Northern Golfer #93 July 2022

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JULY 2022

JESS’ HOMECOMING Jess Hall on college golf, winning in the US, and her plans for the future

WIN GOLF FOR FOUR AT WHITLEY BAY, DUNSTANBURGH CASTLE, AND WHITBY LATEST NEWS JESS BAKER WINS THE 119TH WOMEN’S AMATEUR

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WELCOME&CONTENTS

EDITOR Dean Bailey 01661 844 115 dean@offstonepublishing.co.uk CONTRIBUTORS Alan Hedley 07570 797 566 ahedley@northerngolfer.co.uk Simon Olver Chris Paisley Sean Russell ADVERTISING MANAGERS Doug Brolls 07721 031 482 doug@offstonepublishing.co.uk Gillian Corney 07903 500 401 gillian@offstonepublishing.co.uk PHOTOGRAPHY Kevin Gibson & Nicky Rogerson info@kgphotography.co.uk EVENTS Dean Bailey dean@offstonepublishing.co.uk

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Publisher: Gary Ramsay Address: Offstone Publishing Unit 5b. Bearl Farm, Stocksfield Northumberland, NE43 7AL Tel: 01661 844 115 E: enquiries@offstonepublishing.co.uk Twitter: @offstonepublish

One of our key tasks at Northern Golfer is to follow tournament scoring and stay up-to-date with all the region’s top players, and what a summer they’re having so far.

In one day in June, we had players competing in national PGA, EuroPro Tour, North East & North West PGA, England Golf, R&A, and county events.

Highlights this month include county championship wins, the Asian Tour’s first UK event at Slaley Hall, a Northumberland & Durham Open win for James Harper, team successes, a European title, and lots more throughout Teeing Off. This month has also seen several of the region’s best female golfers return home from college in the US, including Jess Baker - who won the 119th Women’s Amateur Championship at Hunstanton on the eve of this edition going to print, and this month’s cover star Jess Hall - who has just completed her fourth and final year as a college athlete and reflects on her time in California on pages 24-27.

As well as following tournament golf, we get to spend time with interesting interviewees while getting out and about across the region. This month I got the chance to return to Wynyard and play the Wellington Course at its absolute best - see pages 30-31 for the full Course Profile.

We’ve also taken the chance to look north to Scotland, which will welcome the world’s best golfers this summer for events including the men’s and women’s Scottish opens as well as the 150th Open Championship as St Andrews and a history-making AIG Women’s Open at Muirfield. As well as previewing the men’s Scottish Open - which has a stellar field including all four reigning major champions - we’ve also picked out a handful of our favourite courses to visit too.

Our columnists have been kept equally busy this month - and Chris, Sean and Simon are back to share their thoughts on everything from Matt Fitzpatrick to the power of money, and the weather.

The news is coming thick and fast as the region’s golfers continue to perform brilliantly at every level. Be sure to follow Northern Golfer on social media and sign up to the Northern Golfer Weekly emails at linktr.ee/negolfer to stay in touch with everything that’s going on.

Events for men, women and juniors return October 1 at Longhirst Hall

06 AMATEUR CHAMP

Gosforth Park Ladies’ Jess Baker wins the 119th Women’s Amateur Championship

08-19 TEEING OFF

County championships, a remarkable pair of aces, European success, and more

21 TOUR LIFE With Chris Paisley

22 ON COURSE

With greenkeeper Simon Olver

23 TOUR TIPS

With caddy Sean Russell

29 19TH HOLE Ready to rumble

30 COURSE PROFILE Wynyard Golf Club

32 SCOTTISH OPEN

Dean Bailey, editor editor@northerngolfer.co.uk

All four reigning men’s major champions are heading to The Renaissance July 7-10

FRONT COVER

34 SPECIAL FOCUS

The American dream with Fresno State Bulldog Jess Hall

Take a look at some of our favourite courses in Scotland

Pages 24-27

38 GEAR

The latest equipment news

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04 CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS IS BACK

40 MATCH PLAY PAIRS R2 results and R3 draw

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46 FROM THE BUNKER

Readers’ tales from around the region NORTHERN GOLFER 03

CHAMPIONOFCHAMPIONS

Joey Hornby and Maggie Whitehead

Champion of Champions returns Three Northern Golfer Champion of Champions events set to take place at Longhirst Hall on Saturday October 1

T

he Northern Golfer Champion of Champions events are set to return to their traditional end of season date, with all three tournaments taking place at Longhirst Hall on Saturday October 1.

The events – for men, women and juniors – will take place over Longhirst’s Dawson Course and entries are now open online.

Open to club champions crowned in the 2022 calendar year, there is no charge for competitors for the 18-hole tournaments, which bring together elite fields of amateur

04 NORTHERN GOLFER

golfers from clubs in Northumberland, Co Durham and Teesside along with selected clubs in the Borders, Cumbria and Yorkshire within Northern Golfer’s circulation area.

The region’s best amateur golfers have lifted the trophies since Northern Golfer launched the junior event in 2015, following the success of that tournament with the launch of the ladies’ event and the relaunch of the men’s Champion of Champions in 2017.

Delayed due to Covid, 2021’s events were held at the start of the 2022 season, with

Alnmouth’s Joseph Henderson adding his name to the long list of men’s champions – which goes back to the 1960s - as Close House’s Maggie Whitehead produced a record-breaking performance to win the women’s title, and Kendal’s Joey Hornby won the junior title at George Washington.

Champions can submit their entry forms online now – head over to www.northerngolfer.co.uk and click on the Champion of Champions tab.

For more information, contact Dean Bailey, dean@offstonepublishing.co.uk

CHAMPIONOFCHAMPIONS

Early champions crowned

Joseph Henderson

A group of top golfers have already earned their invites to this year’s Champion of Champions events.

In Allendale Golf Club’s men’s championship, Richie Rutherford picked up his 17th title in a row - and 23rd in total - with victory over John Martin, while at Stocksfield Golf Club, Steve Cram retained the men’s club championship title.

At Tyneside, Kris Rae won the men’s championship with a three under-par total as Pat McIntosh won her 15th ladies’ club championship; and Stuart Brown picked up his ninth men’s championship at Castle Eden with rounds of 72 and 67.

We’ll have news of more club championships from across the region this summer, in print and in the Northern Golfer Weekly email. To subscribe to Northern Golfer Weekly, visit linktr.ee/negolfer

NORTHERN GOLFER 05

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On top of the world J

Jess Baker wins the 119th Women’s Amateur Championship

ess Baker returned home from college in the US for the summer holidays and claimed one of the biggest prizes in women’s amateur golf after a week of superb performances at Hunstanton.

Jess, 19, produced an impressive display to win the 119th Women’s Amateur Championship - beating Sweden’s Louise Rydqvist 4&3 in the 36-hole final. Having defeated in-form duo Emilie Alba Paltrinieri and Hannah Darling in Saturday’s quarter and semifinals, Jess continued her form to come out on top from a field of 144 players representing 24 countries.

“It’s an amazing feeling, just incredible.

I can’t believe it,” said Jess after the final.

“I’m absolutely stunned but I’m just so happy. I worked really, really hard to get here and it’s just such a satisfying feeling.

“Yesterday, in particular, was an absolutely dream day. I holed everything and hit it amazing. It all came together to give me this opportunity.

“It’s been a long time coming and I’m just really proud of myself. I didn’t do anything special today, I just got ahead and then kept the lead. It was about the person making the least mistakes today.”

A member of Gosforth Park Ladies and part of the University of Central Florida’s women’s golf team, Jess became the fifth English winner of the event in the last 13 years and celebrated with her dad, Steve, who caddied, and her mum, Louise.

“My dad has been absolutely amazing,” added Jess. “I can’t fault him. He does get on my nerves sometimes, but he always

does it for the right reasons. We just work as such a good team and he’s been a huge part of this week.”

Having had to hole a 25ft putt to reach the matchplay stages as one of the top64 players after 36 holes of strokeplay, her triumph was even more noteworthy.

With the win, Jess earned places in the AIG Women’s Open at Muirfield, US Women’s Open at Pebble Beach, The Amundi Evian Championship and, by tradition, an invitation to the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

“Playing in the AIG Women’s Open is something I’ve really wanted to do for a long time and this means I don’t have to pre-qualify, which is great because that was the plan next week,” added Jess.

“And Augusta, oh, my gosh. That’s not really come to my mind yet to be honest, but it will be an incredible experience.”

Ranked 518th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings at the start of the week, Jess joined an impressive list of tournament winners including LPGA winner Leona Maguire and major champions Georgia Hall, Catriona Matthew and Anna Nordqvist.

Coached by Hexham’s Andy Paisley, Jess won the closing four holes in-arow to lead 143rd-ranked Louise 3up after 18 holes in the final. After the lead was extended to 5up through 28 holes, Louise won the 29th and 30th holes after dropped shots from Jess, who then bounced back at the 31st.

A 22ft birdie putt at the par three 14th saw the Swede reply once more, but Jess held her nerve, rolling in a winning 5ft putt for birdie.

All images © The R&A/Harriet Lander/Getty Images 06 NORTHERN GOLFER

NORTHERN GOLFER 07

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Record-breaking win for Charlotte Naughton

C

harlotte Naughton followed in the footsteps of some of the region’s best female golfers by becoming the youngest-ever Northumberland county champion at Blyth Golf Club.

Ponteland-based Charlotte, who turned 14 in March, broke the record Rockliffe Hall and Bishop held by Rosie Belsham with victory Auckland member Michael over 2022 Northumberland Veteran Henson ran away with Ladies champion Claire Brown at the Welsh Mid-Amateur the fourth extra hole of the final.

Championship thanks to a “I’m really proud to be the closing round of 69. youngest-ever winner and I’m really Michael (pictured above) happy all my hard work has paid off posted two rounds of 70 with a win,” said Charlotte. “I was to be in the driving seat nervous going into the final, but I’d at Aberdovey, and a final played well to get there and knew I round 69 featuring six birdies could win if I played well again. saw him cruise to a nine“Claire played great and barely shot victory over Lauder’s made a mistake, I had to 11:14 play soPage well 1 Northern Golfer Half Page May 2022.qxp_Layout 1 22/04/2022 Barry Nelson. over all 22 holes to win.

Henson cruises to Welsh win

Charlotte Naughton “Being part of the regional coaching with JJ [Vallely] at Matfen Hall has been so important to improving and getting ready to compete in tournaments. It’s also given me the chance to spend time with players like Rosie [Belsham], Jess [Baker] and Maggie [Whitehead] and knowing they’ve gone through

these steps is inspiring and shows what’s possible in the future.”

In the semi-finals, Claire beat Hexham’s June Lomax – who was the leading qualifier from the 36hole strokeplay – while Charlotte beat her sister Zara – who was the leading junior qualifier over the first two days.

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08 NORTHERN GOLFER

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Fab five pick up pro am wins

F

ive of the region’s top professionals have picked up pro am wins on the NE/NW PGA circuit.

In the 10th Teesside Pro Am which welcomed 160 players and was sponsored by Cleveland Cable Company while raising money for Teesside Hospice - Carlisle’s Nicky Tibbetts led the field with a seven under-par round of 65, which helped his team earn top spot with a 23 under-par total.

Meanwhile, Morpeth’s David Clark added to his success this season with victory at Bishop Auckland as he topped the leaderboard with a course record-equalling round of 64 (eight under-par).

In the Tom Flowers Memorial Pro Am at Ramside Hall, which raised more than £3,000 for St Cuthbert’s Hospice, Tyneside’s James Wilson returned from the EuroPro Tour to win with a four under-par round of 68.

David Clark

James Wilson

Vince Guest

Mark Ridley

Nicky Tibbetts In the Hadrian Healthcare Pro Am at Whickham, Vince Guest returned to the winners’ circle with a one under-par round of 70 in windy conditions, while at Linden Hall Mark Ridley picked up a four-shot victory in the WaterAid Pro Am.

NORTHERN GOLFER 09

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Chester juniors heading to finals Three Chester-le-Street juniors are heading to England Golf’s National Junior Club Championship at Woodhall Spa later this year after finishing top of the leaderboard in Durham’s PD Cowell event.

The team of Caylin Million (67), Dylan Brolls (70) and Andre Bethapudi (71) led the field with a nett total score of 208 and will go on to represent Durham in the national finals in August.

Scott Vincent wins Asian Tour’s Slaley stop

Z

imbabwean Scott Vincent claimed a historic victory in the first International Series England event at Slaley Hall with a final round 66 as the Asian Tour celebrated its first visit to the UK. Scott, who won the Mizuno Open on the Japan Tour a week earlier, finished on 12 under-par, one shot ahead of Australia’s Travis Smyth.

“It’s amazing,” said 30-year-old Scott, who collected $360,000 for the win and became the first Zimbabwean to win on the Asian Tour. “This is the tour I started on, so obviously it’s nice to get the first win out here. It has felt like a long time but my game is trending in a good direction. It got very close there at the end, but it fell in my favour and I’m very thankful.”

The victory secured Scott his

Scott Vincent place at the first LIV Golf event at the Centurion Club.

Graeme McDowell, who made his professional debut at Slaley Hall and finished T15 in the event, said:

“It was my first time back here after I made my pro debut in 2002 and was cool to kind of complete the circle.

The golf course was fantastic, I’ve been really impressed by it.”

Castle Eden Golf Club 18 Hole picturesque parkland course

CENTENARY OPEN COMPETITIONS 2022 • Seniors Open 2 - 4BBB over 55s Thursday 21st July £30 per pair • Ladies Team of 4 Stableford Tuesday 30th August £40 per team • Senior Open 4-man team over 55s Thursday 15th September £60 per team Application forms at www.castleedengolfclub.co.uk and at Golf Empire.

Castle Eden Golf Club, Castle Eden, TS27 4SS www.castleedengolfclub.co.uk 10 NORTHERN GOLFER

TEEINGOFF

Asian Tour donates £20,000 to support Northumberland juniors

T

he Northumberland Union of Golf Clubs received a £20,000 donation from the Asian Tour’s first International Series England tournament at Slaley Hall, and will use the funding boost to expand its coaching programmes for under-18s for the next five years.

The union is solely funded by an annual £5 levy paid by approximately 15,000 members. Although this may sound considerable, on a national scale it makes Northumberland one of the smaller golfing counties in England, meaning there is little discretionary spend available for coaching for young golfers.

The county’s junior programme is managed by Mark Laverick, Simon Coultas, Phil Ridden and county captain Graham Forrest.

During their four years leading the

programme, Northumberland’s boys have improved immeasurably, and won the 2021 Northern Counties Boys Championship – the county’s first win in the event in 28 years –

Wynyard Golf Club

followed by a first-ever win in the English County Finals.

Now, thanks to the donation from the history-making event, they have the chance to build on that success.

Graham said: “Too often the North East is forgotten about, particularly in golf terms.

“This financial input, together with the substantial time put in by many county administrators, could help establish Northumberland junior golf at the forefront of the sport nationally for many years to come.”

David Rollo, COO of the Asian Tour, said: “It is our immense honour to hand this cheque over to the Northumberland Union of Golf Clubs. Wherever we take these events, it is vital to us that their impact is being felt within golf from grassroots level up. The work Mark, Simon, Phil and Graham have done over the last four years has been incredible to learn about and we wish them and all their young golfers every success for the coming years.”

An exceptional golf experience

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1st May – 31st October £60 per head.

SUMMER - WYNYARD 4 BALL Includes Coffee & Bacon Rolls on arrival followed by 18 Holes of Golf on The Championship Wellington Course. 1st May – 31st October £210 per 4 ball (£52.50 each).

SUMMER - WYNYARD 2 BALL Includes Coffee & Bacon Rolls on arrival followed by 18 Holes of Golf on The Championship Wellington Course. 1st May – 31st October £120 per 2 ball (£60 each).

Please contact The Professional Shop on 01740 644399 option 1 or email enquiries@wynyardgolfclub.co.uk to make your booking.

NORTHERN GOLFER11

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Open dates 2022: • Ladies Team – Thursday 25th August (£60 per team of four)

• Seniors Pairs – Tuesday 6th September (£30 per pair)

Stew Fell

www.blackwellgrangegolf.com Tel : 01325 464458 To book please visit: www.blackwellgrangegolf.com/opendates

EXCITING NEW COURSE LAYOUT INCLUDING BRAND NEW HOLES

General Visitor - £32 Junior U18 - £15 Twilight (After 2pm) - £25 Super twilight (From 5pm) -£20

SPECIAL OFFER MONDAY - £15 TUES-SUN 3 BALL - £75 TUES-SUN 4 BALL - £88 Country Card Holder - £15

SPECIAL OFFER MONDAY - £20 TUES-SUN 3 BALL - £90 TUES-SUN 4 BALL - £104 Country Card Holder - £20

LOW SEASON (1ST NOV-28TH FEB) General Visitor - £15 Junior U18 - £10 Twilight (After 2pm) - £10 Super twilight (From 5pm) - NONE

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Fell wins county championship

S

tew Fell earned his first county title with victory in Northumberland’s County Championship at Bedlingtonshire.

Tynemouth-based Stew, 30, produced a commanding performance in the event’s 36-hole matchplay final, beating Northumberland’s James Conn 11&9 to complete a gruelling week, which included 36 holes of strokeplay qualifying and four rounds of matchplay.

“I can’t quite believe it, I never thought I’d win a County Championship,” said Stew. “I’m very surprised and very proud.

“I’ve played some good golf throughout the week and having been 3down in the first game before turning it around, I wasn’t down in a match after that and felt in control each night and able to play my own game.

“I thought I was still one of the young guys around county golf until I teed it up against an 18-year-old in the final. The result doesn’t do James’ week justice. He’s a fantastic golfer and I’m sure it’ll be no time before he wins one of these.”

With the win, Stew - who won the Northern Golfer men’s Champion of Champions in 2017 - will go on to represent Northumberland in the England Golf County Champion of Champions at Woodhall Spa later this season.

Gerry Johnson, Finley Hall, Ben Mawson and Cameron Hamilton

WHITBY GOLF CLUB

Whitby Golf Club, Sandsend Road, Low Straggleton, Whitby YO21 3SR tel: 01947 600660 | email: o�ce@whitbygolfclub.co.uk www.whitbygolfclub.co.uk 12 NORTHERN GOLFER

Bishop boys win team title Bishop Auckland banked on youth to win the Durham Clubs Team Handicap Championship at Ravensworth.

Bishop’s Finley Hall, 13, Ben Mawson, 14, and 18-year-old

Cameron Hamilton finished with a three-man total of 214 to pip the host club and Roseberry Grange by just one shot as the team’s fourth score, from Gerry Johnson, was discarded.

TEEINGOFF

Harper wins N&D Open

W

ynyard-based professional James Harper continued his successful start to the season with victory in the Northumberland & Durham Open at Morpeth Golf Club.

James, who won the NE/NW PGA’s Trump International Pro Am and posted a solid finish at Slaley Hall in the PGA Professionals Championship, led the field of professionals and top amateurs from across the region with rounds of 65 and 68 for a nine under-par total.

“To win one of the NE/NW PGA’s majors is a great feeling,” said James, who was paired with two of his former Durham teammates in the event - pro Mark Ridley and amateur John Kennedy.

“To have a couple of wins already this season validates the effort I’ve put into my game this year - which every PGA pro knows isn’t easy to balance around shop hours,

Katie Sibley

Katie wins Cumbria crown James Harper teaching, and raising two children.

“It’s superb to win such a historic event and look at the names on the trophy going all the way back to the 1950s with winners including my first coach and mentor, Seaton Carew’s Bill Hector, who won back in 1964 and 1965.”

Meanwhile, Tim Dykes finished

in second place, two shots behind James, as 17-year-old Morgan Blythe - who won the Northumberland Strokeplay Championship over 72 holes at Dunstanburgh over the preceding two days - finished alongside Hexham pro Andy Paisley in a tie for third place and took home the leading amateur prize.

Carlisle’s Katie Sibley won Cumbria’s Ladies County Championship with a 1up victory over Silloth’s Hannah Smith at Furness Golf Club.

Katie, who beat Carus Green’s Harriet Barker to book her place in the final, earned her second county championship title with a hard-fought win over Hannah – who had beaten Eden’s Rebecca Wildey in the semi-finals.

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NORTHERN GOLFER13

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Club golfers heading to Sawgrass Sawgrass beckons for a group of North East-based golfers, while more have reached the final stages of Hole in One Club events.

Whitburn trio Tony Jager, Dennis Elrick and David Watson - along with Consett’s Dave Cramond - qualified for the National Hole in One Pairs Playoff Finals and are just 18 holes away from Sawgrass.

They’ll be hoping to join Whitburn’s Duncan Foster, who has already booked his place at Sawgrass after he made a hole-in-one at Beamish and came through a Playoff Final at Silloth.

Meanwhile, Whickham’s Colin Teasdale has also secured a place on the trip to Sawgrass after making the first Hole in One Club ace of the 2022 season.

Ramside to host LET Access Series

T

he Ladies European Tour Access Series has announced two new events as part of the Trust Golf Links Series, which will bring LETAS back to the UK after a three-year hiatus.

Trust Golf, part of the TCT Corporation, will sponsor the Trust Golf Links Series that will be hosted in back-to-back weeks in England and Scotland. Ramside Hall’s Cathedral Course will host the first event July 6-8 before the players head north to Musselburgh Golf Club July 14-16.

In each event, 126 players will compete for a €40,000 prize fund and the top two players will earn a place in the 2022 Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open, to be played at Dundonald Links July 28-31. A minimum of three places into Final

Ramside Hall’s Cathedral Course Qualifying for the AIG Women’s Open at Muirfield will also be on offer at Musselburgh.

Thanks to the title sponsor, Trust Golf, the two new LET Access Series

events will also provide a pathway for 20 Thai players to compete in Europe.

For more information visit letaccess.com

GOLF AT MACDONALD HOTELS & RESORTS

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great ENJOY A

ROUND OF GOLF

JULY, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER SPECIALS

Peter Smith

On the move

P

eter Smith has taken up the role of general manager at Hexham Golf Club, reuniting with former colleagues Andy Paisley and David Thompson at the Northumberland club.

Peter, who joins Hexham following a successful four-and-ahalf years at Tyneside, will lead the management of the club while working closely with course manager David and head professional Andy.

“The opportunity to join Hexham was simply too good to turn down,” said Peter. “I loved my time at Tyneside, the club and all the members were fantastic and I left with a very heavy heart.

“I’m very much looking forward to working with David and Andy again, and I’m excited to be part of delivering an outstanding experience for members and visitors at one of the region’s premier members’ golf clubs.”

Peter, who started his career in golf at Matfen Hall and was one of the first people in the UK to complete the ASQ Level 5 Diploma in Golf Club Management, added: “Taking on this role will certainly be a new challenge, and I’m looking forward to getting into it fully this summer.

“Hexham has a fantastic reputation and I’m excited to be part of maintaining and growing that in the years to come as we enhance the offering to our members across all the areas of the club.”

Any green fee after 1pm on a Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday, £15pp. Subject to availability.

Phone 0191 456 0110 to book and quote code NG15

SOUTH SHIELDS GOLF CLUB Cleadon Hills, South Shields, Tyne and Wear NE34 8EG

Main Office: 0191 456 8942 Pro: 0191 4560110 Email: manager.southshieldsgolf@gmail.com

Weekly - every Friday morning

Durham’s junior champs Durham has two new junior champions following the first-ever joint staging of the county’s boys’ and girls’ championships at Bishop Auckland Golf Club.

Boldon’s Neve Pearson won the Durham County Ladies Golf

Association Junior Championship with a countback win over Whickham’s Faye Wheatley.

Meanwhile, South Shields’ Ben Willis won the Durham Boys Championship with a one under-par total over 36 holes at Bishop Auckland.

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BRANCEPETH CASTLE GOLF CLUB

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CLASSIC COURSE DESIGNED BY THE LEGENDARY HARRY COLT Test your golf on a superb Harry Colt designed course, set to host the English senior amateur championship in 2024. A parkland course established on Brancepeth Castle deer park in 1924 which includes a number of ravines, challenging par 3’s and excellent views of the castle from our signature 9th hole.

Visitor special offer after 2 pm four ball for £117 weekdays & Sunday and £140 on Saturday when booked online.

Membership and society packages available details on request at enquiries@brancepeth-castle-golf.co.uk Last few remaining places are still available for our Junior open on Sunday the 10th of July first tee time 13:00.

Entry fee is £5 book online at brancepeth-castle-golf.co.uk

Telephone - 0191 3780075 Option 2 or email enquiries@brancepeth-castle-golf.co.uk Competition & Golf bookings available online at www.brancepeth-castle-golf.co.uk THE CLUBHOUSE, BRANCEPETH, DH7 8EA

STILL TIME TO ENTER OUR OPENS 2022 THURSDAY 21ST JULY – Seniors Mens - Team of 4 (Teams) £48.00 SUNDAY 31ST JULY – Mens (4BBB Stableford) £24.00 WEDNESDAY 31-AUGUST - Seniors Mens (4BBB Stableford) £24.00 SUNDAY 11-SEPTEMBER - Mixed (4BBB Stableford) £24.00

Book online - www.bellinghamgolfclub.com

NEW MEMBER FEE BONUS

No more to PAY until 31st October 2023 FULL - £340 - Introductory rate COUNTRY (25 mile +) & Second Club £270

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

16 NORTHERN GOLFER

Ben Cordwell-Smith (right)

European champion A

group of the region’s brightest young stars headed north to East Lothian for Europe’s largest junior golf event - The US Kids Golf European Championship – where Wynyard’s Ben Cordwell-Smith came away with a European title.

The tournament is the largest of its kind across the continent and sees the next generation of golf stars and their families come together for three days of fierce competition across 16 age groups.

Wynyard-based Ben was the leading player from the North East as he led the field in the Boys 15-18 event with rounds of 74, 70 and 71 for a one underpar total and a one-shot victory over Jason Chan. With the win, he earned a place in the US Kids Golf World Championship at Pinehurst in 2023.

Among the other top finishers from our region were Millie Hixon (Wearside), who finished in fourth place in the Girls 12 category; Amy Burton (Wynyard), who finished in a tie for 10th place in the Girls 13-14 category; Alex Boyes (Wynyard), who was T12 in the Boys 13 event; and Callum Brown (Bishop Auckland) who was T7 in the Boys 15-18 event.

Following the tournaments - Millie, Ben and Callum also qualified to play in the annual Van Horn Cup – an additional team competition which takes place after the individual events.

The 2022 European Championship was the first in three years due to Covid and saw more than 500 golfers aged 5-18 from some 46 countries compete over Craigielaw, Glen Golf Club, Longnidrry, Royal Musselburgh, and The Musselburgh.

History maker Linn Grant made history in front of her home fans as she stormed to a nine-shot victory at the Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed to become the first female winner of a DP World Tour and Ladies European Tour co-sanctioned event.

The 22-year-old Swede produced a nerveless display of front-running on Sunday to keep

Linn Grant © Getty Images a host of DP World Tour stars at bay and claim her third win in just six starts this season.

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Cort wins national PGA title at Slaley Hall

M

atthew Cort got his hands on the PGA Professional Championship trophy following a playoff victory over Daniel Whitby-Smith at Slaley Hall.

The final day field was met with wind and rain in the afternoon at Slaley, but the weather did not deter Drayton Park-based Daniel, who raced to six under-par for the day through nine. Four bogies on the final nine holes slowed his progress, but a four under-par round, which was the best of the day, earned him a spot in the playoff.

Matthew was tied at the top at the halfway stage of the championship and after a level-par round on day three, he too produced a fantastic final round of three under-par before coming out on top in the playoff.

Wayne Melles

Wayne’s world

Matthew Cort ©Nigel Roddis/Getty Images “Winning this event is right up there at the top for me,” said Matthew. “I’ve done well in other PGA events and this ticks another one off.”

With the win, Matthew also earned a place in the GB&I PGA Cup team, which faces the USA in the

Ryder Cup-style match at Foxhills in September.

Meanwhile, Hartlepool’s Alex Wrigley was the top North Eastbased player in the field in a tie for ninth place as Wynyard’s James Harper finished in a tie for 20th place.

Brancepeth Castle’s Wayne Melles saw off stiff competition to win a closely contested Seaton Salver with rounds of 72 and 75 for a 147 total on a tough day on the Teesside links.

The plus-two handicapper’s 72 was just off the pace in the first round, which saw 13-yearold Alex Boyes from the host club lead with a one under-par 70, the only sub-par round in the tournament.

MORPETH GOLF CLUB VISITORS AND SOCIETIES WELCOME 2022 SOCIETY GREEN FEES Up to to 12 - Monday - Friday £30pp - Sundays £35pp 12 - 24 - Monday - Friday £27.50pp - Sundays £30pp 24+ Monday - Friday £25pp - Sundays £27.50pp Golf Society Packages are tailored to your requirements Telephone the Office for further details on 01670 504942 (Opt 2)

OPENS 2022 Friday 15th July - Pro Am (Sponsored by Ferrari/Bentley/JCT 600) £240 per team Thursday 21st July - Seniors Open (Team of 4) £40 per team Monday 8th August - Ladies Open (Team of 4 ) £40 per team Sunday 21st August - Dan Lloyd Open (details to follow)

Morpeth Golf Club,The Clubhouse, Loansdean, Morpeth, NE61 2BT Email:admin@morpethgolf.co.uk www.morpethgolf.co.uk NORTHERN GOLFER 17

TEEINGOFF

Father and son record back-to-back aces

J

im and Tony Mitcheson managed a truly remarkable golfing feat at Blyth Golf Club as they recorded backto-back holes-in-one.

Playing in their twice weekly father-son match, the pair achieved the double ace on the 161-yard 11th hole with differing approaches.

Tony, with the honour, hit a seven iron onto the green to record his third career ace, and first at Blyth.

Playing second, Jim required a driver to reach the green, though he proved just as accurate.

“Walking up to the green, which you can’t see all of from the tee, we both assumed we’d run off the back,” said 54-year-old Tony. “I thought I’d played the shot well enough to hold the green, so checked the hole and at first all I saw my dad’s markings.

“A second later, I noticed the

Jim and Tony Mitcheson second ball, and couldn’t believe it!

“My dad came over, we took some photos, and walked to the 12th tee in a stunned silence. It’s hard to put into words what it’s like to half a hole in holes-in-one.”

Jim, 93, has been a member

of Blyth for 73 years. A two-time winner of the club championship in the 1960s, he holds honorary membership and has recorded six holes-in-one in his golfing career.

“It’s a fantastic moment to be able to share with my dad,” added Tony.

“He introduced me to the game, along with my mam – who was also a club champion – and he would push me around the course in a pushchair before I could play. We’re still competitive and always have a great time out on the course.”

DUNSTANBURGH CASTLE GOLF COURSE DESIGNED BY THE FAMOUS JAMES BRAID - ADJACENT TO SPECTACULAR EMBLETON BAY

SUMMER GREEN FEES 1ST APRIL 2022 - 30TH SEPTEMBER 2022 WEEKDAY - £35PP - WEEKEND - £40PP SUMMER DEAL - COFFEE AND A BACON ROLL, 18 HOLES OF GOLF FOLLOWED BY A PIZZA OR BURGER AND CHIPS. WEEKDAY £43PP - WEEKEND £48PP

To book telephone 01665 576562 or email bookings@dunstanburgh.com www.dunstanburgh.com Dunstaburgh Golf Club, Embleton, Northumberland, NE66 3XQ 18 NORTHERN GOLFER

PROFILE

Opens 2022 Thursday July 28th - Seniors 60+ - 4BBB Stableford - £24 pair Monday September 20th - Ladies Waltz - £27 team of 3 Friday September 30th - Gents - 4BBB Stableford - £24 pair Telephone the Secretary on 0191 2867636 (opt 3) or email secretary@westerhopegolfclub.com

PRO -FILE

STEWART PILGRIM

Sunday Lunch Bookings Welcome Telephone Shaun Mussett on 0191 2867636 (opt 5)

WESTERHOPE GOLF CLUB Whorlton Grange, Westerhope, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE5 1PP www.westerhopegolfclub.com

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.

Restaurant and bar serving cask ales

AGE: 39 TURNED PRO: 2004 HOME CLUB: Teesside Golf Club CAREER HIGHLIGHTS North East and North West PGA captain 2020 & 2021 Winner on NE/NW PGA circuit Earned PGA Director of Golf qualification in early 2022 WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO? “While I still enjoy competing and try to play as many local events as possible around family life, my focus has always been on the business side of being a PGA professional. To that end, I’ve recently completed my Director of Golf qualification and continue to work hard enhancing my knowledge as well as coaching players from the elite level - including the Teesside Union boys - right through to beginners and juniors in schools and as part of our popular summer camps. I’m also heavily involved in running the Teesside Pro Am, which celebrates its 10th year in 2022 with another sold out field, and hopefully another great day of tournament golf while raising money for local charity Teesside Hospice.”

HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE GAME? “My father, Charlie, introduced me and my older brother Michael [head professional at Bishop Auckland], to the game as youngsters at Dinsdale Spa and we took to it quickly. I played out of Dinsdale, representing Durham at junior level, until I started working at Middlesbrough Municipal two weeks before my 16th birthday. I joined the PGA when I was 21 and trained under Alan Hope, became head professional at Teesside in 2007, and I haven’t looked back since.”

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD? “I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to play and practice a little more now my children are a bit older. I’m also passionate about continuing to learn.

The game has changed so much in the 15 years since I became head professional at Teesside. We have to develop our skills throughout our careers, using new techniques and technology to improve our coaching for players at every level. Apart from those, a good work-life balance and some success for the players I coach would be great.”

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The Manor Hotel Haltwhistle Main Street, Haltwhistle, NE49 OBS www.manorhousehaltwhistle.com NORTHERN GOLFER 19

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20 NORTHERN GOLFER

TOURLIFE

Chris Paisley

Perfect Fitz DP World Tour player Chris Paisley updates us on his own game, and offers his take on Matt Fitzpatrick’s sensational US Open victory

I

am going to dedicate much of this column to talking about Matt Fitzpatrick’s win at the US Open, but I do have some news on my own golf first. I’ve decided to start working with my long-time coach Andrew Nicholson again. I had a year off from working with Andrew and, long story short, it has not gone well! So, I’m excited to be back with him and after five minutes of our first session, I knew I had done the right thing.

I’m confident he will get me back on track shortly.

With that out the way, what a win for Fitzy! I have long been an admirer of his.

Having thought about it, I am not sure there is anyone in the game that works at their craft more diligently than Matt.

He has been a good player for a long time and seems to have been getting better

and better over the years, culminating in a major win for someone who few people would have picked a few years ago.

I am fortunate to work with Edoardo Molinari on my stats, which Matt does too, so I have got a bit of insight into how he goes about things.

What essentially won Matt the US Open was the gains he has made off the tee. He was always a very straight hitter, but not the longest. His ball speed was always around 165mph, so not short but certainly not long either. After identifying this as an area of improvement, Matt is now at 175mph-plus. Anyone who has tried to gain speed will know how impressive that is. What is even more impressive is that Matt didn’t add a single yard of dispersion (left or right) and gained around 30 yards of distance.

Edoardo told me he has never seen anyone gain distance and maintain their dispersion pattern. Matt is now in the top-10 in driving on the PGA Tour, which is allowing the rest of him game to take advantage of holes that it couldn’t before.

Getting better at golf is tough. When you make an effort to improve one aspect, there are risks involved. Are you going about it in the right way? Could it effect another aspect of the game negatively?

Edoardo told me that whenever he identifies an area for Matt to improve, it gets better in three months… every single time. It sounds simple and easy, but it really isn’t! That ability is why Matt is now genuinely one of the best players in the world and he epitomises the phrase “1% better every day”. He has earned his success and I am delighted for him.

© Getty Images NORTHERN GOLFER 21

ONCOURSE

Simon Olver

Feeling the heat As temperatures rise and the season reaches its height, Simon Olver - course manager at Ganton – discusses the impact of weather and fast growing conditions

T

hose who tend a lawn will have noticed it’s growing incredibly quickly right now.

A combination of warmer nights, sunny days and plenty of rain has provided ideal growing condition for grass plants – and our golf courses have come on quickly.

We’ve had tropical conditions lately, with 8-12mm of rain on many nights and temperatures rising. This has got our courses looking their absolute best as growth speeds up, but it can also present challenges.

As the temperatures continue to rise, we must keep a careful watch on moisture levels, ensuring the correct applications of wetting agents and appropriate levels of irrigation to keep the grass plants healthy while utilising resources efficiently.

At this time of year, it can be difficult to stay on top of regular maintenance on the golf course, particularly mowing, and especially with small teams on large sites.

Managing mowing heights and using techniques like vert-cutting while using growth regulation products effectively is incredibly important. Good

22 NORTHERN GOLFER

management of all these areas helps bring the workload into a manageable range, though we understand long hours and overtime are required right now to stay on top of everything.

At Ganton, we continue to work hard daily to keep the greens at consistent speeds across the day’s play and have utilised a number of techniques to ensure consistency – including cutting each morning and evening to get a dry cut after play before following it up with another one early in the morning.

Communication is key to managing golfers’ expectations and ensuring any changes to expected green speeds are shared with members regularly is vital. The R&A is helping with this communication and has worked hard to explain how green speeds differ at events like The Open Championship - where greens speeds are expected to be 9.5ft - across a day’s play and depending on conditions. While many clubs look to set a speed standard, it’s important we take a holistic approach to create a healthy plant and environment before forcing green speeds up and stressing the plant.

It’s also important to be adaptable at this time of year. Our team has become more flexible in recent weeks, working more evenings and overtime to ensure we’re working at the most effective times – from cutting greens in the evening when they’re driest to coming in at night to spray wetting agents in the rain to utilise free irrigation time.

Being adaptable, studying the weather forecasts closely, and understanding your course are vital skills for all greenkeepers.

We can no longer rely on weather patterns - we have to look at what’s happening on the golf course, study the soil analysis closely, and react appropriately. Gone are the days of working from calendars modern greenkeeping relies on analysis of agronomic conditions and collecting detailed data to inform the decisions you make on everything from mowing schedules to product application.

While it’s a busy time of year, it’s also the time to appreciate your work. We’re just starting to see the first movement into the yellower colours of summer, the rough is providing fantastic definition, and our courses are really at their best.

TOURTIPS

Sean Russell

Money talks

I

Tour caddy Sean Russell shares an insight on caddies’ pay, bonuses, and the huge rewards on offer on alternative tours

t may just be the LIV Golf effect, but there seems to be a lot of talk about money in professional golf right now. I know many amateurs are fascinated by the caddy-player relationship, so I thought it would be a good time to share some inside information on how we get paid.

For starters, a little advice - don’t ask a caddy how much they earn... It’s a bit like going in to see your dentist and asking them the same question - they won’t tell you and it’ll be a really painful experience.

What I can tell you is that a caddy’s payments are not regulated, so it’s down to caddy and player to come to an agreement. I’ll also share that, apart from a few guys who are salaried, most caddies receive a fixed weekly fee - which covers travel, accommodation etc - and a bonus based on a percentage of how much your player earns each week.

These percentages do vary, but typically

it’s a minimum of 5% of any earnings and will rise up to 10% (or more) for a win.

If your player is walking away with a winner’s cheque two or three times a year, you’re doing very nicely as a caddy.

Similarly - and I’ll let you do the maths on this one - if you’re with one of the 94 players on the PGA Tour who have earned more than $1m already this year, life isn’t too bad either.

But what happens when your player is out of form? Well, like any self-employed person, if the money isn’t coming in, you could be struggling and may well be earning less than the minimum wage once you’ve deducted your weekly costs for travel, accommodation etc.

Understanding the front-loaded pay structure, and the fact that you could be fired at any moment, it’s easy to see the benefits of the LIV Golf series for caddies.

The last placed player in the opening LIV event at Centurion was paid $120,000,

so every caddy going there knew that the minimum bonus they’d been walking away with on Saturday night was $6,000 - which is a hell of a difference to making €0 for a missed cut in Sweden on the DP World Tour and Ladies European Tour that week.

That amount of money flips caddying from a lifestyle into a job, and a seriously well paid one for those on the LIV side.

For those who aren’t signed up with LIV, sure it can be hard when your player is struggling, but that’s the risk every caddy understands as we know the rewards can be enormous - on every tour - if you find yourself on the right bag at the right time...

Just ask Charl Schwartzel’s caddy !

So, do you still want to be a tour caddy?

Although the climb to the top can be long, with no guarantee of success, if you stick with it and pay your dues, one day you might be lucky enough to earn a lot more than the minimum wage for carrying a very heavy bag around.

NORTHERN GOLFER 23

24 NORTHERN GOLFER

AMERICANDREAM

Jess’ homecoming Jess Hall has come a long way from the Durham-based teenager who dreamt of playing college golf in the US. With four years at California State University Fresno and a win in her penultimate event as a college athlete now behind her, we ask, what’s next?

T

he last time Jess Hall appeared in a full-length interview in Northern Golfer, the then 15-year-old had just become the youngest-ever winner of the Durham County Ladies Golf Association Championship, and she laid out her dreams of playing college golf in the US before joining the Ladies European or LPGA tour - if she was good enough.

Jess - a member of Bishop Auckland Golf Club since the age of nine - certainly proved good enough, putting together a stellar résumé in her four years as a Fresno State Bulldog, including a win in her penultimate event as a college athlete – the Fresno State Classic at Belmont Country Club. Her winning score of six under-par for 54 holes was the fourth lowest tournament score ever by a Bulldog, and helped Jess to end her college career with the fifth lowest scoring average in the program’s history (75.04) as she was nominated for female

athlete of the year at California State University Fresno in her final year.

“I dreamed about going to the US and playing college golf from a really young age,” says 23-year-old Jess. “Attending a division one school for four years was a dream come true.

“I’d only played a few national events before I left, but getting to fly to tournaments across the US and down in Mexico, and compete in huge tournaments, was so exciting every time we did it.

“I knew I could win an event as early as my second year, but winning golf tournaments is tough. I was so happy to get a win to finish off my college career and doing it at our home event was really cool. It made it so much more special to win the first time my parents saw me compete in a Bulldogs uniform - that moment on the final green was pretty emotional for the three of us.”

Off the golf course, Jess - who

NORTHERN GOLFER 25

AMERICANDREAM graduated with a degree in Recreation, Special Events and Tourism - says the relationships with her two college coaches - Emily Loftin and Lisa Ferrero - and her bond with her teammates were the best part of the experience.

“Emily, our coach for the first three years, was like a mother to us,” says Jess. “She cared so much about us as people and that was really important when I was starting out.

“When I arrived in California, I’d never lived away before. It’s also a full-on schedule as a college athlete between playing, practising and schoolwork but the sense of family created by our coach and the girls in the team made it much easier to handle and by the end it was definitely the biggest highlight of the whole experience.

“When I arrived, the older girls made me feel so welcome,” adds Jess. “By the time I was a senior, particularly when we transitioned from Emily to Lisa in my final year, I got to play that leadership role and it was fantastic to be able to pay that back after getting so much support when I arrived.”

While she admits being away from home was the hardest part of the college experience and that she had to mature quickly to be able to live on her own, Jess adds that the team spirit and friendships she built with her teammates is what she’ll miss the most. “Even after just a few weeks, the thing I miss is the team atmosphere,” she says. “It’s totally different when you practise by yourself, and it’s something I’m really sad to have given up.”

Back in the June 2014 edition of Northern Golfer, Jess talked about the role her parents - dad Graham and mam Carolynne - played in her golf career. While she left home for the very first time to head to California, her parents remained as supportive as ever and they were there when Jess won at Belmont.

Her long-time coach, Brian Ridley, has also been a constant throughout her golfing career and while Jess explains that it was more complicated to continue her work with Brian remotely, it proved incredibly important to her success.

“While I continued to work with 26 NORTHERN GOLFER

Jess Hall back at her home club, Bishop Auckland and below on the cover of Northern Golfer in June 2014 © Kevin Gibson, KG Photography Over page: Jess during and after her win in the Fresno State Classic at Belmont Country Club ©Fresno State Athletics

Brian, it wasn’t the easiest thing to do over video calls and text messages. By the end, we came up with a structure that worked, but it wasn’t easy,” says Jess, who has already had two in-person sessions with Brian since she came home a fortnight ago.

As well as working on her technique over the last four years, Jess has also had the chance to train and develop in the professional atmosphere of college athletics.

As well as having access to state-of-the-art technology and facilities, she also worked with expert coaches.

“I didn’t think about my mental approach to the game before I left,” she admits.

“Working with the team psychologist opened my eyes to how important your mindset is on the golf course and when you’re practising and training. Thinking about how your attitude affects your game and how structures lead to better performances have helped me improve and cope with pressure situations - individually and as a teammate.”

A lot of graduates like to take a summer to unwind and reflect on their time at

AMERICANDREAM

university. For Jess, it’s a chance to play a busy schedule of British events - which started with the St Rule Trophy at St Andrews and will include The R&A Women’s Amateur at Hunstanton, the English Women’s strokeplay and matchplay championships, and representing Durham in County Match Week.

“Coming off such a good end to my season in the US, I’m keen to keep it going into the British summer,” she says. “I feel like I’ve got

a lot of momentum and I’m looking forward to playing in big events.”

At the end of the amateur season, Jess plans to head to Ladies European Tour Qualifying School at La Manga in Spain in December.

Having been part of the college system and been coached in such a professional way for four years, she says she feels ready to turn professional when given the opportunity.

“College golf has made me

so much more ready to be a professional golfer than I ever could have been without going to the US,” she says. “The travel, the coaching, the tournaments… it will all help when I get out there.

“It’s funny looking back at my dreams when I was 15 years old,” adds Jess. “I feel like I’m so much closer to achieving them now and I plan to keep working hard to become a tour player.

“I’m not looking too far ahead

though; I’ll go to Q-School and then I want to take some time to re-evaluate based on how that week goes.”

With a busy summer ahead, and a first trip to Qualifying School to end 2022, there’s a lot to look forward to and little time to reflect on the success of the last four years. But those four years were certainly a big success, and it will be fascinating to see what the next four years hold for Jess.

NORTHERN GOLFER 27

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19THHOLE

Dean Bailey

Ready to rumble

I

It’s time for club golfers to get a move on and get weekend rounds back under five hours

s it just me, or is a five-hour round of golf just ridiculous? When I play a practice round in a twoball, it takes roughly two-and-a-half hours, give or take. So how do weekend rounds take double that?

I have a few ideas why, which I’ll run through, but they’re best summed up by the ignorance of some players ruining it for the rest of us. It’s not a case that all players do these things to slow the game, nor is it one category of golfers, it’s the few individuals and groups which bring the course to a grinding halt - and they need to get a move on.

Ready Golf – a set of guidelines to improve the pace of play in strokeplay events – has been part of R&A amateur events for a while now, and I’ve seen the posters at many clubs over the last few seasons, so how has it not sunk enough to improve things yet?

I’ll level with you – I take my time when hitting shots. It’s not a long time, but I like to take a practice swing, pick a target line and settle over a shot before pulling the

trigger. At my home club, I’m yet to see a pre-shot routine which could be picked out as causing unnecessary delay.

I can, however, offer a list of things which do cause delays including, but not limited to: 1. Patrolling the fairways as a pack, heading to each ball in order and having three players watch each stroke before proceeding to the next. Instead, why not walk to your own ball (unless helping with a search) and get ready to hit? There’s no need to travel as a herd.

2. Be ready when it’s your turn (or when it’s appropriate to hit). The player furthest from the hole doesn’t need to play first in strokeplay. If they’re delayed, get on with your shot rather than waiting a round.

3. Ignore whose honour it is on the tee.

It’s part of Ready Golf to play when you’re ready and this seems to be missed most on the tee. It doesn’t matter if it’s not your turn, pop a tee in the ground and keep the game moving.

4. Mark your card in one of the many periods you’re supposed to be waiting.

There’s no need to do it straight away, and no need to take 10 minutes on the 10th tee checking the first nine either.

5. Tell your stories on the move. There’s nothing worse than the golfer who makes the whole group wait for their tale to end while their ball is on the tee. Play your shot and continue the story as you walk – it’s never worth the wait.

6. Be aware of what’s going on around you.

There’s no shame in letting a faster group play through. Maybe they’re a smaller group, or genuinely faster. Rather than rushing and making a hash of your shot, take a pause, maybe mark your card, and let the group behind get on with their round - both groups will be better off for the change in playing order.

7. If it’s stableford and you can’t score, pick the ball up. Returning a 12 when it’s the same blob you would have had after six blows is pointless.

The R&A’s research shows people enjoy golf more when the game takes less time – so let’s try to pay a little more attention to what we’re doing and keep things moving.

© Shutterstock/Manuela Durson NORTHERN GOLFER 29

COURSEPROFILE

Onto a Wynner Dean Bailey visits one of Teesside’s finest layouts - The Wellington Course at Wynyard Golf Club

S

ince it opened for play in 1996, The Wellington Course at Wynyard has earned an enviable reputation for its challenging, modern design; risk and reward layout; and superb playing conditions.

Host of multiple regional, county and European Tour events in its 27 years, the course also served as host venue for the 2005 Seve Trophy - the biennial contest between GB&I and continental Europe. Be sure to take a moment to visit the locker room and see where players from playing captains Colin Montgomerie and José María Olazábal to Pádraig Harrington and Henrik Stenson sat and prepared during the event.

Designed by Martin Hawtree, the Wellington Course, which can be stretched to more than 7,000 yards, remains fundamentally the same as when it hosted some of Europe’s best players in 2005 - though continued refinements have ensured it remains an exacting test.

The tee at the 470-yard par five opening hole is set among tall fir trees and feels far removed from the Wynyard estate which borders the course. The bunker on the left side, beyond the oak tree, is some 280 yards from the back tee, though beware playing too cautiously to the right and facing an obstructed route to the green. A bunker guards the line to the putting surface from the left side, though the landing area is generous to the right of this and leads slightly uphill to a long green which 30 NORTHERN GOLFER

slopes back to front as features two front bunkers.

After a relatively easy opener, the tee shot at the second is one of the toughest. Some can go over the bunker on the left side, but many will need to play right of it while avoiding the out of bounds on the right side to leave a long, uphill approach to a green complex featuring steep mounding and two more bunkers - the front right one is particularly deep.

The par threes occupy the most picturesque green sites here and the third may well be the pick of the bunch. Stretching to nearly 200 yards from the back tee, the tee shot is played over a lake, which shouldn’t be in play, to an enormous green featuring four front bunkers - three on the right and one to the left.

The 400-yard fourth hole asks for one great shot - either a drive threaded between the fairway bunkers some 250 yards from the tee to run down the slope or a longer approach to a green set atop a steep rise with a cross bunker on the right side and a cavernous trap cut into the slope on the left.

Having faced a demanding stretch, the 360-yard fifth hole can offer birdies. Stay well right of the two bunkers on the inside corner of the right-toleft dogleg to leave the best angle to a small green which has one bunker on its front left corner.

Another 400-yard-plus par four follows, where long drives can be rewarded with an extra boost from the slope just beyond the fairway bunker

on the left side, before another par three set beautifully in front of trees with bunkers scattered on the slope which leads up to the large green.

The 370-yard eighth hole can be very tricky to get right. Those who hit driver will run down the hill to leave a blind, steeply uphill approach while those who lay back get a better view of the green. From here, the very narrow green is set at a 45-degree angle with bunkers short and long.

At 350 yards, the ninth can yield another birdie opportunity if you stay clear of the fairway bunkers and make it up to the raised green with its steep runoffs and two bunkers short right.

Played parallel with the first, the short par five 10th is an equally good birdie opportunity when played correctly. Avoid the fairway bunkers and the green is tantalisingly close - though the front right bunker reaches out to catch many balls making a bid to bounce up onto the green.

For many, the tee shot at the 11th should be played over the bunker on the right into a generous fairway. From here, the route to the wide green is all in front of you.

Having presented little challenge so far, water is certainly in play at the 199-yard par three 12th.

Set in a quiet corner of the course among the trees, the lake cuts back towards the green and is always in your eyeline. The sloping green, with its two front bunkers, is larger than it looks from the tee.

The signature 13th hole follows (see fact file).

COURSEPROFILE

FACT FILE CONTACT Wynyard Golf Club, Wellington Drive Wynyard, TS22 5QJ, tel 01740 644 399, www.wynyardgolfclub.co.uk

If the first two par fives were definite birdie opportunities, the 550-yard 14th is anything but. A steep mound and rough lie to the left side while out of bounds looms close on the right from the tee along with a single bunker at around 250 yards. From here, a long lay up is required to leave a treacherous approach over the largest bunker on the course to a raised green which is equally vast.

At just 363 yards, the 15th hole is an easy par four on paper, but it can be a card-wrecker.

From the white tee, it’s 250 yards to make it over the lake on the left side, and 265 yards to clear the bunker on the right. Stray into either, or play too cautiously out to the right, and the route to the small green becomes far harder.

The longest hole at Wynyard, the 16th is 562 yards from the white tees and can be a daunting test late in the round. When playing it in three shots, it’s best to lay up short of the two bunkers which flank the fairway, leaving a long second shot which must steer well clear of the lake on the left side. From here, the long green appears far more inviting than it does from behind the lake with 200-plus yards to go.

The green at the par three 17th is a generous one with its bowl-like contours created by the three bunkers and greenside mounding.

At 432 yards, the 18th requires two long shots to reach the green in regulation. The fairway is very wide between the three bunkers - stay clear of these as they are deep and their mounding obstructs your view of the green.

The route to the putting surface is very narrow between two front bunkers, while two more wait beyond the first pair of traps to further protect this back to front sloping green.

GREEN FEES Full range of options available including group bookings – contact the club by phone or visit the website for further information TOTAL DISTANCE Blue tees 7,063 yards (Par 72) White tees 6,690 yards (Par 72) Yellow tees 6,273 yards (Par 72) Red tees 7,764 yards (Par 73)

As well as the championship golf course, Wynyard Golf Club is home to excellent practice facilities with covered and outdoor driving range bays, a short game practice area, and an indoor simulator. There’s also great food in the clubhouse as well as a pro shop stocked with the latest equipment, accessories, clothing and footwear

FEATURES Modern clubhouse with superb food, and outdoor drinking and dining space Pro shop Buggy hire Trolley hire Covered and outdoor driving range, short game area, and putting green CADDY’S TIP The fairways and greens are generous, but many are flanked with disaster. Knowing where to miss is important to keeping your score under control here SIGNATURE HOLE When you stand on the 13th tee, you may question if there is a fairway to be found out there. There is, though accurate club selection is needed to keep the ball from bouncing through into the sand beyond the landing area. Three more traps, including one well short of the green on the left side, wait to catch any mishit approaches to this small, undulating green

OUR VERDICT

A modern championship course which can test the very best from the back tees and has matured into one of the region’s finest layouts NORTHERN GOLFER 31

SCOTTISHOPEN

Swinging into Scotland T

All four reigning men’s major champions are heading to The Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club, July 7-10

he first DP World Tour and PGA Tour co-sanctioned Scottish Open is set to kick-off a stellar summer of golf in Scotland – and the first event of the swing has an incredible field of major champions and the world’s best players lined-up to compete just a couple of hours north of our region.

The Genesis Scottish Open returns to The

© Getty Images

Renaissance Club July 7-10 with many of the world’s best male golfers taking to the fairways – from reigning major champions Matt Fitzpatrick, Scottie Sheffler, Justin Thomas and Collin Morikawa to past major winners Jordan Spieth, Jon Rahm, Hideki Matsuyama, Justin Rose, Francesco Molinari and Danny Willett.

Also confirmed in the field are Americans Sam

Burns, Billy Horschel, Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele - along with Englishmen Tommy Fleetwood and Tyrrell Hatton.

They will be joined at The Renaissance by the leading Scot in the Official World Golf Rankings, Robert MacIntyre; and defending champion Min Woo Lee. Rahm will go in search of a fifth Rolex Series

SCOTTISHOPEN © shutterstock/gbellphotos

title when he tees it up at the Scottish Open for the second time following a top-10 finish in East Lothian last season. He said: “I’m looking forward to coming back to The Renaissance and the start of an exciting two weeks in Scotland.

I’ve had success in Rolex Series events in the past and adding another win would be the perfect way to go into The Open in St Andrews the following week.”

Matsuyama, who made history in 2021 when he became the first male Japanese major champion at The Masters, added: “It’s exciting to be playing in this historic event for the first time in four years and making my debut at The Renaissance.

“I know the Genesis Scottish Open has a special spot in the schedule in the week before The Open, and I’m looking forward to the summer in Scotland.”

Reigning FedEx Cup champion Cantlay will join several of his Ryder Cup teammates in Scotland for the two-week run. “I’m excited to

make my Genesis Scottish Open debut,” he said.

“To play back-to-back weeks in Scotland, the Home of Golf, will be awesome and hopefully I can bring my A-game for the Scottish fans.”

Justin Rose, who won the Scottish Open in 2014, added: “It was an incredible experience to lift this trophy. I love playing in front of the Scottish fans so I’m really looking forward to teeing it up at The Renaissance. It looks like this is going to be a huge occasion for everyone involved, but especially for the fans.”

Fleetwood, who came close to winning at The Renaissance in 2020 - losing out to Aaron Rai in a playoff, added: “I love playing in Scotland and the fans are always incredible, so it will be great to get back there for what is set to be a cracking week. I feel like my game is coming together nicely so hopefully I can give the crowds something to cheer about.”

Min Woo Lee secured his maiden Rolex Series title and second DP World Tour win last time out at The Renaissance - defeating Thomas Detry and

Matt Fitzpatrick in a playoff.

The Australian set the clubhouse target of 18 under-par after a bogey-free final round of 64, which included six birdies in a row from the third hole. He was joined on that number by Detry and Fitzpatrick, who each carded four underpar rounds of 67 to force a three-way playoff on Scotland’s Golf Coast.

Lee hit his approach on the first extra hole inside 10ft and, after watching Detry and Fitzpatrick miss their birdie chances, made the putt to secure the title.

The group of major champions will headline a stellar field at The Renaissance Club one week before heading north to St Andrews for the 150th Open Championship.

Meanwhile, the world’s best female players will be in Scotland at the end of July for the Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open at Dundonald Links ( Jul 28-31) followed by the first AIG Women’s Open to be hosted by Muirfield (Aug 4-7).

For tickets visit et.golf/GSO2022Tickets

NORTHERN GOLFER 33

BE PART OF THE NEXT EDITION OF ISSUE NO.

94

We’ll be back in August with the next edition of Northern Golfer reaching clubs across Northumberland, Durham, Teesside, North Yorkshire, the Scottish Borders and Cumbria

Contact Doug Brolls (Durham and wider region) on 07721 031 482, doug@offstonepublishing.co.uk or Gillian Corney (Northumberland) on 07903 500 401, gillian@offstonepublishing.co.uk

www.northerngolfer.co.uk

SPECIALFOCUS

Head north

Whether you’re heading north for the Scottish Open, Open Championship or AIG Women’s Open, or just paying a visit later this year, here’s our pick of some of the gems just a short drive from the North East of England…

Lochmaben Golf Club Laid our around Kirk Loch, Lochmaben Golf Club still showcases many of James Braid’s influences on its design – in both its original nine holes, which were laid out in 1926, and its 1995 additions.

Famed for its wildlife and picturesque views of the loch, Lochmaben may be short at just under 6,000 yards, but bunkering and fast greens are sure to test you at one of Dumfries & Galloway’s best courses.

The course also encompasses three archaeological sites of historic importance while a fourth site, the Gallows Hill, lies across the road from the fourth tee. The second green is the site of one of Bruce’s castles and the remains of the mottes are clearly visible. On the ninth, there are the remains of the Mount Pleasant settlement and the enclosures of Skelvieland.

Lochmaben Golf Club, Castlehill Gate, Lochmaben, Dumfries & Galloway, DG11 1NT, tel 01387 810 552, www.lochmabengolf.co.uk

NORTHERN GOLFER 35

SPECIALFOCUS

Lockerbie Golf Club From its elevated setting, Lockerbie Golf Club affords stunning views over the Annandale Valley and the Lakeland hills while presenting a fine parkland test with tree-lined fairways and subtly contoured greens protecting the par 67 layout.

The original nine-hole course was designed by the legendary five-time Open Champion James Braid before a further nine holes were added in 1986. Short by modern standards at 5,463 yards, the course is protected by trees, water and its small, sloping greens. Water comes into play on three holes while five par threes present tricky tests of 100-200 yards. With no par fives, the par fours at Lockerbie range from great birdie chances to stern holes protected by hazards and thick rough – driver is often a risky play here.

Situated on the east side of Lockerbie, just five minutes from the north and south exits of the M74, this is a great place to start your trip north.

Lockerbie Golf Club, Corrie Road Lockerbie, Dumfries & Galloway, DG11 2ND, tel 01576 203 363, www.lockerbiegolf.co.uk

Green Fees start from £42.00 per round weekday and £47.00 at weekends.

Group bookings are welcomed with discounts available; we are also a member club of the James Braid Society.

When making a booking please reference 1926 for group discounts.

This Parkland course really is one of Scotland’s hidden gems with truly superb greens.

PGA Professional, Paul O’Hara, Leading Tartan Tour Player

Lochmaben Golf Club

CastleHill Gate, Lochmaben DG11 1NT Email. enquires@lochmabengolf.co.uk Tel. 01387 810552 36 NORTHERN GOLFER

SPECIALFOCUS

Ladybank Golf Club Laid out by Tom Morris, the course at Ladybank Golf Club dates back to 1879. Set out over attractive heathland, the landscape features stunning gorse, broom, heather, scots pine and silver birch – creating a colourful palette and an excellent home for many red squirrels.

Driving into the club, through a long avenue of trees alongside the 16th, 17th and 18th holes, you catch a glimpse of what to expect from this classic layout.

The sandy soil creates tight turf while the gentle undulations to fairways and fast, firm greens make for a memorable occasion on every visit. Deep bunkering adds a links-like feel when matched with the tight fairways.

The links resemblances end there however, for the many trees here demand far more accuracy from the tee than the traditional linksland of the coast. There are few straight holes and while just four of the par four holes stretch more than 400 yards, this is no pushover thanks to the doglegs and subtle curves. A challenging, yet peaceful golfing experience – what more could you ask for?

Ladybank Golf Club, Annsmuir, Ladybank Fife, KY15 7RA, www.ladybankgolf.co.uk

FIFE GOLF WEEK 2022 13TH - 16TH SEPTEMBER

TUESDAY 13TH – SCOTSCRAIG WEDNESDAY 14TH – LUNDIN THURSDAY 15TH – LADYBANK FRIDAY 16TH – CRAIL (CRAIGHEAD)

Lockerbie Golf Club

LOCKERBIE GOLF CLUB IS A FRIENDLY 18 HOLE GOLF COURSE. 5MIN FROM THE A74 AND WELCOMES VISITORS AND VISITING PARTIES. Ideally placed for golfers heading north and south and also heading into Dumfries and Galloway Lockerbie G.C is also part of the James Braid Society Green fees start at £25 mid week and £30 at weekends Society packages are available for catering and Buggy hire

Lockerbie Golf club. Corrie Road, Lockerbie DG112ND Email : info@lockerbiegolf.co.uk. Phone 01576203363 Online booking through B.R.S @ http://lockerbiegolf.co.uk

Pairs Betterball Strokeplay (85% individual handicap allowance).

Handicap limit is 28 for men and 36 for ladies Any combination of 2 Men, 2 Ladies or 1 Man/1 Lady Prizes for Each day and overall – Handicap & Scratch

ENTRY £470 PER PAIR For further details or to book visit www.ladybankgolf.co.uk <Open Competitions>

THE ST ANDREWS QUADRANT

LADYBANK GOLF CLUB KY 1 5

7RA

T E L : 0 1 337 830 7 25 W W W. L A DY B A N KG O L F.C O.U K

NORTHERN GOLFER 37

GEARNEWS

Summer lovin’ We may be in the height of the season, but there’s still lots of new gear popping up in our pro shops to try out.

This month we’ve got two new golf balls from Titleist along with a new Vokey wedge grind and three more Scotty Cameron putters. There’s also new clothing from Adidas and Galvin Green, and new bags from OGIO.

NEW BALLS, PLEASE

Titleist Tour Soft and Tour Speed golf balls RRP: £32 per dozen • Tour Speed £40 per dozen www.titleist.co.uk Titleist has introduced two new golf balls - Tour Soft and Tour Speed - to its line-up.

The third generation Tour Soft features a new aerodynamic design for longer distance off the tee combined with a large, fast core.

At 1.600ins, the Tour Soft retains one of the largest core sizes in the Titleist portfolio and the same soft compression as the current generation. Such a large core requires an extremely thin cover, and the ball features a 4CE grafted cover which helps generate reliable greenside spin.

Meanwhile, the Tour Speed - which was introduced two years ago and was the first ball with a proprietary Titleist Performance Urethane (TPU) cover - has also been updated. The reformulated Tour Speed continues to produce consistently fast speed, a penetrating flight and short-game control. The reformulated core delivers high speed and a proprietary high flex casing layer, uniquely designed for this golf ball, delivers low long-game spin.

IN THE PINK

Galvin Green Pink Collection RRP: Various www.galvingreen.com

Galvin Green has launched its limited-edition Pink Collection, featuring stand-out options designed to enhance performance in warmer playing conditions.

The range includes the Mack polo in pink and white, while the Mayson polo features a black collar and trim with black flecks on the predominantly pink background. Meanwhile, the Daxton sweater features Insula technology and is made from fabric derived from recycled plastic bottles, while the Devlin hoodie offers exceptional breathability, and the Livingston short-sleeved windproof jacket provides a versatile layering option. The new range also includes matching accessories to complete your look.

38 NORTHERN GOLFER

BAGS OF COLOUR

OGIO 2022 range RRP: cart bag £279 • stand bag £260 eu.ogio.com/golf OGIO has launched a new wave of limited-edition, fully waterproof golf bags featuring bold patterns and colour combinations.

The 2022 hybrid bags are available in eight colour schemes, ranging from the simple Black design to the galaxy-inspired Nebula; outer space-themed Terra Texture; and Midnight Jungle, which features purple palm leaves.

As well as being eye-catching, the bags are highly functional and fully waterproof. Stand bags in the range come with an eight-way water-resistant Woode top, while the cart bags incorporate a 15-way Woode top.

GEARNEWS

GO GREEN

Adidas Play Green Collection RRP: Various www.adidas.com Adidas has released its new apparel collection - Play Green - which has been designed with the environment in mind.

While more than 90% of the apparel in Adidas’ spring/summer range features recycled materials, this special collection aims to further help end plastic waste. The range includes polos, t-shirts and hats, and offers versatile style and performance through products made in part with recycled materials.

“It’s always our objective to make products for golfers that perform, but we never lose sight of the need to do so in a more sustainable way,” says Shaun Madigan, global director of apparel for adidas Golf. “This collection features designs inspired by the natural beauty that’s unique to golf, but all on a canvas comprised of materials that are better for the environment.”

FIT TO A T

Titleist Vokey T Grind wedges RRP: £209 www.titleist.co.uk

Master craftsman Bob Vokey’s long-trusted T Grind – a favourite among tour players including Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas – is now available through Titleist’s WedgeWorks programme.

The T Grind was designed for great hands and a vivid shortgame imagination, and is available in 58º and 60º lofts. Compared to Vokey’s L grind, it has a wider back flange, which allows for lower measured bounce.

“Wedge play is an art, and the T Grind brings out the best in the artist,” says Bob. “The leading edge stays low to the playing surface as the wedge is rotated, which allows you to hit a variety of shots from tight lies. This is the wedge that really made Vokey grinds an important part of our process – and it is still a great option.”

THREE OF A KIND

Scotty Cameron Phantom X putters RRP: £409 www.titleist.co.uk/golf-clubs/putters

Three new Scotty Cameron Phantom X mallet putters – the all-new zero-offset Phantom X 5s and updated Phantom X 11 and Phantom X 11.5 models – aim to add performance options to the family.

The three designs complete a 10-putter line-up of mallets which have been trusted in multiple victories on worldwide professional golf tours.

Seven new models were released in April – X 5, 5.5, 7, 7.5, 9, 9.5 and 12 – with the new additions arriving this summer.

The full 2022 Phantom X family features entirely new head shapes as well as updates to popular models. The putters also include a new textured grip, graphics and styling.

NORTHERN GOLFER 39

MATCHPLAYPAIRS2022

T

Last 16

he 2022 edition of Northern Golfer’s Match Play Pairs tournament has reached the third round stage.

The event, now in its 21st year, sees pairs of golfers from across the region drawn in knock out matches throughout the season at many of the North East and North Yorkshire’s best venues.

This year’s semi-finals and final will take place in September at George Washington - with the

40 NORTHERN GOLFER

winners receiving prize vouchers worth £600, while the runners up will receive prize vouchers worth £100.

As well as receiving their £600 prize, the tournament winners will appear in Northern Golfer and earn a place in the region’s golfing history books.

For more information, including the rules and the latest results from each round, go to www.northerngolfer.co.uk/ match-play-pairs-2022

MATCHPLAYPAIRS2022 Round two results Match 33 Glen Henderson & Colin Mackay (Newbiggin/City of Newcastle) BEAT George Longthorn & James Ivil (Crook) SCORE: 4&3 Match 34 Ryan Farley & Gary Farley (Woodham) LOST TO Gary Atkinson & Stephen Carter (Durham City) SCORE: 1up Match 35 Doug Ellison & Richard Mellor (Slaley Hall/Hexham) LOST TO Simon Watson & Russell Taylor (Burgham) SCORE: 1up Match 36 Mel Surtees & Doug Cairns (Woodham) BEAT Paul Whittaker & Murray Newell (Tynemouth) SCORE: 5&3 Match 37 Colin Arthur & Ralph Brown (Oakleaf) BEAT Karl Dullaghan & Micheal Beverley (Warkworth) SCORE: 3&2 Match 38 Luke Allen & David Whalen (Beamish Park) BEAT David Gray & David Clark (Saltburn) SCORE: 3rd extra hole Match 39 Paul Davison & Ryan Wootton (South Moor) BEAT Stephen Devon & Jeff Shield (George Washington) SCORE: 1st extra hole Match 40 Ray Armstrong & Stu Flatt (South Moor/Chester-le-Street) LOST TO Peter Newman & Michael Robins (Durham City/Hartlepool) SCORE: 6&4 Match 41 Steve Garbutt & Mick Purcifer (Billingham) BEAT Barry Walker & Peter Simpson (Alnmouth/Tynemouth) SCORE: 5&4

Match 42 Stewart Jones & Michael Davison (Bellingham) BEAT Alan Clark & Bob Richardson (Beamish Park) SCORE: 3&1

Match 52 George Armitage & Colin Sampson (Bedlington) VS Paul Davison & Ryan Wootton (South Moor)

Match 43 Steve Weldon & David Billham (Whitley Bay) BEAT Kevin Stubbings & Darren Curtis (Durham City) SCORE: 2&1

Match 53 James Ogden & Kev Nixon (Tynemouth) VS Steve Weldon & David Billham (Whitley Bay)

Match 44 George Armitage & Colin Sampson (Bedlington) BEAT Glenn Blaney & Peter Thompson (Linden Hall) SCORE: 5&4 Match 45 Robert Davison & Francis Carrigan (Longhirst) LOST TO James Ogden & Kev Nixon (Tynemouth) SCORE: 2&1 Match 46 Craig Beadling & Jamie McPhillips (Romanby) BEAT Stuart Cant & Shaun Devereux (Durham City) SCORE: 6&5 Match 47 Steven Dodds & Neville Wanless (Durham City/South Moor) BEAT Michael Hughes & Stephen Turnbull (Crook) SCORE: 1up Match 48 Paul Scott & Jai Scott (Newbiggin) BEAT Stephen Vickers & Steve Park (Durham City) SCORE: 1up

Round three draw Matches to be played by Sunday July 24 Match 49 Luke Allen & David Whalen (Beamish Park) VS Stewart Jones & Michael Davison (Bellingham) Match 50 Mel Surtees & Doug Cairns (Woodham) VS Gary Atkinson & Stephen Carter (Durham City) Match 51 Steve Garbutt & Mick Purcifer (Billingham) VS Colin Arthur & Ralph Brown (Oakleaf)

Match 54 Simon Watson & Russell Taylor (Burgham) VS Glen Henderson & Colin Mackay (Newbiggin/ City of Newcastle) Match 55 Craig Beadling & Jamie McPhillips (Romanby) VS Peter Newman & Michael Robins (Durham City/Hartlepool) Match 56 Steven Dodds & Neville Wanless (Durham City/South Moor) VS Paul Scott & Jai Scott (Newbiggin)

2022 schedule Round one Matches to be played by Sunday May 29 Round two Matches to be played by Sunday June 26 Round three Matches to be played by Sunday July 24 Quarter-finals Matches to be played by Sunday August 21 The semi-finals and final will take place at George Washington in September 2022

For more information go to the Northern Golfer website and click on Match Play Pairs NORTHERN GOLFER 41

TIPS

KEEP IT SIMPLE Doug Brolls PGA Profe ssio

nal

42 NORTHERN GOLFER

Chipping can become a golfer’s nemesis very quickly when they move their focus away from the overall result of the shot and begin concentrating on too many elements.

When chipping, I like to think solely about where I’m going to finish the chipping action. By doing this, good tempo becomes natural, the back and through motion taking care of itself with impact a consequence of the movement, not the primary concern.

You can create a lot of feel through practising this way, on the chipping green and when rehearsing a chip shot on the course. Try and limit your focus to just your finish position next time you’re on the chipping green and see what happens when you alter your speed to the finish, and hand position when you’ve finished the shot, to create different flights and release patterns.

Thank you to our partners for their continued support of Northern Golfer magazine and its online platforms Retail and brand partners

electricGOLFtrolleysNE Gold club partners Seaton Carew Golf Club

Silver club partners

Bronze club partners

Northern Golfer - The voice of golf in the North East and beyond To join the Northern Golfer partners club and learn more about how we can work together to promote your business or golf club, contact Doug Brolls (Durham and wider region) on 07721 031482, doug@offstonepublishing.co.uk or Gillian Corney (Northumberland) on 07903 500401, gillian@offstonepublishing.co.uk

READERCOMPETITIONS

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 5b, Bearl Farm, Stocksfield, Northumberland, NE43 7AL Please include your contact details and telephone number. Closing date Thursday July 28, 2022. Usual competition rules apply – available on request. Winners will be published in our next edition.

WIN GOLF FOR FOUR AT DUNSTANBURGH CASTLE GOLF COURSE As you head down towards the dunes which guard the links of Dunstanburgh Castle Golf Course from the North Sea, everything that makes this place special is laid out before you – the spectacular landscape, the historic challenge of the green complexes, the iconic shot beneath the castle... Simply a must-play course.

For your chance to win answer the following question: Who won the 2022 men’s US Open?

WIN GOLF FOR FOUR AT WHITLEY BAY GOLF CLUB Whitley Bay Golf Club has a long history as one of our region’s finest courses, from hosting the likes of Seve Ballesteros in the early 1970s through to its most recent renovations. A fun and challenging course year-round.

For your chance to win answer the following question: Which course will host the 2022 AIG Women’s Open?

WIN GOLF FOR FOUR AT WHITBY GOLF CLUB The spectacular clifftop course at Whitby Golf Club, which is 130 years old in 2022, is home to stunning views of the North Yorkshire coast. Not too long, nor too difficult, the true difficulty of the course is defined by the wind here.

For your chance to win answer the following question: Who won the 2022 Scandinavian Mixed on the DP World Tour?

Congratulations to last month’s competition winners: Longhirst Hall - Steve McInnes of Chester-le-Street High Gosforth Park - Trevor Swann of Ponteland • George Washington - Anthony Lee of Billingham 44 NORTHERN GOLFER

WILTON GOLF CLUB MIDWEEK AND WEEKEND SPECIAL OFFERS ALTERNATE AFTERNOON TEA

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NORTHERN GOLFER 45

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After winning our competition for a golf day at Prudhoe, John Porteous wrote in to share his experience.

“We had a great day. I managed to find 11 friends who play their golf at Bamburgh, Linden Hall and Gosforth. I can’t thank you and Prudhoe enough for the fantastic prize.

A big thank you to Andy and his team at Prudhoe, who made us feel very welcome and looked after us very well. The course was great, and we even had a sunny day! Many thanks and all the best for the rest of the golfing year.”

Bishop Auckland captain Derek Collinson recorded the unluckiest ace of the season at his home club.

Playing with immediate past captain Wayne Mundy in a two-person Las Vegas Scramble - where both players tee off and then toss a coin to decide which tee shot is used - Derek holed his tee shot at the 10th as Wayne missed the green. Having made the ace, the result of the hole still relied on a coin toss and the resulting bogey will surely go down as one of the unluckiest of the season.

46 NORTHERN GOLFER

The Newcastle United team with captain Jen Anderson Newcastle United topped the leaderboard at the Hadrian League Field Day at Bellingham, beating Tyneside by 11 shots. With four scores from five counting, United’s John Simmons and Simon Lee posted rounds of 70 as Neil Gascoigne shot 72, Mark McNulty shot 74, and James Windebank’s 79 was discounted.

A huge congratulations to Geoff White and Alan Bright, who organised Tyneside Golf Club’s 25th Marie Curie Golf Day. Geoff and Alan are pictured above handing over a cheque for £4,000 to Laura Robinson of Marie Curie UK following another successful event.

Congratulations to the South Shields team of Ben Willis, David Kelly, James Gerencser, Nigel King and Adam Howe on winning the North Durham Union of Golf Clubs Team Championship at Whickham.

As part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, members of Billingham Golf Club hosted members, families and friends at the club with a wide range of activities on and off the golf course - and raised £2,452 for local charity Vision 25.

The Durham County Ladies Golf Association celebrates its centenary in 2022.

While celebrating, the county is also remembering the women who have shaped golf in Durham over the last century, including Mary Vine, who was born in the same year the association was established. Mary, who died in 2011, made a huge impact on women’s golf – chairing the England Ladies Golf Association in the Northern Division; serving as captain and president of Durham; and serving as secretary and captain of the county’s veteran ladies association.

She also received the Sir Henry Cotton Award for her services to golf in 2006.

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