 - 4BBB over 55s – Thursday 6th June - £24 per pair Ladies Team American Scramble – Friday 14th June - £40 per team Seniors Open 2 - 4BBB over 55s – Thursday 18th July - £24 per pair Ladies Team of 4 Stableford – Tuesday 3rd September - £40 per team Senior Open 4 man team over 55s – Thursday 12th September £48 Entry forms available on www.castleedengolfclub.co.uk Now taking bookings for visiting parties and societies for 2019
Castle Eden Golf Club, Castle Eden, TS27 4SS www.castleedengolfclub.co.uk 12 NORTHERN GOLFER
ADVERTORIAL
INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION IN NORTHUMBERLAND Supporting promising and talented junior golfers and helping them to reach their potential are key ambitions for the Northumberland Union of Golf Clubs and Northumberland Ladies County Golf Association. Both organisations rely on a team of dedicated volunteers to support county golf and being part of these teams is a very rewarding experience. Volunteers range from Young Ambassadors aged 14 upwards, to people who have dedicated over 25 years to golf in Northumberland. Norma Jones (NLCGA volunteer)
said: “I love to see the players progress and achieve the success which they are having now. We have great fun at our events and to me that is so important for young players”. CAN YOU HELP THE COUNTY GROW THE GAME? If you are passionate about how golf can benefit people’s lives and have a little spare time, then why not get in touch to find out more about the volunteer opportunities. The types of roles the organisations are looking to fill include:
Competitions Team: helping to organise and host county competitions. This includes starters, recorders/scorers, ball spotters and administration Information Technology: website design and/or management
Media & Marketing: creating and developing news, marketing support to promote our work Rules Officials: to train up on the R&A Rules of Golf and support the running of county championships and competitions
Further details can be found at nugc.org.uk/volunteer.php or by contacting Ian Harrison (NUGC Secretary) on 0191 236 3465 The Volunteer Recruitment Initiative is supported by England Golf.
P L E H U O Y N CA
N I E M A G E GROW TH NORTHUMBERLAND? IF YOU LOVE GOLF AND ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT HELPING PEOPLE REACH THEIR POTENTIAL, THEN NOW IS THE TIME TO GET INVOLVED. The Northumberland County Union and Association are looking for new volunteers in a range of areas including competitions, marketing, IT & rules.
Register your interest today nugc.org.uk/volunteer.php
NORTHERN GOLFER 13
HARTLEPOOL GOLF CLUB MID WEEK WINTER PACKAGE 18 Holes Golf £18.00 per person Coffee/Bacon Roll + 18 holes £20.00 per person Coffee/Bacon Roll + 18 holes + meal of the day £27.00 per person Must be booked at least 24 hours in advance minimum 4 players
2019 OPENS 14th February Senior Open (55+) 4BBB Stableford £20 a pair 18th April Senior Open (55+) 4BBB Stableford £25 a pair 4th May Hartlepool Open 4BBB Stableford £25 a pair 3rd August John Proud Open 4BBB Stableford £25 a pair 4th August John Proud Mixed Open 4BBB Stableford £20 a pair 12th September Senior Open (55+) 4BBB Stableford £25 a pair Entry forms available from www.hartlepoolgolfclub.co.uk or www.golfempire.co.uk
WINTER MEMBERSHIP AVAILABLE FROM DECEMBER - MARCH From as little as £60 a month please contact Graham Laidlaw Club Manager on 01429 267473 for more information
HARTLEPOOL GOLF CLUB, Hart Warren, Hartlepool, TS24 9QF hartlepoolgolf@btconnect.com www.hartlepoolgolfclub.co.uk
TEEINGOFF
Golf in the community
Crossing the Pond
D
urham City Golf Club is reaching out to its community with a new project to increase the number of young people and families taking part in the sport. The club has received GolfParc equipment to take the game out to local people and show them that golf is fun and open to all. The equipment can transform a wide range of recreational spaces - such as leisure centres, parks, school halls and playgrounds - into small, fun golf courses for family play, learning and community competitions. Tom Cranfield, the club’s head professional, said: “This will enhance all our starter group coaching at the club, and when we reach out to schools and local disability groups.” This is the first of a number of pilot schemes being run by England Golf and supported by Factory Eleven, the Yorkshire-based sports business which supplies the
Ben Schmidt and Barclay Brown
equipment. The pilots are taking place in four counties - Durham, Cheshire, Somerset and Shropshire, and Herefordshire. Mike Greener, England Golf ’s club support officer for Durham, added: “It’s vital that golf clubs have the opportunity to develop and grow. GolfParc is a fun and interactive way to increase participation and club membership.”
Lee Dolby, England Golf ’s national young people manager, added: “Some people assume that the only place you can play golf is at a golf club, but with GolfParc the course can come to you. By supporting clubs like Durham City we hope to engage more young people and families in activity, and show them how accessible golf can be.”
Whickham Golf Club’s 2020 Vision for NEW Members
18months
for only
£49
per month
Membership Offer from October 1st 2018 - Ends March 31st 2019 OFFER APPLIES TO NEW MEMBERS ONLY - Quote NG2020VIS
Young Adult Monthly Subscription Scale 19yrs 20yrs 21yrs 22yrs 23yrs 24yrs 25yrs 26yrs 27yrs 28yrs 29yrs £9 £13 £17 £21 £25 £29 £33 £37 £41 £45 £49 Payments upfront in full by Cash or Bank Transfer or 18 monthly Direct Debits (plus £2 per month transaction charge).
IIncludes ncludes tthese hese E Extra xtra F Full ull M Member ember B Benefits enefits
Use of the Swing Studio & GC2 Simulator at the members discount price. Ideal for booking to work on your game or playing one of the world’s top courses with friends.
Full Members can book ONE FREE ROUND at each of the MasterKey Clubs Value in excess of £100
MasterKey Clubs;
Beamish Park Chester-le-Street Eaglescliffe
North East
Golf
Richmond (Yorks) Wearside Whickham
MasterKey
For more details of these or other offers contact us
Hollinside Park, Fellside Road, Whickham, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE16 5BA Tel: 0191 488 1576 Web: www.whickhamgolfclub.co.uk
Two of Yorkshire’s top young players are heading to the US. Rotherham’s Ben Schmidt and Hallamshire’s Barclay Brown have both been named in the England Boys squad after outstanding seasons, but they will be seeking to extend their golfing education with US scholarships. Schimdt will be heading to East Tennessee State University in 2020 while Brown is off to Stanford this coming year.
WINTER GREEN FEES from October 1st 2018 until April 30th 2019
£12
2019 OPENS
available to book now online www.whickhamgolfclub.co.uk LADIES PAIRS OPEN Thurs 9th May - £16 OVER 55’s 4BBB MIXED OPEN Mon 20th May - £20 MENS PAIRS OPEN Sat 1st June - £22 HADRIAN HEALTHCARE PRO-AM Fri 7th June - £230 SEN’S JULY MENS PAIRS OPEN Tues 9th July - £20 SEN’S AUG MENS PAIRS OPEN Mon 19th Aug - £20 MIXED 4BBB OPEN Bank Hol Mon 26th Aug - £20 LADIES TEAM x 4 OPEN Thurs 19th Sept - £40 SENIOR x 4 TEXAS SCRAMBLE Mon 23rd Sept - £40
A Great Deal for Great Golf in a Great Place Follow us on Facebook & Twitter
@WhickhamGC
NORTHERN GOLFER 15
TEEINGOFF
Junior champions
l-r JLO Stuart Henbest, Dominic Hughes, Ben Walker, Brighdy Connors, James Edwards, Louie Walsh and Dylan Shaw-Radford Huddersfield Golf Club held off the challenge of Ramside Hall to clinch a place in the final of the England Junior Team Championship. The Huddersfield team edged home by two shots to win the semi-final as Ramside finished second. Matfen Hall and Parklands finished third and fourth respectively. Meanwhile, Hexham Golf Club finished fourth in their semi-final at Daveyhulme.
xxxx
Cumbria’s champion
M
ike Turner has been revealed as the winner of the Trilby Tour Championship of Cumbria, held at Carus Green in June. Celebrations had to wait until the event aired on Sky Sports but now Mike (pictured above), a three-time club champion and employee at Carus Green, can take in the praise. Mike, who plays off a handicap of one, pipped three others in
the Cumbrian leg of the amateur competition, which is one of the biggest golf tournaments in the UK, following a four-man playoff. Having posted a round of 33 stableford points, Mike was joined in the three-hole playoff on the fifth, eighth and 18th holes by fellow members Gaz Hudson and Ian Fairhurst, and Scotland-based golfer Frank Brannon. “It really was the most exciting day and I’d played well throughout, so was delighted to be able to hold
my nerve to achieve a positive outcome,” said Mike. “In the playoff, I managed to par the first two holes and sunk a 40ft putt to birdie the 18th in front of a home crowd. It was a very memorable experience.” A total of 141 players, plus caddies, turned out at Carus Green to compete in the tournament, now in its 11th year. The grand final of the championship was held in August at Hull Golf Club and will be shown on Sky Sports on December 24.
2019 OPEN COMPETITIONS 9th May – Seniors Pairs 7th June – Ladies Team 25th July – Seniors Team 8th August – Pro-AM 3rd October – Senior Pairs Please enter via www.golfempire.co.uk or contact the club direct. For further information please contact the Club Secretary Dawn Ridley on (0191) 2520180 or email whitleybaygolfclub@virginmedia.com For more course related information, follow us on facebook (Whitley Bay Golf Course) and Twitter (@WhitleyBayGC) Membership types prices listed on website www.whitleybaygolfclub.co.uk
Memberships available @ Whitley Bay Golf Club for 2019 16 NORTHERN GOLFER
LEE FINDLEY PGA GOLF PROFESSIONAL 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE
CLUB FITTING SERVICE, WHILE YOU WAIT RE/GRIPPING PRICE MATCH GUARANTEE CHESTER-LE STREET GOLF CLUB T: 0191 3882333 E: leesproshop@hotmail.com
PRICE
GRIP OFFER
TOUR VELVET
MATCH GUARANTEE
STYLE GRIPS FOR FULL SET IRON AND WOODS
£29.99
FITTED WHILE YOU WAIT
ON GENUINE PRICES
IN STOCK
NOW
MAJOR POWAKADDY STOCKIST AT THE
LOWEST PRICE AND UNTIL MID NIGHT 24TH DECEMBER
FREE BAG WITH EVERY POWAKADDY
FREE
BAG
NEW WEBSITE 24-7discountgolf.com
COMING SOON
WHILE STOCKS LAST
JUNIOR COACHING SATURDAYS 11-12 ALSO JUNIOR GOLF ACADEMY TO BE RUN OVER 2019 EASTER HOLIDAYS CALL TO ENROLL
GREAT STOCKING FILLER THE NEW ONE SIZE FITS ALL GOLF GLOVES
ZERO FRICTION 8 DIFFERENT COLOURS
IN STOCK
NOW
STOCKIST OF ALL
MAJOR GOLF BRANDS AT THE
LOWEST PRICES
PROFILE
PRO -FILE
SALLY HINTON-LEWIS AGE: 33 TURNED PRO: 2007 HOME CLUB: Close House CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Missouri State University Hall of Fame member Multiple winner and record-breaker while at college PGA advanced professional
YOU’RE IN
SAFE HANDS
WITH US
e, As standard we provide a fre sultation con ial init , without obligation ut your abo re mo rn so that we can lea you an ing vid pro as ll golf club as we support can we how see to opportunity ise. you with our range or expert e a visit to your golf club, and The consultation will includ g to review current Health and approximately an hour meetin ement. Safety practices and manag t us on 01642 882173, For more information contac k @healthandsafety4golf.co.u m: 07547 529360, e: martin k o.u f.c gol ty4 thandsafe or visit us online at: www.heal
FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION
HEATH AND SAFETY COVER FROM AS LITTLE AS PER MONTH healthandsafety4golf
£37.50 18 NORTHERN GOLFER
WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO? “I’m really lucky to be involved in the junior and ladies county coaching for Northumberland and we’ve had so many success stories in recent years. Since I started I’ve seen girls like Rosie Belsham, Jess Baker, Rachel Gourley and so many more come up through the ranks, make it into the county side and then progress on and make a name for themselves nationally. I’m really looking forward to seeing the next girls come through the system. “Away from my work with the county, I’m kept really busy at Close House with all my private coaching - both for men and women! “I’ve also done a lot of work on ladies clinics and beginner coaching this year, and that’s proving really popular. We’ve had some great results with ladies coming through and joining clubs, and I want to do more of that next season.” HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE GAME? “My dad and uncle are PGA professionals and my grandad was a PGA pro too. I lived on the golf course where my dad was the pro, Bridgnorth Golf Club in Shropshire, until I went to college in the US and I spent all my time playing golf there.” WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD? “A lot more coaching! I want to help bring more people into the game next season through my work at Close House - whether that’s women, men or juniors. “I’d love to play more, I wanted to go out on tour when I was at college, but it’s hard to do both well and I love being a coach so I’m concentrating on that.”
Play unlimited
Championship Golf with our
Premier Membership Enjoy unlimited golf on two Championship golf courses until 1st May 2020. Plus many other exclusive membership offers.
Premier Membership only
ÂŁ930
For more information please contact our sales team on 0191 3753089 or email golfsales@ramsidehallhotel.co.uk
GEORGE WASHINGTON GOLF CLUB
COME AND JOIN OUR AWARD WINNING GOLF COURSE FANTASTIC MEMBERSHIP DEALS 16 MONTH DEAL DECEMBER 2018 - MARCH 2020 includes 4 Free Lessons & £20 Range Balls - ONLY £703 15 MONTH DEAL JANUARY 2019 - MARCH 2020 includes 3 Free Lessons & £15 Range Balls - ONLY £650 THAT’S 3 MONTHS FREE GOLF (Payment in Full or use our NO FEE Direct Debit facility) For these and other Great Flexible Membership packages designed for the 21st century Golfer call: Bill Michie on 0191 417 8346, e-mail: gsd@georgewashington.co.uk for more details Come along and join us at one of the most improved Courses in the County.
YEARREVIEW
2018: A year to remember We look back at a year of local, national and international success for golfers across the region
January Chris Paisley started the year with a bang by winning his first European Tour title, the BMW South African Open with his wife Keri caddying. Chris’ first European Tour win was followed by a stellar run of form, which included a tied-fifth finish at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and a fifth place finish at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic as he posted a 66 under-par total in a four-event run. Elsewhere, Graeme Storm became an honorary vice president of the Durham County Golf Union and Northumberland-based caddy Michael Burrow helped Haotong Li win the Dubai Desert Classic.
February-March Callum Tarren launched his PGA Tour Series-China season with his first runner-up finish of 2018 (more of him later), Alnmouth’s Jake Storey won his second Georgia Southern Individual Collegiate title in the US, and 11-year-old Maggie Whitehead starred on our April cover as she set out her plans for the future.
April As Patrick Reed donned the green jacket at Augusta, our region’s success north of the border in 2018 kicked off with Rosie Belsham’s second place finish in the Scottish Girls’ Open Championship while Tyneside’s James Wilson picked up a win at Crail. Northumberland’s Paul Caldicott and Andrew Gibson lifted the Inter County Foursomes title, and City of Newcastle’s Jack Hermeston ended his college career in the US by helping his University of Missouri Kansas City team lift the Western Athletic Conference Championship. European Tour caddy Michael Burrow starred on our May cover following a stellar start to the season alongside Haotong Li.
YEARREVIEW
May South Moor’s Chris Handy returned from the US to retain his Durham County Strokeplay Championship title, and star on our June cover. County golf was back in full swing and Jessica Hall captured her third Durham County Ladies Championship while Bedlington’s Ami Storey won the Northumberland Ladies County Championship for a sixth time. On the men’s side, Alnmouth’s Andy Minnikin won Northumberland’s North & South Trophy. Following a delayed end to the 2017 season, Malton & Norton lifted the North East Rabbits Golf Association title.
June In the midst of the finest season of his life, PGA professional Mark Ridley starred on our July cover having won the NE/NW PGA Championship. Meanwhile, as Brooks Koepka defended his US Open title at Shinnecock Hills, Sam Connor won the EuroPro Tour’s Longhirst Hall stop and Castle Eden’s Ryan Dixon won the Welsh Youths title at Wenvoe Castle. In county golf, Andy Minnikin won the Northumberland County Championship at Blyth and Eaglescliffe’s Will Skipp won the Durham County Boys Championship.
AUGUST: Sam Broadhurst
July As the region was bathed in glorious summer sunshine and Francesco Molinari put on a links golf masterclass around Carnoustie to win The Open, Durham’s best golfers shone in July. Six of the county’s best female golfers featured on our August cover ahead of jetting off to scholarships in the US while Heworth’s Will Marshall won the Durham County Matchplay Championship, and James Wilson won the Faldo Series event at Moortown. In the senior ranks, Ramside’s John Kirkpatrick won the Durham Seniors Championship to book a trip to Woodhall Spa while in the professional ranks, Callum Tarren posted his sixth runner-up finish in 11 events on the PGA Tour Series-China. Northumberland also provided multiple highlights in a busy month - Westerhope’s Brad Robinson returned from the US to win a second title over the Old Course at St Andrews in the Boyd Quaich, Bedlingtonshire-based Mat Webb won the PGA North Region Championship and Whitley Bay’s Rosie Belsham represented England for the first time in Norway - where Cumbria’s Cailtin Whitehead won her first international title at the European Young Masters.
22 NORTHERN GOLFER
APRIL: James Wilson FEB/MARCH: Jake Storey (right)
JULY: John Kirkpatrick
YEARREVIEW
August Sam Broadhurst, son of tour legend Paul, won the North of England Youth Championship at Middlesbrough Golf Club in August. League golf came to its conclusion as City of Newcastle Golf Club lifted the Newcastle & District League trophy for a record fourth consecutive year. Gosforth Park Ladies’ Jess Baker made her England debut at Pannal, and Close House’s Amy Buchan won the 2018 American Golf Junior Championship final at Gainsbrough. Our region’s success at the Home of Golf continued in August with Zara Naughton winning the girls 11-12 title at the Wee Wonders 2018 Grand Final and Houghton-leSpring’s Sean Foster winning the Eden Trophy.
September JUNE: Will Skipp
SEPTEMBER: James Glenn
MAY: Ami Storey
OCTOBER: Callum Tarren
The 2018 Champions of Champions were crowned at Ramside Hall as Gosforth Park Ladies’ Jess Baker won the ladies title, Whitley Bay’s Rosie Belsham won the junior title and Bishop Auckland’s James Glenn won the men’s title. Meanwhile, Ramside’s John Kirkpatrick was crowned English Senior Men’s County Champion of Champions at Woodhall Spa – and there was the small matter of Europe winning back the Ryder Cup at Le Golf National. Continuing their successful seasons, Heworth’s Zara Naughton (12) and Will Marshall (19) became the youngest-ever winners of the Durham County Mixed Foursomes Championship and Blyth’s Jake Bullivant won his first US collegiate event.
October Durham City’s Gary Atkinson and Stephen Carter starred on our cover following their win in our season-long Match Play Pairs tournament. In a month filled with international success, Callum Tarren picked up another runner-up finish in China as he topped the tour’s order of merit and secured his card for the 2019 Web.com Tour season in the US. In the US, Brad Robinson won the Donald Ross Intercollegiate Championship while in Spain, Nick McCarthy won the EuroPro Tour’s Tour Championship to secure his Challenge Tour card. Meanwhile in Ireland, Jess Baker and Rosie Belsham teamed up with Caitlin Whitehead as England beat Ireland. Closer to home, Eaglescliffe’s Solomon Canning won the Lookers Junior Masters at Close House, Malton & Norton and South Moor won the NERGA Inter and Rabbits titles respectively, and Chester le Street’s James Lusk won the Race2Rockliffe.
NORTHERN GOLFER 23
COVERINTERVIEW
24 NORTHERN GOLFER
COVERINTERVIEW
Caitlin’s year Dean Bailey meets Caitlin Whitehead to look back on a year of international success and learn what it takes to reach such great heights by the age of 16
C
aitlin Whitehead first visited Matfen Hall six years ago, a shy girl still in primary school attending a selection day for the North of England Regional Squad. Since that first visit she has risen to the top of the girls ranks in England, representing her country around the world and winning events in Norway and Hong Kong. Her journey has been littered with achievements since those earliest days and she is recognised as the first in a growing number of success stories from the North Region Squad coached by JJ Vallely and managed by Bryan Ross at Matfen Hall, which has seen Caitlin joined in the England squad by Whitley Bay’s Rosie Belsham and Gosforth Park Ladies’ Jess Baker while more girls are making waves at regional, national and international level. The climb through the ranks has gone incredibly quickly, but it’s a long way from those early days travelling across to Northumberland from her home club of Kendal in Cumbria as a 10-year-old with a handicap of 10. “I was very quiet and kept to myself when
I first arrived at the Regional Squad coaching,” Caitlin explains following a catch up with JJ on the driving range. “I didn’t want my parents to leave because I was so much younger than everyone else but the girls, JJ and Bryan all helped me build my confidence. To have all that support was incredible and helped me so much when I started playing in big competitions. “I’ve not really been overcome with nerves since, I tend to just get on with playing golf now. Going away a lot, I’ve learned to be comfortable at events, even when they’re far away from home.” This year has brought major success on the international stage for the first time. Caitlin, who is also a member of Carus Green, first represented England in 2017 and has played a big part in the national side this season, winning the girls’ European Young Masters at Hauger Golf Club in Norway before winning the girl’s individual competition and the team event, with Finnish teammate Sakke Siltala, at the Asia Pacific Junior Golf Championship at Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club in Hong Kong. “It’s been a very busy, very exciting year competing all over the world,” she says.
NORTHERN GOLFER 25
COVERINTERVIEW “I’ve been to some spectacular places and played in some huge events, which has been very special. “Going away with England as part of the teams, playing in events like the Home Internationals has been amazing. Individually, winning in Norway was my highlight of the year - it was the first big win of my golfing career. Qualifying to go to Hong Kong from that and winning out there was a huge bonus.” Caitlin has also continued to improve her game this year, focussing on her putting and overcoming a serious problem with her chipping at the start of the year. “Going away with England is a fantastic learning experience. I get to see different parts of my game from different perspectives in new environments, and I always come back with something to put into my next round. “My main focus this season was to improve my putting having worked on understanding my stroke with England coach Mike Kanski. “At the start of the season I also had a mental block with my chipping, to the point I was taking four to get down from the edge of a green. To overcome that and play as well as I did this year was really important. I now know that I can fix a problem and get back to my best pretty quickly. It’s not the end of the world if something goes wrong.” Struck up on her first visit to Matfen, the partnership between Caitlin and her coach JJ is a key part of her success. “JJ has been really important in every step of my golfing career,” she explains. “His coaching ethos, wanting every player to own their golf swing, is so important. I understand what I’m doing and how to fix it when I’m on the other side of the world. While I don’t need to rely on his as much, he’s still a massive support and I see him regularly.” As well as her relationship with JJ, Caitlin has built friendships with many of the girls in the Regional Squad while leading the way for girls from the programme into the national system, and continues to attend their sessions when she can. “I don’t think of myself as a leader, I’m just part of a squad of really talented girls. It’s been great to go back to the coaching days and see the girls come through. To be joined in the national team by Rosie and Jess this year was fantastic, and knowing that I’ve been able to go from where the girls are now to competing for England so quickly is proof that they can do it too. It would be amazing to see more girls make it into the national team from our part of the country.” This year Caitlin will complete her GCSEs, which will shorten her summer season, but she is adamant that her school work comes before playing golf – now and in the future. “I’m quite busy but I just prioritise things. School work always comes ahead of golf as it’s more important right now. I try and practice 26 NORTHERN GOLFER
Caitlin Whitehead
every day and it’s just about balancing what I need to do - there’s always time to do some putting or chipping in the living room.” Next season will see Caitlin again compete nationally and internationally, with a busy schedule following her exams. After that she’s planning to study at sixth form before going to university in the US. “I can’t wait to get my GCSEs out the way and be able to get out on the golf course to release all the stress from my exams. “I’d love to be able to go to university in the US in the future, but that’s a long way off. “My dream is the same as most golfers, I want to compete on the tour, but there’s a long way to go until then!” she adds. For now, there’s a drive back home to
Kendal with dad Sean, who along with mum Donna are the most important people in Caitlin’s success to-date. “My mum and dad are so important. My dad bought me a set of plastic clubs when I was five and I played with those in the back garden until we I went off to Kendal and played my first few holes when I was seven it took about two hours to play four holes! “I wouldn’t have been able to compete all over the country as a junior and I wouldn’t be where I am now without them helping me choose the right path to go down.” It’s remarkable to chart Caitlin’s success and her will to play golf at the highest level at the age of just 16, who knows what she’ll be able to achieve in the next six years.
CHESTER-LE-STREET GOLF CLUB
MEMBERSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR 2019 Join a club which is investing in its future.
2019 OPENS DATE
EVENT
DATE
EVENT
Wed 17th April Wed 29th May Tue 9th July Wed 21st August
Seniors Open 4BBB Ladies Open Waltz Seniors Open 4BBB Ladies Open Team of 4
Sat 4th May Mon 10th June Sat 17th August Sat 28th September
Mixed Open 4BBB Seniors Open 4BBB Four Person Team Open Gent’s Open 4BBB
CLUBHOUSE AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE FUNCTIONS: Birthdays, Anniversaries, Christenings, etc. Call 01913883218, option 3 to arrange your event.
Contact: Secretary 0191 388 3218 or email: clsgcoffice@tiscali.co.uk | PGA Professional 0191 388 2333 Chester le Street Golf Club, Lumley Park, County Durham, DH3 4NS
www.clsgolfclub.co.uk
£
COLUMNIST
Dean Bailey
League of their own The winter league is a tradition unlike any other in golf… and if you’re not playing in it you’re missing out
W
inter golf is a special thing, something every golfer should appreciate and take on with the same passion as an August medal. There’s the excitement of opening the curtains as the sun rises to find a crisp, dry November morning awaits; the sadness of finding the course is closed due to rain having risen so early and donned four layers of clothing; the camaraderie that is built around the collective appreciation for balls bouncing off frozen winter greens… all of these are key components of winter golf. The camaraderie on and off the golf course is greater in these months than in any other. Competitions tend to be played out over many weeks, if not months, often in new pairings each week and always while wrapped in more layers than golf should require. This is why the few hardy souls in my own club’s winter league continue to turn out every Sunday morning. You’ll find us all in the clubhouse at 7.30am and then piled back in there four hours or so later – which keeps the club’s coffers topped up as many fair-weather members won’t be seen until The Masters is back on TV.
While we all get frustrated by the conditions at this time of year and few delight in frozen winter greens, would any of us be happier watching politicians shout at each other on the BBC or even worse, attempting to visit a supermarket on a Sunday? It’s truly sad to see our own winter league diminish in recent years, many favouring to pack up the clubs and stay indoors or unwilling to commit to playing each week regardless of conditions, fearing the worst and failing to appreciate the best of this time of year. Winters in Britain are long, there are only so many times you can hit balls on the driving range before you long to walk the fairways again, and there’s no greater fellowship in golf than those who have trekked through mud, ice, hail, snow and rain together to battle a frozen golf course. With the summer so long away still, it’s time more of us get out on the course, support our clubs through competition fees and warming up in the clubhouse after our rounds, and take full advantage of the membership fees we pay for 12 months of golf. Embrace the conditions, relax a little and enjoy a very different challenge on the golf course… you may even enjoy it!
NORTHERN GOLFER 29
THE HOBSON GOLF CLUB Driving Range & Golf Store
FULL £519
MEMBERSHIP
NEW MEMBER SPECIAL OFFER
Join now for a membership that will last until 31st March 2020 This offer is not available to anyone who has been a member of the Hobson Golf Club in the last 3 years (Since 01/04/15)
AGED 26-30 AGED 21-25 AGED 18-20 UNDER 18 OVER 80
£430 £320 £150 £50 £230
PAY MONTHLY OPTION AVAILABLE INTEREST FREE (SET UP FEE APPLIES)
SOCIETIES FOR 2019 ARE… • Bronze package – bacon roll and coffee with 18 holes - £17 weekdays £19 weekends • Silver package – bacon roll and coffee with 18 holes and 2 course meal £22/£24 • Gold Package – coffee and biscuits, 10 holes, soup & sandwiches, 18 holes, 2 course meal £30 weekday only. • Winter special – bacon roll and coffee with 18 holes £13/£15 for groups of 8 or more The Hobson Golf Club, Burnopfield, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE16 6BZ Clubhouse: 01207 270941 Pro Shop: 01207 271605 Email: secretary@hobsongolfclub.co.uk
@hobsongolfrange
Like us on Facebook
www.thehobsongofclub.co.uk
TOURLIFE
Chris Paisley
The best year of my life
T
Our Tour Life columnist reflects on a great year, on and off the golf course
he 2018 season is now finished and I am back home in Orlando - jet-lagged, slightly sleep deprived and with our one-month old daughter napping next to me. This is my new happy place. I used to think executing a perfect golf shot under pressure was the best feeling in the world, but it doesn’t come close to the feeling of being her dad. Away from the golf course, 2018 has been the best year of my life with the arrival of our little bundle of perfection - although when Ella won’t stop crying in the middle of the night that feeling of joy wanes slightly! On the golf course, 2018 was special too. I finished 53rd on the Race to Dubai while only playing 17 events rather than my typical 25-plus. I chalked up my first win in January and won Player of the Month.
Chris Paisley and his wife Keri in South Africa
It has been another year filled with priceless lessons. I learned that I can win on the European Tour, and go head-tohead with a world-class player while doing so. I learned that I can play some top-class golf. This may sound brash, but I was just about the best player in the world for a month, and for someone who is the first to doubt themselves, that period was huge for me. I proved to myself, and some of the doubters, what I am capable of. The middle of my season was poor. I only made three cuts in 13 events (including my PGA Tour and Web.com Tour events). Looking back, I really wasn’t playing that poorly, but at the time I was in a panic over the state of my game. This turned what should have been a couple of missed cuts into 10! It really hit home how important it is to see things for what
they are. If you look at things logically and unemotionally, you see the solution so easily, but when emotion and panic set in, things can spiral out of control. I found some form towards the end of the season which was highlighted by a top 10 at the Nedbank Challenge. It wasn’t quite the magic of January, but I played some great golf in the last few months of the season. Going into the 2019 season, I am raring to go. I have already been in contact with my team discussing what went well, what didn’t, and what we need to do to make 2019 even better. It was encouraging to see I led par three scoring, was second in strokes gained putting, top four in both sand saves and scrambling, 13th in stroke average, and second in bogies per round. The exciting part for me is that I feel there is so much room for improvement and an abundance of motivation. I have a great team and family around me so I’m in no doubt that I will keep improving for many years to come. Thank you all for the support throughout the year. I hope you have enjoyed the ride so far as much as I have.
NORTHERN GOLFER 31
ROUNDWITH
A ROUND WITH...
Paul Liversidge The North East Ambulance Service NHS Trust’s chief operating officer shares his passion for the game, his favourite courses and his best golfing memories
S
tarting his career as an apprentice motor mechanic at the age of 16, Paul Liversidge didn’t plan on following his father into the ambulance service. A chance job offer as a patient transport driver has led to a career spanning 36 years in roles across the North East. In 2017 he was awarded the Queen’s Ambulance Service Medal for distinguished service and today he handles operations stretching across the North of England from his office on the banks of the Tyne. Away from work, he loves nothing more than heading to the golf course, here’s more...
1 How much golf do you manage to fit in? I play most weekends as a member of Backworth Golf Club and as part of a society playing out of the local CIU club. I’ve improved a lot since joining a club for the first time six years ago, getting my handicap to 11, and I want to get that down to single figures next year. 2 How did you get into golf? I played a little bit when I was younger but nothing serious before shift work and football got in the way. I’ve been part of the society for nine years now and joined Backworth when I got sick of hacking up the courses and wanted to improve. 3 Which is your favourite course in the North East? I love playing new courses and have played a lot in the region. A couple of my favourites are Hexham and Wynyard - I seem to have played good golf at both which helps! 4 And further afield? Our society goes away every year and we’ve played in Scotland and across Yorkshire - Oulton Hall is a real favourite.
32 NORTHERN GOLFER
I’ve also played in Las Vegas, which was an interesting experience out in the desert. 5 What’s your best ever round? A nett 63 at Backworth. 6 Which is your favourite golfing memory? I love the camaraderie of society golf, particularly when we travel. Mixing with a big group of like-minded people on and off the golf course over a weekend is brilliant. Those experiences are certainly my favourites in golf. 7 What about embarrassing moments? There are plenty from my early days playing golf, though I’ve tried to block them out! I’ve fallen backwards into a bunker on a golf trip, which still gets talked about too regularly. 8 Do you have any superstitions? No, though I’ve seen some interesting ones from others over the years. 9 What are your strengths on the course? I would say my driving - when that’s going well I tend to have a good score in me. I can get hot with the putter at times too. 10 And your weaknesses? My consistency, particularly with my irons. When my driving is good it can hide my weakness with the irons a bit. 11 Which is your favourite club? My 3/4 Cobra hybrid which goes roughly 175 yards and is perfect for so many shots around Backworth. 12 Who is your best golfing friend? Maurice Guthrie, a neighbour who plays in the golf society and at Backworth. We play together most weekends. Though we play a lot of golf together, I equally enjoy
being drawn out at the club and getting to play with new people. There’s something really interesting about spending four hours with people and getting to know them while playing golf. 13 How does playing golf help your work? It’s a fantastic way to unwind and relax away from the office and the phone. I tend to do a lot of thinking on the golf course and can work through some complicated and stressful situations in the course of four hours in the fresh air. Sometimes it is a little too much for the golf course, but it certainly helps being out concentrating on something new. 14 Who is your favourite tour player? I’ve really enjoyed Tiger Woods’ return to the top of the game. To go through the surgeries he has and still compete with all the young guys out there is remarkable. 15 Which event do you enjoy watching? The Ryder Cup is very special in golf. Having played so much football over the years, seeing that team aspect on the golf course is fantastic. 16 Who do you admire? Individual sportspeople take on so much more pressure than those in team sports so I would lean towards them - people like Tiger Woods and Usain Bolt who have reached the pinnacle of their sports. 17 Which three people would join you in your dream fourball? I’d fill it with North East sportspeople to hear about all their experiences - I couldn’t begin to pick just three though! 18 If I could offer you a lottery win or a scratch handicap, which would you choose? At 56 years old, it would have to be scratch.
xxxx
NORTHERN GOLFER 33
COURSEPROFILE
One of Braid’s best Dean Bailey returns to Arcot Hall, one of the North East’s finest parkland tests
W
alk the tree-lined fairways of Arcot Hall, taking in the area of special scientific interest with its rare grasses and flowers along with the ancient woods and stunning views across the golf course, and you’ll soon see why this place remains one of the North East’s finest examples of parkland golf, and a lasting example of James Braid’s work in our part of the world. Laid out by the five-time Open champion in 1947, the course measures 6,329 yards from the back tees with a par of 70 and maintains many of Braid’s design elements in its stunning, subtly sloped greens and often penal greenside bunkering. Easy walking, the course’s primary defence is its ancient trees, many of which loom over fairways and can cause havoc for those who are wayward from the tee. The par threes are also of particular note. 34 NORTHERN GOLFER
A gentle opening hole of 332 yards welcomes players with a generous fairway and raised green with two front bunkers while the 171-yard par three second is one of the simpler short holes here – just make sure to avoid the two front bunkers which pinch the front of the green. The third, 377 yards from the back tee, is a much tougher test. Play to the left side of the fairway to avoid the pond some 250 yards from the tee on the right side. From here a narrow green awaits with a large bunker to the left side and another bunker lurking on the right side some 40 yards from the front edge of the green. The fourth is the toughest of the par threes and plays longer than its 212 yards on the card. The bunker to the left is very much in play from the back tee while the right hand bunker is huge and leaves a tough up and down. At the 399-yard fifth, a long drive is required to reach the corner of the dogleg and open up a view
of the green. Beware the fairway bunker on the right side around 50 yards short of the green, and another cut below the green on its right side. Two par fives of a little over 500 yards follow – both offering birdies from their generous fairways and promising disaster for those who fail to navigate them with accuracy, particularly when laying up with bunkers protecting the approach to both greens. The dogleg eighth measures 376 yards and requires a tee shot of a little more than 200 yards to reach the corner of the dogleg, which turns sharply around a bank of tall trees. Some may take on the corner to leave a short pitch but they must avoid a large fairway bunker. Beware the wind swirling among the trees here as you play uphill to a green guarded by a single bunker on the left side. The last of the inner loop of nine holes, the ninth is the signature hole (see fact file). Making the turn, long hitters need to play short
COURSEPROFILE The clubhouse at Arcot Hall is a great place to unwind with excellent food available in the restaurant. Meanwhile, club professional Kris Bengtsson is on-hand in the pro shop to offer advice and welcome you to the club.
FACT FILE of the ditch which crosses the fairway of the par five 10th roughly 285 yards from the tee. The most generous approach to the par fives here awaits those who find the fairway. Watch out again for the swirling wind at the 197-yard 11th, and the three bunkers which protect the front of the green. The following five holes form the toughest stretch of the course. The 12th, a par four of 463 yards, is played through a narrow avenue of trees and gorse to a fairway which turns left – watch out for the out of bounds and hazard on the right side. The 13th may be shorter at 360 yards but has a semi-blind tee shot through a narrow gap in the trees to a fairway that turns left to right with two deep bunkers at the front of the green. The 14th doglegs sharply right to left and measures nearly 400 yards while the 161-yard par three 15th offers little respite with an undulating green guarded by two front bunkers and ringed by trees. The 423-yard 16th has wrecked many good cards here – play to the right side of the fairway and hope to be long enough to have a sight of the green around the right to left dogleg. The approach is one of the toughest on the course between two bunkers to a sloping, two-tiered green. Heading back to the clubhouse to complete the outer loop of nine, the 341-yard 17th is a classic risk and reward hole played downhill. The fairway turns left to right here and the longest hitters may fancy their chances of getting close to the putting surface around the corner. Play sensibly at the 385-yard par four 18th to unlock a route to the green. Drive to the wider part of the fairway on the left side to avoid the trees which guard the right side of the approach to the green, which is overshadowed by large trees and the elegant clubhouse.
CONTACT Arcot Hall Golf Club Dudley, Cramlington, NE237QP tel 0191 236 2794 www.arcothall.co.uk GREEN FEES See website for details on current rates TOTAL DISTANCE White tees - 6,329 yards Yellow tees - 6,097 yards Red tees - 5,555 yards FEATURES Stunning clubhouse with restaurant and bar Snooker room Pro shop with PGA professional tuition Practice area Putting green Buggy and trolley hire CADDY’S TIP A number of holes require accuracy over length and it’s a good idea to plot your way around the doglegs here, taking into account how the course is designed to tempt you to hit driver on some holes early on while many holes later strongly suggest a measured approach from the tee. SIGNATURE HOLE The ninth is a stunning par three. Played from a slightly elevated tee, this 187-yard hole is ringed by trees with a hedge to the right side. A pond guards the left side of the green just short of the putting surface while a small bunker looms just beyond it. Finding the green is essential here while the putting surface features many devilish slopes. A great par three!
OUR VERDICT A fine example of Braid’s work in our region which tests every aspect of your game, Arcot Hall remains a must-visit layout. NORTHERN GOLFER 35
RYTON GOLF CLUB Clara Vale
VENUE FOR HIRE
BOOKING FUNCTIONS FROM NOW UP TO CHRISTMAS The clubhouse provides the ideal location for any special occasion, offering peace and tranquillity in delightful surroundings. A warm welcome awaits you and your guests. The function room, overlooking the 18th green, provides an attractive setting for your celebration or event. We cater for all occasions including christenings, birthdays, anniversaries and weddings. We offer a range of hot and cold buffets, carvery, along with a formal menu for seated dinners. Ryton Golf Club has a large and comfortable open lounge with bar, dance floor, the room is available for hire at a nominal rate.
FULLY REFURBISHED RESTAURANT & BAR
Full in-house catering service can be provided to suit your requirements.
To secure your date please ring: 0191 413 3253 and speak to Agnes WINTER MIDWEEK GREEN FEE OFFER 4BALL FOR £25
HELENA’S KITCHEN
Now serving traditional English breakfast, hot and cold sandwich’s, homecooked meals and Traditional Sunday Roast 1 Course £7.50 - 2 Courses £8.95 - 3 Courses £10.95 - Kids £4.95 Also daily specials Senior Special - Tuesday & Wednesday 2 Courses £6.95 Home cooked Fresh Fish & Chips with home made tartar sauce £6.95 or 2 for £12.95
Christmas Fayre Menu starts Monday 3rd December until Sunday 23rd December! Pre order yours now! Clara Vale, Ryton, Tyne and Wear, NE40 3TD
www.rytongolfclub.co.uk
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Tel: 0191 413 3253
GOLFERGEAR
Winter testing It’s the perfect time of year to test out some new gear and get to grips with the latest equipment ahead of the 2019 season. This month we have new hardware from Callaway, TaylorMade and Cobra plus a new autumn/winter range of clothing from Stuburt. We’ve also taken a look at what’s in the bag of Nedbank Golf Challenge winner Lee Westwood – enjoy!
FULL PERFORMANCE
TaylorMade P760 irons RRP: £1,299 (3-AW) www.taylormadegolf.eu
TaylorMade has announced an extension of its successful P700 series irons - the P760. A progressive forged players iron, the P760 has been designed to give better players a set which works for them without the need to combine multiple sets. The design brings together technology and design elements from the P750, P770 and P790 models. The P760’s progressive design is optimised for each club from 3-iron to AW to provide shaping capability and performance. The construction changes through the set - a single piece of steel is forged to create the head in the 8-PW/AW while a forged hollow body of steel is matched with a soft face and then injected with TaylorMade’s revolutionary SpeedFoam in the 3-7 irons. This combination promotes feel and shot shaping in the short irons while aiding forgiveness to promoting more consistent results in the long irons thanks to SpeedFoam, which is injected into the hollow construction to help generate higher ball speed while dampening vibrations to improve feel and sound.
WELCOME TO THE FAMILY
2019 Big Bertha irons and hybrids RRP: Irons from £1,140, hybrids £269 uk.callawaygolf.com Callaway has announced the latest addition to the Big Bertha family - the new Big Bertha irons and hybrids, which will be available in March 2019. The new irons feature a suspended energy core, a new construction which sees a floating tungsten weight suspended in Callaway’s urethane microsphere material to allow engineers to position the centre of gravity deeper in the head to promote higher launch. The technology is added to the 360 Face Cup design, which creates a shallow, flexible rim around the perimeter of the face to deliver longer ball flights. A smoked PVD finish complements the clean look of the new irons. The Big Bertha hybrid, available in 3H-8H, is the first Callaway hybrid to combine Jailbreak technology, which incorporates two internal bars that stiffen the body for fast ball speeds, and adjustability courtesy of a new OptiFit hosel system.
NORTHERN GOLFER 37
GOLFERGEAR LONG LIVE THE KING
Cobra King F9 Speedback family RRP: Driver £349, fairway £219, irons from £699, hybrids £179 www.cobragolf.co.uk
IN THE BAG
with Nedbank Golf Challenge winner Lee Westwood
Cobra has released details of its next club lineup King F9 Speedback - featuring drivers, fairway woods, hybrids and irons. The design of the new woods optimises areodynamic performance and centre of gravity placement along with a new CNC-milled face to deliver Cobra’s longest and fastest drivers and fairway woods to-date. The Speedback irons also utilise the Speedback technology – optimising a low centre of gravity and high moment of inertia to create the company’s longest, fastest and most forgiving iron. They are available in standard and one-length configurations.
Lee Westwood returned to the winners’ circle on the European Tour in sensational style when he won the Nedbank Golf Challenge hosted by Gary Player at Gary Player CC in Sun City, South Africa. Lee posted a 15 under-par total, including a final round eight underpar 64, to finish three shots clear of Sergio Garcia. He has won 24 times on the European Tour in his 25-year career, with this win marking his first in four years. It was also his fist win with girlfriend Helen Storey on the bag following his split with long-time caddy Billy Foster. The statistics show Lee’s new putter, from PING’s latest Sigma 2 line, was a huge factor in his victory – his Strokes Gained Putting stat for the week was an impressive +8.5! Here’s what else was in his bag…
AFFORDABLE STYLE
Stuburt AW18 apparel RRP: from £24.99 www.stuburt.com Stuburt, the British brand which has won a reputation for quality affordable apparel, has launched a new collection for Autumn/Winter 2018. The collection includes a wide range of garments, from outerwear to layering, featuring state-of-the-art materials and cutting-edge design. The new Evolve-Sport Waterproof Suit – a high performing jacket and trouser combination that delivers waterproofing and breathability thanks to the DRI-back moisture transfer technology - has an RRP of just £99. There are also half zip and full zip fleeces, a full zip padded gilet and padded jacket in the Evolve-Sport lineup. The range also includes polos and base layers. 38 NORTHERN GOLFER
Driver: Ping G400 LST 3 wood: Ping G400 3 hybrid: Ping G Irons 4-SW: Ping i210 LW: Ping Glide 2.0 Stealth Putter: Ping Sigma 2 Fetch Ball: Titleist Pro V1
GOLFERTRAVEL
In love with Lisbon Golf Escapes’ Ella Ruben samples the best of the Portuguese capital, on and off the golf course
L
isbon is a must-visit for golfers with access to some of Europe’s finest courses while the city offers a mix of vibrant culture and rich history. The surrounding towns and villages offer a similar mix of cultural and golfing highlights – meaning short breaks to longer holidays are well catered for. Lisbon City is just a short flight away with most of the UK’s major airports travelling here regularly. Away from the golf courses you’ll find a bustling city atmosphere – rich with culture in the daytime while the nightlife here is superb. In the daytime, walk down to the historic Lisbon Quays and the Torre de Belém, which has stood at the mouth of the Tagus River since the 16th Century. The city’s iconic trams are also a must, rattling up the steep cobbled roads through the city. At night, head to the Bairro Alto and sample the city’s nightlife hot spots. For golf, close to the city you’ll find Lisbon Sports Club and Belas while many of the region’s finest courses are concentrated in the Estoril, Sintra, Cascais triangles on the coast to the northwest of Lisbon while there are many other brilliant courses situated to the south on the Costa Azul. Alternatively, you can travel an hour north to the fantastic Praia d’el Rey resort and Royal Obidos. Your first stop should be the fantastic Lisbon Sports Club, just 20 minutes outside of the city. The 18-hole parkland course here was designed by Hawtree and Sons and is a brilliant layout to unwind and relax straight from the plane with the relatively short course measuring just 5,278 metres off the back tees. The course is set out in a forest valley with a brook running through 12 of the 18 holes. Any trip to the region should also include a visit to the impressive West Cliffs Golf Links, which opened in June 2017 and is owned and managed by the Praia del Rey Golf Resort. West Cliffs has everything – a truly stunning design with rolling fairways taking in spectacular views of the Atlantic as you
carve through the sand dunes. The course can stretch to 7,003 yards, though its generous fairways are welcoming to all players. The greens here are designed to challenge players who aren’t accurate with their approaches. Just 30 minutes’ drive south of the city is the four-star Montado Hotel and Golf Resort, which boasts an impressive 18-hole layout of its own with seven more golf courses within 30 minutes of the hotel. The tranquil location is surrounded by the region’s finest vineyards with the historic city of Setubal just 15 minutes away. As well as its stunning golf course, the hotel offers a spa with a large indoor pool as well as an extensive treatment list. The hotel’s restaurant offers a menu filled with regional and international dishes, while the Pitch and Putt bar is great place to relax after a day on the golf course. For those venturing out from the hotel, the Ribagolfe Golf Club has two excellent 18-hole courses. Both are laid out in a cork oak forest and offer a test for all levels of golfer. The longer and tighter of the two courses, Ribagolfe I is a challenging 7,370-yard layout from the back tees but is playable for all levels from the forward tees. The fairways here are narrow with plenty of trouble awaiting wayward tee shots while the back nine features a number of lakes which come into play and test your course management skills. Ribagolfe II opened for play in 2004 and is routed through the same cork oaks while presenting a fair challenge to golfers of all abilities. The course is shorter and the fairways are more open here, which can make the round a little easier despite the fact there is more water in play. For more of a resort feel, head to the golf course at Montado. This Florida-style course is relatively flat with water and bunkering creating a stunning landscape for golf. Several dog-legs create a challenging layout while the 18th hole is of particular note - the green here is situated on an island, which can sometimes be tricky to reach.
Golf Escapes’ team of experts can put together packages taking in the city and the region’s finest golf courses. For more information go to www.golf-escapes.com or tel 01342 811 777 and speak to a member of the team.
40 NORTHERN GOLFER
GOLFERTRAVEL
Montado Hotel and Golf Resort Lisbon Sports Club
Ribagolfe Golf Club West Cliffs
NORTHERN GOLFER 41
GOLFERTIPS
John n Hteal 01r66r1i8s86o400 om tfenhall.c www.ma
READY TO LAUNCH Creating an efficient ball flight is key to maximising driving distance – and for many golfers this involves reducing spin and increasing launch angle. A great drill to achieve this involves grabbing a towel from the bathroom and bringing it down to the practice ground or driving range. Roll up the towel and place it approximately 2ft in front of the ball. From here let your instincts take over – your weight will shift to your right side a little more (for the right-handed golfer) and your shoulders will move to increase the launch angle you create through the ball. From here, make a few swings and adjust your positions to create a ball flight which maximises your driving distance.
42 NORTHERN GOLFER
For Our Latest Deals & Every Day Low Prices egrip, R n a C We djust A & r i a s. Rep ng club i t s i x e your ub Free Cl T by MO Fitting tment. Appoin
Checkout Our Website www.golfgear4less.co.uk
We’re Open
9am - 5.30pm Tues - Sat www.golfgear4less.co.uk T: 0191 2702362 E: info@zflgolf.co.uk
Unit 8d, North Tyne Ind. Estate, NE12 9SZ – Opposite ASDA Benton. Two minutes from A19 Whitley Bay Exit on A191 Old Coast Road
NORTH EAST TROLLEY REPAIR SPECIALIST
Motocaddy, Powakaddy, Hillbilly, Greenhill & More WE STOCK BATTERIES, CHARGERS AND SPARES
TIME TO GO LITHIUM
Lighter 5 Times longer lifetime Super lightweight More compact Faster charging Upto 5 years warranty
Compact Folding. Simplified. Think Small, Think New Motocaddy M-Series Electric Trolley. NORTHERN GOLFER 43
GOLFERPROMOTIONS
win Northern Golfer competitions are also listed on our website www.northerngolfer.co.uk/ competitions Alternatively, you can 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 Thursday February 7, 2019. Usual competition rules apply – available on request. Winners will be published in our next edition.
WIN GOLF FOR FOUR AT TYNESIDE GOLF CLUB Established in 1879 and still widely regarded as among the finest parkland courses in the region, this Harry Colt layout is a challenging though enjoyable test with superb greens. On the ‘Falls’ of old Ryton village, the course also offers magnificent views over the River Tyne and Tyne Valley. For your chance to win simply answer the following question: How many European Tour titles has Lee Westwood won?
WIN GOLF FOR FOUR AT HARTLEPOOL GOLF CLUB
WIN GOLF FOR FOUR AT ROMANBY GOLF CLUB
The Durham and North Yorkshire coast is strewn with golfing gems and Hartlepool is among the best of them. Expect fantastic conditions throughout the year on the Teesside course.
You’ll find great views and challenging shots at Romanby Golf and Country Club, which sits on the River Wiske and follows the natural contours of the North Yorkshire landscape.
For your chance to win simply answer the following question: Who won The Match at Shadow Creek in Las Vegas?
For your chance to win simply answer the following question: Which course will host the 2020 Open Championship?
Congratulations to last month’s competition winners: Goswick - Gwyn Williams of Wallsend • Longhirst Hall - Neil Elliott of Alnwick • Wynyard Hall - John Gibson of Silloth
Exclusive Northern Golfer reader offer from Golf Escapes Hotel Carvoeiro Sol
Three nights | Two rounds | B&B £199 per golfer Available 01 Jun - 30 Jun 2019 For more information and to book go to www.golf-escapes.com/hotel-carvoeiro-sol 44 NORTHERN GOLFER
WIN YOUR CHANCE TO
POWAKADDY DRI SERIES CART BAG WORTH £229
DANIEL HALLIDAY FROM WHITLEY BAY GOLF CLUB
QUESTION : WHICH PLAYER HOSTS THE HERO
WORLD CHALLENGE?
A : RICKIE FOWLER | B : MATT KUCHAR | C : TIGER WOODS
EMAIL YOUR ANSWER TO: COMPETITIONS@ORIGINALGREEN.CO.UK COMPETITION CLOSES 31.01.19. WINNER WILL BE DRAWN RANDOMLY AND NOTIFIED BY EMAIL BY ENTERING YOU ARE AGREEING TO RECEIVE PROMOTIONAL EMAILS FROM ORIGINAL GREEN
WWW.ORIGINALGREEN.CO.UK VISIT US INSTORE AT LONGHIRST HALL GOLF COURSE
PING SIGMA G 2 PUTTERS
ADIDAS 4ORGED GOLF SHOES
MOTOCADDY ELECTRIC TROLLEYS
PING WATERPROOFS
UNDER ARMOUR PULLOVERS
£179
From £94.99
£50 off + Free Bag
From £89.99
From £39.99
0% FINANCE AVAILABLE • CALL 01670 790439 FOR MORE INFO • FREE CUSTOM FITTING
WINTER LESSON PACKAGE
4 X 60 MINUTE TRACKMAN LESSONS + FREE GAPPING SESSION
ONLY £140 TUITION BY CARL NICHOLLS
Longhirst Hall G.C. N O R T H U M B E R L A N D
WINTER 4-BALL SPECIAL
£60 4-BALL + COFFEE AND BACON SANDWICH ANY TIME MONDAY - FRIDAY 01670 791562 | enquiries@longhirstgolf.co.uk | www.longhirstgolf.co.uk
from the
bunker
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! The Rules of Golf get a major update on January 1 with changes to everything from the dropping procedure to how we measure when taking relief and removing the penalty for a double hit. Want to be ready for the changes? Take a look at these… The R&A has brought together a number of resources to help equip players with knowledge of the new Rules of Golf. The best place to start is with the 20 Must Know Rules of Golf Changes for 2019 video which covers all the key points. To view the video go to www.randa.org/RulesEquipment/ Rules/20RulesMustKnows The R&A has also complied all of its digital resources at www.randa.org/en/rules-modernisation with sections for golfers, committees and referees all explained through text, diagrams and video. England Golf has put together a programme of information to get you up to speed too, including weekly emails on specific areas of the Rules. For more information and to sign up go to www.englandgolf.org/article/rules-of-golf
North East & County Durham Womens Golf (@Kazygolfer): Over the moon thanks @VICE_GOLF #personalised #golfballs #Golf #groups #golfnetwork #support #letsplaygolf @EGWomensGolf @golfnorthnews @negolfer @Durham_Golf www.necdwomensgolf.co.uk
Our congratulations to outgoing Northumberland Ladies County Golf Association captain Candy Brown, who has officially handed over the reigns to Sian Oakley ahead of the 2019 season. Candy said: “Thank you everyone for making my time with the county so memorable. I will wear my past captain’s badge with pride whenever I get the chance. All the best Sian, have a super year and enjoy your time as captain.”
Bill opening Cathedral Cou The rs Ramside in 2 e at 014 A very happy birthday to Ramside Hall honorary member Bill Allchruch, who celebrated his 100th birthday with a party in Ramside’s clubhouse. Bill was the first person to join Ramside when it opened in 1996 and is an honorary member of the club along with his wife Joyce. A paratrooper during World War II, he fought in the Battle of Arnhem and Operation Market Garden - the airborne invasion of Holland in September 1944. He was captured and imprisoned in Stalag Luft III POW Camp. He left the army in 1954 and his love affair with golf began. 46 NORTHERN GOLFER
Graeme Storm (@stormygraeme): All set for the @GolfRootsHQ Tri Golf Festival at the JD Sports Domes #Hartlepool 10 schools 100 children #GrowTheGame #golfisfun @EnglandGolf @EuropeanTour @negolfer @Hartlepool_Life @BBCNEandCumbria
GolfAccessUK (@GolfAccessUK): Successful first couple of days in the North of England with the first @GolfAccess Centres in Northumberland and @derbyshiregolf @CityofnclGC with PGA Pro @NMaddisonGolf and @ChevinGolf will be beginning the Golf Access programme for adult and junior golfers in 2019!
Chris Paisley (@ChrisPaisley86): I thought I loved nap time pre-Ella... now it’s off the charts @KeriDrish
CLEARANCE SALE
FURTHER SAVINGS IN OUR DECEMBER/JANUARY
TITLEIST DRIVERS 917 D2/D3 £349 NOW £199
A BIG THANK YOU
NEW TITEIST TS2 &TS3 DRIVERS / FAIRWAYS IN STOCK DEMO WOODS AVAILABLE WITH LOFT/ SHAFT OPTIONS
TO ALL OUR LOYAL CUSTOMERS
WILSON FG TOUR F5 DRIVER £249 CLEARANCE PRICE £129
PURCHASE A BEST POWAKADDY / PRICES MOTOCADDY GIVEN AND RECEIVE A FREE GOLF BAG SELECTED MODELS ONLY
HOPE YOU HAVE A VERY HAPPY XMAS & BEST WISHES FOR THE 2019 GOLFING SEASON
YEAR END CLEARANCE ON SETS OF IRONS WE HAVE OVER 30 SETS OF EX DISPLAY PRE-OWNED SETS OF IRONS TO CLEAR
EG: CALLAWAY APEX 4-PW £599 NOW £399 NIKE V1 PRO COMBO WERE £499 NOW £150 4-PW TITLEIST AP2 4-PW WERE £699 NOW £399 BUDGET SETS TO CLEAR FROM £75 (HURRY)
NEW IVANHOE (QUALITY SWEDISH KNITWEAR)
MANY BARGAINS ON AUTUMN / WINTER CLOTHING GILLETS £39.99 NOW £28.00 LINED WINDBLOCK SWEATERS £34.99 NOW £24.50 WINTER WEIGHT GOLF TROUSERS £49.99 NOW £34.99 GLENMUIR LAMBSWOOL QUALITY SWEATERS £39.99 NOW £29.99
MIZUNO JPX 919 FORGED STEEL & JPX 919 HOT METAL IRONS
DEMO CLUBS IN STORE
OVER 100 GOLF BAGS IN OUR SALE CART BAGS/ STAND BAGS / FULL RANGE OF WATERPROOF BAGS. FANTASTIC SAVINGS EG.. PING 14 WAY DIVIDER CART BAG, TRAVERSE £129 NOW £79.99 HURRY WHILE STOCKS LAST
OVER 200 PARIS OF GOLF SHOES TO CLEAR STOCK CLEARANCE ON MANY PAIRS OF GOLF SHOES EG.. FOOTJOY AWD 2017 MODEL £69.99 NOW £39.99
STUBURT URBAN CONTROL £39.99 NOW £24.99
CHRISTMAS WE HAVE A GREAT RANGE
GIFT VOUCHERS AVAILABLE £5, £10, £15, £20, £25, £50, £100
OF WATERPROOF JACKETS / TROUSERS AT SALE PRICES, GALVIN GREEN, MIZUNO, FOOTJOY, PRO QUIP, STUBURT, CROSS SUNICE, CALLAWAY
NEW FOOT JOY / STUBURT WINTER BOOTS IN STOCK, 100 % WATERPROOF GUARANTEE
PRICE CLEARANCE COBRA KING F8 MIZUNO ST-180 GOLF DRIVERS WAS £349 NOW £199 MIZUNO ST 180 FAIRWAY WOOD WAS £219 NOW £115
DRIVER WAS £329 NOW £219
KING COBRA F8 RESCUE CLUBS ALL LOFTS £169 NOW £129
STUBURT WATERPROOF SUITS RRP £119.99 OFFER PRICE £79.99
NEW MIZUNO / FOOT JOY AUTUMN / WINTER CLOTHING IN STORE
100% WATERPROOF / BREATHABLE
NEW AUTUMN WINTER GALVIN GREEN NOW IN STOCK (WE GUARANTEE TO BETTER ANY AUTHORISED ONLINE RETAILER ON PRICE)
KING F8 FAIRWAY WOOD WAS £199 NOW £129
HARD TO BEAT PRICES / DEALS
TOP PRICES GIVEN WHEN PART EXCHANGING YOUR PRE-OWNED EQUIPMENT WE HAVE ALL THE LEADING NAMES TO CHOOSE FROM WITH ALL DEMONSTRATION SHAFTS / WOODS / IRONS TO TRY!!!
WE PRICE CHECK ALL OUR STOCK ONLINE TO MAKE SURE YOU GET THE LOWEST PRICE ALWAYS (PRICE PROMISE) How to find our superstore
Leave A1 (m) at junction 63 Chester-le-Street and follow B693 to Stanley, turn left onto B6532 (Asda roundabout), follow road to end and turn right, pass Blomfomtein School and follow sign to South Moor Golf Club
Your No 1 Discount Golf Store
Shaun Cowell PGA Golf Professional - Tel: 01207 283 525 South Moor Golf Club Superstore, Craghead, Stanley, DH9 6AG
Open Mon - Sun 9am - 5pm Early opening at weekends All major credit cards accepted
STAY &
PLAY AT BURGHAM PARK
Come and enjoy an idyllic countryside Golf retreat in one of our luxury self-catering cottages and play on our prestigious parkland course at Burgham Park Golf Club. Cottages house three bedrooms, each with their private en-suite and an open kitchen and living room space with a cosy log burner.
WINTER OFFER:
FROM £89.00 per person based on groups of six - Two nights stay in luxury self-catering cottages - Two rounds of golf Available now until 28th February 2019
MEMBERSHIP OFFER:
15 MONTHS for the price of 12 MONTHS
BURGHAM, Nr FELTON, NORTHUMBERLAND NE65 9QP E : burghamparkgolfclub@gmail.com W : wwwburghampark.co.uk T : 01670 787898 (OPTION 1)
Commencing 1st January 2019 from £235.00 Contact office on 01670 787 898 (Option one)