FREE
AT GOLF CLUBS IN THE NORTH EAST AND YORKSHIRE - ISSUE
NORTHERN
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2016
41
INSIDE
64 PAGES
OF GOLF FACES, PLACES AND ACES northerngolfer.co.uk
STAR GAZING
IN THE BAG
NEW FEATURE ON THE LATEST GEAR BY THE SEASIDE
COURSES ON THE COAST
JUNIOR EVENT LAUNCHED WITH WORLD-CLASS SUPPORT
WIN FOURBALLS AT CASTLE EDEN, SOUTH MOOR AND WEARSIDE t
TIMSERIOUSLY JENKINS GOLF STORES COMPETITIVE PRICES EVERYTIME • Custom Fit Specialists for over 35 years using the latest Flight Scope Technology • Authorised Fitting Centre for Callaway, Ping, Titleist, Cobra, Yonex, Srixon, Mizuno CASTLE EDEN GOLF CLUB: 01429 836689 Castle Eden, Hartlepool, TS27 4SS
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EDITOR Paul Robertson editor@northerngolfer.co.uk CONTRIBUTORS Dean Bailey 07792 608 162 dean@offstonepublishing.co.uk Paul Corney 07521 389 536 pcorney@northerngolfer.co.uk Alan Hedley 07570 797 566 ahedley@northerngolfer.co.uk Daniel Hookway 01228 545 665 dihookway@gmail.com ADVERTISING MANAGER Gillian Corney 01661 845 026 07903 500 401 gillian@offstonepublishing.co.uk PHOTOGRAPHY Peter Skelton www.photo-psp.co.uk Nicky Rogerson info@nrphotography.co.uk
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EDITOR’S NOTE AND CONTENTS The nights are getting lighter - a sign of the imminent arrival of spring amid the wet and windy conditions we have had to endure of late. Despite a relatively mild winter, golf clubs across the region have had to cope with a variety of weather issues hampering preparations and in many cases closing courses for periods due to waterlogging. It is at times like this we see the often unsung green staff come into their own to ensure our courses are in the best possible condition. The season ahead looks like another great one for the region with some great tournaments heading our way. We still don’t get as many events as we deserve, but the support of the PGA and EuroPro Tour in particular is always welcome. Who knows, perhaps those taking part in the tournament we feature on this month’s cover may go on to play in these events and even follow in the footsteps of their heroes on the European Tour. In an era where sportsmen and women are often crticised as being remote from fans and the grassroots, it is heartening to see Graeme Storm giving something back to the game he loves and enlisting the support of some of the game’s biggest superstars. His efforts re-enforce this region’s reputation as one of the most forward-thinking in providing opportunities for youngsters to get into golf - whether it be taster coaching sessions or competitive tournaments - some of which are highlighted in this edition of Northern Golfer. Elsewhere in the magazine, we launch a new feature highlighting the latest gear on the market as well as checking out what is in the bag of the winners of tournaments worldwide - Danny Willett is the first following his great win in the Dubai Desert Classic - check it out on Page 56. We also feature the latest news, views and offers, while our course profile and special feature concentrate on our beautiful coastline with plenty opportunities to enjoy golf with great views. Enjoy, and until the next issue, happy golfing and may your handicaps come down.
Published by:
04-09 TEEING OFF
The latest news from the amateur ranks, plus an update from some of the region’s top professionals
10 LIFE ON TOUR
The latest from Chris Paisley
16 EUROPRO TOUR
The UK’s leading tour returns to the region in 2016
18-29 TEEING OFF
Charity golf, award wins, plus Pro-file with John Harrison
34-41 GOLFER NEWS
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 2016. 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.
Westwood’s helping heroes, Greenwatch, and Chapman to represent England
Paul Robertson, editor editor@northerngolfer.co.uk
42-43 SAINT BERNARD We sit down with Ryder Cup legend Bernard Gallacher
FRONT COVER
Graeme Storm’s tournament for rising stars wins backing from the big boys
50 TRAVEL
Pages 30-32
52 COMPETITIONS
We take a trip to Ireland
Win golf at Wearside, Castle Eden, and South Moor
38 WHITLEY BAY GOLF CLUB
47 GOLF ON THE YORKSHIRE COAST
54 TIPS Better ball striking
56 GEAR
The latest equipment hits the shelves
62 BUNKER
Stories and pictures from around the region NORTHERN GOLFER 03
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Lamb goes Stateside
Promising young golfer heads across the Atlantic to progress his game
H
exham’s Matty Lamb is heading for college in the US this summer with the blessing of England Boys manager Derek Hughes. Lamb is one of a quartet of England’s leading young golfers set to take up places at American universities. He’ll be joined by Eloise Healey of Lancashire, Jamie Li of Somerset, and Rhys Nevin-Wharton of Cheshire. Hughes said: “I am so pleased to see these players will be continuing in higher education as well as progressing their golf. I know they are looking forward to following in the footsteps of the many England Golf players who have been successful in college golf.”
Among those they follow are world number four Bronte Law, a student and four-time winner at UCLA, internationals Meghan MacLaren and Tomasz Anderson, who is now a professional, both have seven college wins. Meanwhile, Ben Taylor holed the winning putt to seal Louisiana State’s victory in last year’s NCAA Championship. Lamb secured a string of high finishes in 2015 events and is now heading for the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. “College golf will give me access to world-class golfing facilities and courses, and the opportunity to play against some of the best amateur and college players in the world week in, week out,” he said.
Matty Lamb (© Leaderboard Photography) “Golf is generally an individual sport but I’m looking forward to the team aspects of college golf. At the end of the four years I hope I’ll be ready to be a professional golfer. “My mentor and coach is Andy Paisley whose brother, Chris, played college golf. He is now on the European Tour and has retained his card three out of the last four years. “I’ve spent a lot of time with Chris
and have been inspired by him, particularly by his work ethic and how he handles himself on tour. If I can work as hard as Chris I could be playing against him in the future. “College will also provide me with the opportunity to gain a valuable academic qualification. I haven’t chosen a major yet – but it will be something to complement my aspirations as a golfer.”
FANTASTIC MEMBERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AT SLALEY HALL Q Fairway - £375 for 100 points ‘The Hunting Course is back’ Use points on Golf, Buggies, Driving Range & Leisure – The most flexible membership out there!!!!!
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04 NORTHERN GOLFER
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Andy hands over the reins Skipper stands down to concentrate on his own game
T
he Northumberland Club’s Andy Minnikin has stood down as county captain, and is aiming to focus on his own game following a successful season in 2015. Minnikin has passed on the captaincy to Bamburgh’s David Gilroy and will be continuing his commitment to the county team – which he has represented 79 times to date. He said: “It feels like the right time to pass on the captaincy and, following a really successful year on the course, I’m looking forward to committing more time to my own game and seeing how I can push on in the next few years.” Minnikin won each of Northumberland’s
stroke play titles in 2015 – the North and South Trophy, 72-hole Stroke Play Championship and Fenwick-Smith Trophy, as well as finishing second to Durham’s Richard Aisbitt in the English Mid-Amateur Championship at his home club. “I’m hoping to compete in some of the big mid-amateur events this summer - including a possible trip to the Czech Republic for the European Mid-Amateur as well as the English Amateur at Ganton and Scarborough South Cliff,” he said. “I’m also looking forward to representing
Andy Minnikin
the county again this season. One of my long term goals is to reach 100 caps, which would be a fantastic achievement for me as I’ve always taken huge pride in representing my county.” Also at the Northumberland annual meeting, Prudhoe’s Gordon Garratt was re-elected for a second year as county president, while Newbiggin’s John Bell and Northumberland’s Graham Forest were re-elected to the executive.
Wynyard Golf Club
An exceptional golf experience
Summer Specials until 30th September 2016 4 BALL - £159.00 – Coffee & Bacon Rolls followed by 18 Holes on the Championship Wellington Course 2 BALL - £89.00
– Coffee & Bacon Rolls followed by 18 Holes on the Championship Wellington Course.
Contact Golf Bookings on 01740 644399 ext. 22 or email proshop@wynyardgolfclub.co.uk to reserve your tee time www.wynyardgolfclub.co.uk NORTHERN GOLFER 05
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Dye is cast for overseas win Wrigley goes close but Rockliffe, led by Jonny Dye, triumph in the Middle East
T
he North East enjoyed a top final day in the Mercedes-Benz International Pro-am in Abu Dhabi. Austria’s Georg Schultes secured his maiden PGA of Europe win in a playoff with Hartlepool’s Alex Wrigley while Rockliffe Hall filled the top two spots in the team event. Schultes had a four-shot cushion going into the final day but last year’s runner-up, PGA Cup cap Wrigley, produced a phenomenal round of 61 leaving Schultes to face the tough task of not dropping a shot on the
closing six holes of his round. Schultes stayed calm and finished on nine under-par to join Wrigley in a tie for first place and force a playoff. Both players just missed out on birdie putts on the first playoff hole and went back down the 18th where Wrigley had the first go at the birdie - his putt slipping just past the hole before Schultes secured the win. In the team event, Rockliffe Hall’s team, led by assistant pro Jonny Dye, completed a wire-to-wire victory after a closing 87 points to win the title from Rockliffe’s head
Rockliffe’s Jonny Dye, second from the right, with his team after winning the Mercedes-Benz International Pro-am title in Abu Dhabi professional, Jonathan Stacey, who closed with 86 points. A final day Professional Shootout on Al Ain’s Academy Course played over nine holes saw Daniel Whitby-Smith lead the way to secure his place in the final 10 but he was knocked out on the second
hole. It was left to PGA Cup players Garry Houston and Westerhope’s Michael Nesbit to play extra holes to determine the champion and the winner’s cheque of €1,000. Nesbit took the title on the second extra playoff hole with a regulation par after an excellent wedge shot.
BRANCEPETH CASTLE GOLF CLUB OPEN COMPETITIONS 2016 Men’s Team of 4 - Monday 2nd May and Saturday 24th September - £64 per team Men’s Pairs – Sunday 29th May, Saturday 2nd July and Saturday 13th August - £32 per pair Seniors Pairs – Thursday 12th May and Thursday 4th August - £28 per pair
WINTER GREEN FEE OFFER Weekday 4 ball including coffee and bacon roll - £56
MEMBERSHIPS 5 Day - Pay & Play Reduced rates for players up to age 28 Limited Full Memberships available contact the office for details
SUMMER OFFER Green fees from £25 for visiting parties on weekends after 2pm Telephone - 0191 3780075 Option 2 or email enquiries@brancepeth-castlegolf.co.uk Competition & Golf bookings available online at www.brancepeth-castle-golf.co.uk THE CLUBHOUSE, BRANCEPETH, DH7 8EA 06 NORTHERN GOLFER
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SPECIAL OFFERS ON MEMBERSHIPS - RING FOR DETAILS
PARTY PACKAGES 2016 18 Hole Breakfast - Bacon roll with tea or coffee on arrival, range balls, 18 holes of golf - Weekdays £17- Weekends £20
Craig Lamb
Craig steps up to be boss
New role for Lamb at Wallsend
C
raig Lamb has been appointed estate and course manager at Wallsend’s Centurion Park course. Lamb, 31, who has been at Centurion Park for eight years - five of them as acting deputy head greenkeeper - jumped at the chance of a new role as part of the ongoing plans for the Tyneside course. His role will be to continue raising the overall quality and standard of the course with improvements to drainage and bunkering, and he is currently working on a tree management plan as well as remodelling and upgrading the 24-bay floodlit driving range. “We invested in some new machinery at the end of last year and will be looking to upgrade and add to that,” said Lamb, who has a degree in environmental management and worked at Centurion Park while studying before becoming a full-time greenkeeper in 2009. He also studied greenkeeping and sports turf management with Myerscough College Manchester, and by 2011 was acting deputy head greenkeeper and took on his new role as estate and course manager in January. “After hearing the plans the owners have in store for the course and the site as a whole, it excited me and I knew I
wanted to be involved so I accepted the position,” he said. “I’m very passionate about my job and what we’re doing at Centurion Park. I’m looking forward to guiding the golf course to achieve the condition it deserves to realise its highest potential.” Wallsend Golf Club was founded in 1905 and was situated at Churchill Street, Howdon - two miles from its present site. The course consisted of nine holes and over a period of time the course was extended to 12, then 15 and eventually 18 holes. After the Second World War, when the site had been used for military purposes, it was obvious the land was no longer suitable for a golf course. It took until 1966 for the present site to be obtained and the course was opened in 1973. In 2008, Keeping Inn Ltd, a local company, secured an 80-year lease from North Tyneside Council and the site was re-named Centurion Park. There has been substantial investment in developing and upgrading and the clubhouse and professional’s shop have been completely refurbished. There are leisure facilities, squash courts, a 24-bay floodlit driving range and academy.
18 Hole Breakfast & Meal - Bacon roll with tea or coffee on arrival, range balls, 18 holes of golf, 2 course meal after play - Weekdays £20 - Weekends £22 28 Hole All Day - Coffee & biscuits, range balls, 10 holes of golf, soup & sandwich lunch, 18 Holes of golf, 2 course meal after play Weekdays only £27
Tel: 01207 270941 Email: secretary@hobsongolfclub.co.uk Website: www.thehobsongolfclub.co.uk @hobsongolfrange
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LOVE GOLF.... LOVE BEAMISH PARK GOLF CLUB Providing Golfing Excellence for over 100 Years “Be Challenged and Enjoy the Experience”
SPECIAL OFFER MEMBERSHIP 2016 thru to March 2017 Available to NEW Applicants ONLY – SPECIAL PRICE of £590 (Full Membership) equivalent to £11/week & £520 (5 Day Membership) equivalent to £10.00/week.
Contact us for more information 0191 370 1382 Beamish Park Golf Club, Stanley, County Durham, DH9 ORH
www.beamishgolf.co.uk
@beamish park_gc
Beamish Golf Club
NORTHERN GOLFER 07
Bellingham Golf Club
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2016 OPEN COMP ENTRIES BOOK ONLINE VISIT WWW.BELLINGHAMGOLFCLUB.COM
MAKE A NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION Become a PATRON of Bellingham Golf Club in 2016 It’s only £100 and includes Season Ticket (6 days each week) from 1st May to 31st October Vouchers for Two FREE Four Balls Patron’s Day September 14th (Entry £30) Fantastic prizes Entry into £500 cash draw on Patron’s Day Eligible to play in competitions Terms & Conditions 1) You must be a full member of another Club with a CONGU handicap 2) BGC Committee decision final on all applications
For full information please call 01434 220530 or email admin@bellinghamgolfclub.com Bellingham Golf Club, Boggle Hole, Bellingham, NE48 2DT
www.bellinghamgolfclub.com
Hetton LeGolf Hill Club ELEMORE SUPERB JONATHAN GAUNT LAYOUT
MEMBERSHIPS New Members enjoy Membership to March 31st 2017
Tony Magrs (left) and president Robin Richardson
New faces for Ripon Club sees a number of personnel changes as it undergoes a revamp
T
he start of each year signals a new captain for most clubs but at Ripon it’s a whole new team. Incoming captain Tony Magrs is a popular figure who hails from South Shields. An ex-footballer, he is now passionate about golf, but still a proud Newcastle United fan. New president Robin Richardson is a long-standing member and has been with the club since 1963 - seeing it grow from a small nine-hole course into the large set up it is today. The club has also appointed a new PGA Professional Craig Helliwell, who joined just before Christmas. Born in Sheffield, Craig lives in Boroughbridge with his partner and children. He turned professional in 1989 and was assistant at Hallamshire, Treudelberg, and head assistant at
Moortown before becoming head professional at Dinsdale Spa. With a newly refurbished pro’s shop with a swing studio up and running, Craig is looking forward to the season with Liam Lidster as assistant trainee. Liam has come through the junior ranks at Ripon representing the club and union at several levels. The club also has a new catering team in Mark Terry and partner Rosie. Mark has been in catering for more than 30 years with experience in a variety of areas, ranging from Michelinstarred restaurants to stately home event management. Completing the team, the club welcome new bar manager James Scott and with the clubhouse undergoing a facelift in February, things are certainly looking good for members and visitors in the year ahead.
Adults £400 - Seniors £300 No Winter Greens | Great Winter Deals Telephone 0191 5173061 or email hettoncgc@gmail.com Hetton le Hill Golf Club Elemore Vale, Easington Lane, DH5 0QT 08 NORTHERN GOLFER
Craig Helliwell
Liam Lidster
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Nat’s the way to do it Young volunteer follows her dreams and turns professional
N
atasha Martin’s love of golf has turned into a career. At 17, Natasha gave up her spare time to help out as a volunteer coach with Ramside Rookies – a fun way for children to learn golf skills - at Ramside Hall Hotel and Golf Club in Durham. Two years on, Natasha is still teaching golf to children as young as four but now she’s getting paid to do it and enjoying a life changing springboard to a career in professional golf. Ramside head professional Kevin Jackson was so impressed by Natasha’s attitude, commitment and passion for the sport that he offered her the opportunity to start
a three-year training programme to become a fully qualified PGA Golf Professional. Natasha, from Beamish in Co Durham, said: “I had been studying a degree in applied Sports Science with coaching at Northumbria University when I got a call from Kevin telling me that an opportunity had come up to work at Ramside as a trainee PGA Professional. I left university the very next day and am now doing what I have always wanted to do – learning to teach golf and work in the sport I love.” She is the first female golfer to undergo PGA training qualification at Ramside Golf Club since its foundation in 1996. Natasha enjoyed a successful
Natasha Martin at Ramside Hall Hotel and Golf Club amateur career in which she represented Durham County Ladies at girls and senior level and was the most successful captain in the history of Durham Gilesgate Sixth Form Centre Golf Academy. Her achievements include winning the ladies championship at Beamish Park Golf Club twice and setting a new ladies course record at
Houghton-le-Spring Golf Club. “I’d encourage any young person to try volunteering in order to gain experience in a career path or field that they feel drawn to,” said Natasha. “It’s obviously paid off for me but if I hadn’t been willing I would never have discovered how much I enjoy helping people develop and improve their golf skills.”
Winter Championship Golf ...on your doorstep Green Fees Available until 31st March 2016
Rockliffe Hall’s championship golf course is the finest winter course in the North of England. With 18 holes and five individual tee boxes it offers players of all abilities the chance to experience the challenge. With no winter greens or tees, the course remains in fantastic condition all year round - come rain or shine!
Subject to availability
£
35 45
Monday to Friday
£
Saturday and Sunday
Book a 4 Ball and receive complimentary bacon rolls and tea or coffee on arrival To book please call the Pro Shop on 01325 729980 or email golf@rockliffehall.com www.rockliffehall.com Hurworth-on-Tees Darlington County Durham DL2 2DU +44 (0)1325 729999 enquiries@rockliffehall.com
NORTHERN GOLFER 09
TOURLIFE
BIRTLEY GOLF CLUB
Chris Paisley
SENIOR OPEN 2016
Men’s Senior Pairs - Wednesday 10th August £15 per pair Full Membership £440 4 months trial membership £150 (deducted off full Fee if you decide to join) GREEN FEES 18 holes £10 4 ball £30 Reduced rates for parties SOCIETIES WELCOME Various options available including catering. Phone or see website for details Contact the club on 0191 4102207 or email birtleygolfclub@aol.com www.birtleyportobellogolfclub.co.uk Birtley Golf Club, Birtley Lane, Birtley, DH3 2LR
EAGLESCLIFFE GOLF CLUB Founded 1914
Nestled beside the River Tees with the Cleveland Hills as a backdrop, the course has been described by Golf Monthly magazine as a ‘hidden gem’ of English golf. This 6289 yard James Braid course is both picturesque and demanding due to the nature of the rolling terrain and sloping greens which provides a challenge for both novice and experienced golfers alike. Golf Societies, Corporate Golf Days and Captain’s Away Days..............We will tailor packages to your requirements.
WINTER DEAL
Until 18th March - £12 per round (£10 on a Monday) For all enquiries or to arrange a visit, please contact Martin Ball on 01642 780238 or email secretary@eaglescliffegolfclub.co.uk
MEMBERSHIP AVAILABLE FROM £350
“Home of European Senior Tour Player and Teaching Professional Graeme Bell”
10 NORTHERN GOLFER
OPENS
PLACES ARE FILLING FAST ENTRIES CAN BE BOOKED ONLINE WWW.EAGLESCLIFFEGOLFCLUB.CO.UK
FINDING FORM
WITH EUROPEAN TOUR PLAYER CHRIS PAISLEY I hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Year. My wife and I had a wonderful time visiting family in Newcastle and from what I’ve been told, the best man speech went very well! After my relaxing break over the holidays, I had 10 days in Orlando with my coaches, Andrew Nicholson and Andy Paisley, to cap off preparations for my start of the 2016 season, the Desert Swing. It was a productive camp and I flew to Abu Dhabi full of optimism. It had been two months since my last tournament and unfortunately, I quickly learned that I needed competitive practice to knock the rust off. No matter how good your game feels in practice, it does not necessarily translate to good tournament play. The golf courses in the Middle East are very demanding and my slightly rusty form just simply was not up to the test. For me, it is important to get a couple of competitive rounds under my belt to make sure I am firing on all cylinders, even if that means playing in some pro-ams or mini-tour events following an extended break. Thankfully, the hard work is starting to pay off and my game is coming together again. I am sitting here in Johannesburg at the Tshwane Open currently tied 14th, with two rounds to go to hopefully move myself up the leaderboard. It’s amazing what a bit of playing time and a couple of minor tweaks will do. Contrary to the previous few weeks, I feel full of confidence and I am looking forward to an exciting weekend. After this tournament, I have a three-week break. We are heading back to Florida for a few weeks, then I will be flying back to the North East to catch up with my team before heading to my next events in Thailand and India. From what I hear, the weather back home is horrendous so I am sure many of you haven’t played golf for a while. Learn from my mistake, and make sure you get some competitive practice in before the first monthly medal of the year!
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Wynyard’s Wilson on target Andrew takes steps on the road to turning pro
A
ndrew Wilson gave an encouraging display as England won the Costa Ballena Quadrangular Tournament in Spain for the fifth time. England - and Wynyard’s Wilson - were on top form throughout the championship beating Finland, Germany and finally Spain. The Darlington and Northumbria University golfer is part of the England A squad along with Shipley’s Will Whiteoak and he teamed up with the Yorkshire player to halve one and win one of their three foursomes matches, as well as winning two of his three singles matches. Last year, Wilson was runner-up in the North of England Youths, 10th in the French amateur strokeplay,
and won the Northern Masters at Rockliff Hall. Having already had five days in Spain with his fellow Northumbria University golfing scholars and Close House pro Jonathan Lupton, Wilson’s return to Spain for the Costa Ballena tournament was a bonus. “If you can’t get out and play some golf over here then you might as well head somewhere else and enjoy some better weather,” said Wilson. He has another academic year left after this one at Northumbria and the plus four-handicapper intends to put himself into contention for full England honours. “I have been in the England squad a while now but I have had too much work on at university so I found it hard to make the get-togethers that the rest of the team were
Andrew Wilson with the successful England team going to,” said Wilson. “I have had a chat with the coaches about my time management because I have been too laid back about things in previous years. I think we have got to the bottom of that now, I stuck to that last year so I am really looking to kick on.” The 21-year-old added: “Having made it on to the England A squad I will be really miffed if I’m not in
the England squad at some stage. I have been going away twice a year with England Golf for warm weather training and we also go down to Woodhall Spa regularly for sessions. “All the coaches know what I am capable of and it’s just about trying to improve. Hopefully by the time the summer comes around my mind will be free of studies and I will be ready to concentrate on my golf.”
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Ton up for Maurice
Club launches competition to mark member’s special day
T
yneside has launched a new competition to mark the 100th birthday of one of its members. Maurice Watson has been member of the Durham club for more than 50 years and Tyneside couldn’t let him reach his 100th birthday without a special lunch, which he attended with wife Frances. The event was organised by the club’s past captains’ society of which Maurice is a member, and was in
the Tyneside clubhouse. The club has also decided to mark Maurice reaching the milestone with a new competition - the Maurice Watson Centenarian Competition - the first of which will take place next month. Maurice joined Tyneside in 1961, was captain of the club in 1984, and became a life member in 2002. Maurice also made it on to the local TV news and received a congratulatory letter from R&A captain Gavin Caldwell.
Tyneside’s past captains guard of honour for centenarian Maurice
Maurice and his wife Frances
Castle Eden Golf Club 18 Hole picturesque parkland course MEMBERSHIPS All categories available - Flexible payment options
SOCIETIES
Golf Packages from £25 per person For further details on the above telephone the Secretary on 01429 836510 or email castleedengolfclub@hotmail.com
VISITORS
Winter 4 Ball only £80 (until 31st March) Summer 4 Ball £100 To book or for further details telephone the Pro Shop on 01429 836689
Castle Eden Golf Club, Castle Eden, TS27 4SS www.castleedengolfclub.co.uk
12 NORTHERN GOLFER
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CENTURION PARK HOME TO WALLSEND GOLF CLUB MEMBERSHIPS Great deals for NEW members VISITORS & SOCIETIES Excellent rates on offer for 2016 For further information, to join or book telephone the Secretary on 0191 2621973 GREEN FEES 18 Holes £10 - until 31st March 2016 To book & for course conditions telephone the Golf Shop on 0191 2624231 ext 2 DRIVING RANGE 24 Floodlit Bays - £3.00 for 50 Balls - £5.00 for 100 balls Buy a range card and save £££’s FORTHCOMING EVENTS Support our Soldiers Open Competition Saturday 16th July - for further details ring the Golf Shop 0191 2624231 ex 2 CLUBHOUSE Serving food & drink 7 days - Live sports shown
www.centurionpark.com Rheydt Avenue, Wallsend, NE28 8SU
Eaglescliffe Golf Club
Invites extended to top players NYSD Championship at Eaglescliffe opened up to mark anniversary
T
he Teesside Union has invited Yorkshire’s best players to its 60th anniversary celebrations. The union issued an invitation to the Yorkshire players to take part in the North Yorkshire South Durham Open Championship at Eaglescliffe on July 3. The NYSD championship began as an open competition, but gradually evolved so that only Teesside Union players were able to enter. However, this year’s tournament should have the top players from Durham, Teesside and Yorkshire playing as both Durham and Yorkshire
have sanctioned the championship to be part of their respective orders of merit. Immediate past president of the Teesside Union, Paul Raine, said: “It is the union’s 60th birthday and we are very keen to give the NYSD championship some honour again so we decided to try to make it an open event like it was intended to be. “We approached Yorkshire and Durham and it has been co-sanctioned for each of their orders of merit.” Entry for the event, which will be sponsored by Plenary Project Solutions, is £10 and it will carry a first prize of £400.
MEMBERSHIP SPECIAL Join NOW until 31st March 2017 Adults £495 - Over 60’s £395 - 18 and under £50 Intermediate (19 - 29) Discounted rates available call for price! No joining fee - Direct Debit available Come and join one of the most improved golf course in the region!
VISITING PARTY PACKAGES (12 or more) Coffee/tea, bacon roll on arrival, 18 holes of golf followed by 2 course meal Weekdays £20 pp Weekends £23 pp Organiser receives a FREE 4 ball voucher to return to Roseberry
OPEN COMPETITIONS 2016 Thursday 9th June - Gents 4BBB | Tuesday 5th July - Seniors 55+ 4BBB Both only £16 pair Telephone the club on 0191 3700660 or enter via www.golfempire.com
FREE FUNCTION ROOM Available for weddings, birthdays etc - Can accommodate up to 120 people Catering or buffet can be organised through “The Grill” @ Roseberry Roseberry Grange Golf Club “The Friendly Golf Club” Grange Villa, Chester le Street, County Durham, DH2 3NF Tel: 0191 3700660 (club) or 0191 3701757 (shop) Email: roseberrygolf@gmail.com Web: www.roseberrygrange.com
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NORTHERN GOLFER 13
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Flood relief supports affected clubs Cash for Rothbury and South Moor after winter downpours
R
othbury and South Moor have been handed a massive boost to repair flood damage to their courses. Storms Desmond, Eva, Frank and Gertrude hit the Coquetdale course particularly hard leaving fairways, bunkers and tees flooded and damaged. Fortunately, the club has been awarded £4,500 of National Lottery funding from Sport England’s £200,000 Flood Relief Fund which was launched in December after the major impact the storms had on sports facilities. Rothbury will use the money for drainage repair, refilling bunkers, replacement of perimeter fencing, debris clearance and repairing some damaged playing surfaces. Michael Arkle, chairman of Rothbury Golf Club said: “The golf course was rendered unplayable at times due to flooding in December and January, but will soon be back to its excellent playing condition
again thanks in part to the assistance from Sport England’s Flood Relief Fund, and to the hard work of greenkeepers Graham Stephenson, Dan White and Alan Christie, so that the community can continue to benefit from the fantastic facilities on offer.” South Moor has been awarded £4,926 of National Lottery funding from Sport England’s Flood Relief Fund to take the Co Durham golf club’s total of grant aid past the £100,000 mark in five years. Committee member and former captain Guy Carr, pictured below, said: “Paths were washed out, making buggy access impossible, and in places they were dangerous and impassable. “Elderly and physically impaired golfers were prevented from using the course. “As a result of the Sport England grant, we have been able to plan refurbishment and a repair programme for the paths ready for the start of the 2016 season. “We have also made plans to replace a 60m underground pipe at the end of the summer.” Jennie Price, chief executive of Sport England, said: “We appreciate sport isn’t a major priority when people’s lives, homes and businesses are at risk from flooding.
Rothbury Golf Club South Moor youngsters Dan Welsh and Abbi Wheatley
“But once communities are starting to get their lives back to normal, being able to use their local pitch or sports club as usual can make a real difference. “By launching this fund quickly to help with clean-up and repair costs I hope we can give people affected by the floods one less thing to worry about. “We are delighted to be able to get this emergency funding to Rothbury and South Moor.” South Moor staged the McGregor Trophy, the England Boys Under-16 Open won by City of Newcastle player Jack Hermeston in 2011. Stanley Area Action Partnership awarded the golf club a £23,000 grant to stage the tournament and £2,000 for car park improvements. Hosting an international tournament raised the profile of the club and attracted 80 new members. In 2012 Carr won England Golf ’s Club Development Award. Carr, also a PGA Level One golf coach, is the major driving force behind the club’s fundraising. “Our facilities have improved beyond all recognition over the last five years”, said Carr, a 51-year-old IT consultant who lives in Chester-le-Street. “These are fantastic times in terms of our rapid development, but they represent vast amounts of hard work by a lot of people at the club and at the public bodies who have funded us. “We are getting near to completing a par three course and there is an astroturf short game practice area covering 1,668sqm which is the biggest of its kind in Europe and includes a practice bunker. “We have totally refurbished changing rooms, showers and lockers and an extra putting green – part of the Astroturf area – and a new practice driving area.” Funding also allowed South Moor to be chosen to host the inaugural North of England Under-14 Open in 2014. Carr added: “We put it on again in 2015 and after last year’s event we were announced as the permanent home of the tournament. “So we have made the most of every penny in what is a total of £104,196 of public money we have received starting with that great catalyst, the McGregor Trophy.”
Join the Augusta of the North for only £170 Get 70% off every green fee with South Moor’s new Lifestyle Membership and enjoy a fascinating course designed by the man who created Augusta National, Dr Alister MacKenzie . . . a membership to suit your lifestyle?
SEE t h tour b e course prese y ITV new nter s on ou Ian Payne r web site
Big greens like Augusta . . . at our 13th the green is 70 yards, the longest in County Durham
VISIT www.southmoorgc.co.uk and click on CLUB then Lifestyle Membership
SPECIAL weekend afternoon rate for visitors (£15) includes a free drink
The Middles, Craghead, Stanley, Co Durham DH9 6AG (Only five miles from A1 motorway)
Moor Allerton Golf Days and Societies
Come and play our fantastic Robert Trent- Jones designed golf course, with 27 holes set in 220 acres of beautiful Yorkshire countryside. Our team have years of experience in designing golf days that live long in the memory and our on site chef will create the menu of your choice as the perfect compliment to your golf. This all ensures that visitors to Moor Allerton return year after year.
*1 in 12 play golf free*
New Member Offer For a limited period receive 20% off fees in the first year 7 day membership £1200, 5 day membership £950. To find out more contact Gill Pretty on 0113 2661154 or email Info@magc.co.uk or visit www.magc.co.uk Moor Allerton Golf Club, Coal Road, Wike, Leeds LS17 9NH West Yorkshire
NORTHERN GOLFER 15
EUROPROTOUR
EuroPro Tour dates are set
T
he HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour returns to the North East and Yorkshire three times this summer with events at Close House, Moor Allerton and Longhirst Hall. The EuroPro’s first stop in the North East will be at Longhirst Hall, where the Dawson Course will play host to the tour’s fourth event of the season June 29-July 1. July also sees a return to the Lee Westwood Colt Course at Close House, where Yorkshireman Marcus Armitage won his second trophy of the 2015 season en-route to promotion to the Challenge Tour. The Tour’s regular season concludes at Moor Allerton Golf Club in September with the Clipper Logistics Players Championship September 21-24, where golfers have one last
Mark Laskey, winner of the Clipper Logistics Championship at Moor Allerton in 2015
opportunity to secure a place in the Order of Merit top 60, which would earn them an invite to the season-ending Tour Championship. Daniel Godding, director of operations for the HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour, said: “2015 was without a doubt our best season ever. We increased prize money, saw more players compete than ever before and had the level of the tour recognised by the Official World Golf Ranking, meaning our tournaments now carry World Ranking points. “In 2016 we are building strongly on that success with an outstanding lineup of courses. “Adding Army Golf Club, Caversham Heath, East Sussex National and The Oxfordshire to an already stellar list of venues means we are providing our players a stronger schedule than ever
AFFORDABLE & FLEXIBLE GOLF AT HOLLINSIDE PARK 5 DAY, 9 HOLE MEMBERSHIP for £20 per month The price will be £240 (on Interest FREE Terms of £20 per month).
PAY & PLAY MEMBERSHIP details on request
Whickham Golf Club is offering an invitation to encourage Ladies to play...
LADIES HALF PRICE NEW MEMBERSHIP for £25 per month That's approx 50% of the regular subscription. This represents the Clubs intention to encourage Ladies participation in Golf. With the services of a top Golf Coach at the Club there will be opportunities for beginners as well as experienced players to improve.
14 months, Pay for 12 5, 6 & 7 DAY MEMBERSHIP from £35 per month Join now and get up to 2 months FREE Interest FREE Payment Plan Available
OPENING IN 2016 AT WHICKHAM’S HOLLINSIDE PARK R Redesigned par 71 course layout N Academy Indoor/Outdoor Practice New & Coaching Facility
Whickham Golf Club, Hollinside Park, Whickham, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE16 5BA All enquiries: Tel: 0191 488 1576 Web: www.whickhamgolfclub.co.uk
A Great Deal for Great Golf in a Great Place 16 NORTHERN GOLFER
Check out the Latest Deals www.glyde-golf.co.uk
MARK RAYSON GOLF
North East
Golf
MasterKey
Members can book ONE FREE ROUND at each of the MasterKey Clubs in 2015 Value in excess of £100 @WhickhamGC
MasterKey Clubs; Beamish Park Brancepeth Castle Chester-le-Street Durham City Wearside Whickham
EUROPROTOUR Marcus Armitage, winner of the Tree of Life Championship at Close House
Sam Connor, winner of the Dawson and Sanderson Travel Classic at Longhirst before. This year’s PGA EuroPro Tour opens with Qualifying School at six First Stage venues in March before successful players and those exempt to Final Stage compete at Frilford Heath Golf Club in Oxfordshire in the first week of April. The HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour is Europe’s leading development tour, and the European Tour’s satellite in the UK and Ireland. Offering direct access to the Challenge Tour through the final Order of Merit, HotelPlanner.
com PGA EuroPro Tour players will compete for more than £800,000 of prize money in 2016 with the top five golfers at the end of the season awarded a category on the 2017 Challenge Tour. Providing vital experience of life on tour, players will compete in 14 main events at some of the UK and Ireland’s premier golfing venues including The Oxfordshire, Close House, East Sussex National and The Carrick on Loch Lomond.
All professional golfers and amateurs with a handicap of two or better are invited to enter Qualifying School, for more details go to www.europrotour.com
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Alnmouth Golf Club, Foxton Hall Northumberland’s Hidden Gem
Dormy House Golf Breaks 2016
English Tourism 3 Star En-Suite Accommodation Dinner, Bed and Breakfast with 2 Rounds of Golf SUMMER PRICES FROM £90 PER PERSON SPECIAL OFFER – MARCH 2016 FREE GOLF on Monday to Thursday Golf Breaks Prices from ONLY £60 per person GREAT VALUE – BOOK NOW – DATES GOING FAST Visit www.alnmouthgolfclub.com for full details
Next Open Event Four Person Team Event – Sunday 13th March 2016 £56 per team includes Bacon Roll & Coffee Open to Men, Ladies & Mixed teams All Summer 2016 Opens Booking now available online www.alnmouthgolfclub.com Visiting Parties Welcome in 2016 – Ring for details of packages Alnmouth Golf Club, Foxton Hall, Alnmouth, Northumberland, NE66 3BE Tel: 01665 830231 - E: bookings@alnmouthgolfclub.com www.alnmouthgolfclub.com Follow us on Facebook
NORTHERN GOLFER 17
CHARITYGOLF
Help for Heroes
Bob Stoddart, Chris Moat, Jan Robinson and Gary Tabone with the Help for Heroes cheque City of Newcastle raised £3,200 for Help the Heroes in 2015 and the money has gone to the Phoenix House operation at Catterick Garrison. Last year’s captains Bob Stoddart and Jan Robinson decided to raise money for Help the Heroes during their captaincies. A series of raffles, coffee mornings, nearest the pin events, captains bunker, and more throughout the year were all used to raise the cash and warrant officer Chris Moat and captain Gary Tabone visited City recently to accept the cheque on behalf of Phoenix House.
Tynemouth’s fine work Tynemouth Golf Club takes a tough line when it comes to raising money for a good cause, helping its members support the charity chosen by 2015 captain David Favour - Prostate Cancer UK - to the tune of £2,500. David, a 67-year-old retired engineer from Cullercoats, who moved to the North East from Liverpool over 40 years ago, said: “Thanks to the support and help from many club members, Tynemouth GC has been able to make a wonderful donation to a very worthwhile cause. We raised money from a year of club events and the sale of the charity’s lapel badges. We were not afraid to crack the whip. If anyone playing for our team turned up without wearing his badge we fined him on the spot!” 18 NORTHERN GOLFER
Kirsty Spowart and her mother Christine along with 2015 club captain Brian Weston, secretary Gordon Peters, 2016 captain Steve Little, Jacquie Etherington and Tracey Peters
Generosity makes a difference to many
Heworth members support Kirsty plus a round up of other golf in aid of great causes
B
rian Weston decided he wanted to do something a bit different with the annual captain’s charity fundraiser. Heworth members were asked to contribute to the 2015 event with Brian determined the money would go to a good local cause in the Gateshead area rather than one of the big national charities. As a result, in what was his last act as 2015 captain, Brian was able to hand over a cheque for £1,700 towards the purchase of the top-of-the-range powered wheelchair for Dunston’s Kirsty Spowart, who was identified as a worthy recipient of the funds with the help of Jacquie Etherington from South Tyneside Physiotherapy Services, Tracey Peters from South Tyneside Learning Disability Services and Carole Watson of South Tyneside Health Focus Group.
But the Heworth members’ generosity didn’t end there. After Kirsty and her mother Christine were guests at the Heworth club’s annual Christmas party for people with learning or physical disabilities for the cheque hand over, the club managed to raise another £2,000-plus to cover the full cost of the wheelchair. “We had an anonymous donation of more than £1,000 and that left about another £1,000 needed. All the sections of the club rallied round and chipped in,” said secretary Gordon Peters. “We’re thrilled to bits with the generosity of the members and it means we can fully fund Kirsty’s wheelchair which will now be built specifically for her.” Steve Little, who takes over as captain in 2016, is hoping to continue the club’s charity fundraising.
Marvellous Masham Few golf clubs will be able to match Masham’s charity charge. The North Yorkshire club raised more than £12,000 after a memorable 2015 for their outgoing captains who handed the money over to the Teesside branch of the Multiple Sclerosis Society. Past captains Ros Casson and Graham Lawson both decided to help the charity after it emerged young club member Ed Falshaw had been diagnosed with the illness. Ed, who plays off seven, was pleased to spearhead the charity bid, working alongside the MS Teesside co-ordinator Keith Craven and during the year Ed’s father Howard organised a day of golf, cycling, barbecue, music and a spectacular fireworks display.
Masham past captains Graham Lawson and Ros Casson with Ed Falshaw and Keith Craven of MS Teesside and the cheque for £12,000
Ravensworth Golf Club
www.ravensworthgolfclub.co.uk
2016 MEMBERSHIPS AVAILABLE IN ALL CATEGORIES
2016 OPEN COMPETITIONS
7 Day £625 5 Day £520 Twilight & Armed Forces £250 Juniors 7 to 14 FREE Intermediate Rate available up to the age of 24 Flexible EZ4U Membership £150 then pay per round With this membership you can • Play at Ravensworth on any weekday, after 2.00 pm Saturdays and after 1.00 pm Sundays • Enter mid-week competitions at Ravensworth • Receive full voting rights • Gain and maintain a CONGU Certified Handicap • Discount Card for Bar Purchases • Reduced Rates For Your Guests • No requirement to transfer to another membership category on renewal. The Cost of this membership is £150 Yearly Fee Plus £9 Per Round April to End of September £6 Per Round March & October £3 Per Round November to End of February
MENS
Green Fees only £12 per round until the end of March
Angel View, Long Bank, Wrekenton, Gateshead, NE9 7NE Tel: 0191 4876014 | email: info@ravensworthgolfclub.co.uk
Saturday 5th March – Stableford Singles - £12pp incl Bacon Roll & Coffee Saturday 19th March – St Paddys Day Open 4BBB Stableford - £17.59 per pair Saturday 18th June – Summer Solstice 4BBB Stableford - £20 per pair Saturday 25th June – Jubilee Centenary Cup Singles Stroke - £10 per person Sunday 3rd July – AM-AM Texas Scramble 4 Man Team - £100 per team incl meal Saturday 23rd July – Mark Brown Trophy 4BBB Stableford - £20 per pair Sunday 14th August – Ravensworth Bowl 36 Hole Scratch Open (DGCU Order of Merit Event) Saturday 17th September – Tom Sellars 4BBB Stableford - £18 per pair Visitors and Societies Bookings Tuesday 12th April – 4 Man Team Best 3 from 4 - £28 per Team now being taken for 2016 Tuesday 28th June – 4BBB Stableford - £18 per pair Saturdays Tuesday 13th September – 4 Max Texas Scramble - £28 per team & Sundays Available
SENIORS –AGED 55+
LADIES
Friday 1st July – 3 Person Team - £21 per team
Newbiggin Golf Club Excellent 18 hole links course
VISITORS & SOCIETIES WELCOME Telephone John Young, General Manager on 01670 817344 or email info@newbiggingolfclub.co.uk
OPEN COMPETITIONS 2016 Friday 6th May - Captains Charity/Lifeboat Day, Gents Singles Stableford, £15 pp including meal Tuesday 14th June - Help The Heroes, Gents 4 Ball Betterball, £16 pair Sunday 19th June - Silver Tankard 36 Hole Scratch Open, Gents Singles Stroke £25.00 pp includes soup & sandwiches
Thursday 14th July - Gents Senior Open, Gents 4 Ball Betterball, 55 & Over, £20 pair Friday 5th Aug - British Legion, Gents 4 Ball Betterball, £20 pair includes goody bag Wednesday 31st Aug - Ladies Open, 4 Ball Betterball, £15 pair Tuesday 13th Sept - Gents Seniors Open, 4 Ball Betterball, 55 & Over, £16 pair
Enter online www.newbiggingolfclub.co.uk or telephone John Young, General Manager on 01670 817344
The Clubhouse, Newbiggin by the Sea, NE64 6DW NORTHERN GOLFER 19
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Cathy’s an inspiration
Award for Bowerbank’s immense contribution to golf
D
insdale and Durham County stalwart Cathy Bowerbank has been honoured for her services
to golf. A former chairman of the England Ladies Golf Association and captain of England Seniors, Cathy was named Durham County Club Development Volunteer of the Year for 2015 in a presentation ceremony at Durham County Cricket Club (see page 21 for more winners), The award celebrates her tireless contribution to Dinsdale Spa Golf Club after an initiative to inspire more female golfers to become members. She said: “We’ve held taster sessions for women who want to
give golf a try with help from our professionals and continued support from the ladies at our club. “The sessions, which we called the Tastie Ladies, are to let women have a go and there is a great social side to it all. “It’s been a wonderful process to be a part of and the feedback was very positive from everyone who came along, and we’ve also signed up several new members since the sessions. “It’s something we’re hoping to continue and of course the award has been a great honour.” The scheme started in April with funding from Darlington Council Healthy Living Scheme which provided the taster lessons given by
l-r: Jill Tanner, Kate Brown, Wendy Mitchell, Cathy Bowerbank, Pat Shallow and Trish Winnett the club’s professionals and clubs were supplied by England Golf. The programme started with 19 ladies giving it a try with the club supporting an escalator membership which meant the ladies were able to have lessons and use the practice ground. They were then offered a threemonth membership to play on the course and use the first nine holes and, in the end, it led to nine new members joining the club. “The success of this scheme
would not have been possible without the support of our senior mentors Jill Tanner, Pat Shallow, Trish Winnett and Wendy Mitchell who were totally dedicated to encouraging the Tastie Ladies and getting them out on the course to the extent that they have had a thoroughly enjoyable experience,” added Cathy. Dinsdale Spa’s senior mentors and 2015 ladies captain Kate Brown also joined Cathy at the awards ceremony.
Picturesque 18 hole course in the heart of Northumberland clubhouse
Stunning views of the Simonside Hills and the Cheviots. Full catering served daily including Sunday Carvery. Available for Wedding Receptions, Birthday Parties, Business Meetings, Clubs, Societies etc. Non-Golfers, Walkers and Bikers always welcome
TEE TIMES
Our new website now allows for bookings online. Golfers can also do this through www.teeofftimes.co.uk
PRACTICE AREA
We now have a short course for Junior Golfers in line with our Golfmark Award
visiting parties
Great value packages available to suit everyone. Excellent discounts for larger parties. Casual and Individual visiting golfers are very welcome
LADIES SPECIAL Every Thursday - 18 holes + Soup & Roll only £10
open competitions 2016
Nine Open Competitions in 2016 - see Website for details - Starting with Seniors Spring Open on 27 April (£18 per Pair)
For further details of all our offers telephone the Secretary on 01669 621271 or email: secretary@rothburygolfclub.com www.rothburygolfclub.com Whitton Bank Road, Rothbury, Northumberland, NE65 7RX @rothburygolf 20 NORTHERN GOLFER
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Durham’s Salvation Army Volunteers who make the game tick honoured at annual awards
D
urham golf paid a special tribute to the volunteers who do so much to help grow the game in
the region. The Durham Golf Development Group’s third Development Awards evening – held at Durham County Cricket Club’s ground in Chesterle-Street – presented 16 prizes to helpers of all ages and backgrounds. The meeting also heard about the Group’s plans for its eighth year and the progress made so far in bringing new players into golf and on into club membership. Clubs also learned how England Golf is providing support to help them introduce the sport to people of all ages and abilities
with information on development initiatives, resources and available funding. Meanwhile, Les Inskip has officially stepped down as Durham County treasurer after 27 years in the job. Inskip, who was succeeded by Beamish club colleague John Bosanko, joined the Durham County executive in 1987 and became treasurer to following year and secretary in 1991 before being elected county president in 1999. Durham re-elected Wearside’s Graham Hope for a second year as president and Billingham’s John Kirk, the Durham County captain, was made president-elect while Knotty Hill’s Gordon Cessford was elected to the executive.
Club award winners - Houghton-le-Spring (Ann Young), Woodham (Chris Lawson and Ernie Wilson), George Washington (Ryan Ingram, Bill Michie and Gary Shipley) THE AWARD WINNERS: Young Volunteer of the Year: Jordan Pout (Durham Golf Development Group) Volunteer Coach of the Year: Jason Rhodes (Bishop Auckland GC) Club Development Volunteer of the Year: Cathy Bowerbank (Dinsdale Spa GC) County Development Volunteer of the Year: Del Brady (Darlington GC) Services to Golf: Anne Dunn (Whitburn GC) Services to Golf: Les Inskip (Beamish Park GC) Golf Mark Club of the Year: Houghton-le-Spring GC Get into Golf Recruitment Project of the Year: Seaton Carew GC Get into Golf Centre 2015: George Washington GC HSBC Golf Roots Project of the Year: Woodham GC Boys Development Player of the Year: Jason Fletcher Girls Development Player of the Year: Maggie Whitehead Boys Performance Player of the Year: Ben Cordwell-Smith Girls Performance Player of the Year: Tilly Barton Boys Elite Player of the Year: Chris Handy Girls Elite Player of the Year: Briony Bayles
We’re Open
T: 0191 2702362 www.golfgear4less.co.uk E: info@zflgolf.co.uk
9am - 5.30pm Mon - Sat
Trolley Service & Repairs Motocaddy, Powakaddy, Hillbilly & More Motocaddy Trolleys & Lithium Batteries in Store We stock Adidas, Under Armour, Taylormade, Srixon, Wilson, Motocaddy, SuperStroke Grips, Ecco & lots more! FREE Club Check, hit longer, straighter shots having your clubs correctly fitted. Call 0191 2702362 today to book. We stock batteries, chargers & spares for all leading trolley brands Motocaddy Trolleys, Batteries, Golf Bags & Accessories on display, call in for a demo today
GoKart made in the UK £269 FREE Loft & Lie Check by Appointment.
GoKart Electric Golf Trolley Only £269 Lightweight, Super Strong, Compact & Easy to Use
Unit 8d, North Tyne Ind. Estate, NE12 9SZ Opposite ASDA Benton. Two minutes from A19 Whitley Bay Exit on A191 Old Coast Road NORTHERN GOLFER 21
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Double success for Slaley Northumberland resort voted top for the second year running
S
laley Hall has been voted Best Golf Hotel Resort in the North of England for the second year in a row. The popular venue near Hexham in Northumberland is part of QHotels, the UK’s largest golf resort operator, and was once again the first choice of readers of the Today’s Golfer Travel Awards. The award is a boost for Slaley, which has a new team in charge and Jonny Mould, director of golf, said: “Everyone at the resort is very proud to have won this award again. “It makes it extra special that this honour is voted for by golfers and is an acknowledgement for all the hard work which everyone here has put in over the last 12 months.
“It’s been another fantastic year for Slaley Hall which included celebrating our 25th anniversary.” Slaley has had quite a few changes behind the scenes with Mould himself back after spells with Ramside, Rockliffe and Washington along with Christopher Wayne-Wills, now regional general manager and who was recently resort director at Spey Valley. They are joined by Ian Pullan, new golf and estates manager with 16 years experience at Hollins Hall, while Allan Wilson, moves from Q hotels Westerwood to become resident manager. Tara Todd has joined as director of sales from the Old Course Hotel St Andrews, Claire Norman is the new financial controller while executive
The fourth hole on Slaley Hall’s Priestman course chef Graham Riley was recently at Spey Valley and Aurelie Houart is HR manager after working at The Roxburghe Golf Resort. Besides boasting a magnificent four-star hotel in an elegant Edwardian mansion, Slaley features two challenging championship courses – the Hunting and the Priestman – which have played host to 18 European Tour and European Senior Tour events with the likes of Colin Montgomerie, Lee Westwood
and Retief Goosen among the list of winners. Meanwhile, Oulton Hall, Leeds, another Qhotels resort is to receive an investment of more than £1m. Improved accommodation facilities will increase the number of twin rooms available for golf groups. The investment made by QHotels - which owns nine other golf resorts across the UK - is part of a bigger £50m investment across the hotel group this year.
SALTBURN GOLF CLUB Design by James Braid
VISITORS & SOCIETIES Packages from £25 per person including lunch SUMMER GREEN FEES £26 Weekdays - £28 Weekends £18 Weekdays - £20 Weekends (after 2pm) MEMBERSHIPS New Flexi Memberships from £200 To book or for further details telephone the Pro Shop on 01287 624 653 OPEN COMPETITIONS 2016 Full details is on our website www.saltburngolfclub.co.uk or enter at www.golfempire.co.uk (Saltburn Golf Club)
VISIT WWW.SALTBURNGOLF.CO.UK SALTBURN GOLF CLUB, HOB HILL, SALTBURN BY THE SEA, CLEVELAND, TS12 1NJ 22 NORTHERN GOLFER
IT’S THE PERFECT TIME TO JOIN US THERE’S NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO BECOME A MEMBER AT CLOSE HOUSE. JOIN NOW TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE WORLD-CLASS FACILITIES AND THE REGION’S ONLY TOP 100 GOLF COURSE.
We have a superb calendar of 27 exclusive member’s events planned for the coming year. Take advantage of these, plus all the other unique member benefits, by joining us now. INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP Play the fantastic Lee Westwood Colt and Filly golf courses, use the PGA golf academy and driving range, and benefit from all of the perks associated with membership of a first-class golf club.
COUNTRY MEMBERSHIP All of the benefits of the Individual membership, plus an accommodation package, available to those living further than 75 miles away and holding membership at another golf club.
CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP Close House is the perfect venue for corporate golf days, and an exceptional venue to indulge your clients in great golf, fantastic food and luxurious accommodation. Over 40 companies have already joined us, so why don’t you too?
For further, detailed information on all of our membership packages, visit closehouse.com/membership Golf Academy CLOSE HOUSE NEWCASTLE
CLOSE HOUSE, HEDDON ON THE WALL, NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, NE15 0HT TELEPHONE 01661 85 22 55 EMAIL ENQUIRIES@CLOSEHOUSE.CO.UK WWW.CLOSEHOUSE.COM
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Teesside Golf Club Est 1901
Beautiful 18 hole Parkland course Visitors & Societies always welcome Visiting Party Packages 2016 (12 or more) Bronze £30.00 pp 18 Holes followed by a 2 course set meal Silver £42.50 pp 27 Holes, soup & sandwiches plus 3 course meal Gold £43.75 pp 27 Holes, soup & sandwiches plus 3 course carvery Parties of 24 or more will receive 2 FREE green fees Telephone the Secretary Steve Wood on 01642 616 516
email: teessidegolfclub@btconnect.com or visit our website www.teessidegolfclub.com
Whitley Bay Golf Club Claremont Road, Whitley Bay NE26 3UF www.whitleybaygolfclub.co.uk
MEMBERSHIP FROM £48 PER MONTH
7 Day, 6 Day, 5 Day available Very attractive terms for Under 30’s as Intermediates & Juniors e.g. 24 years 7 Day membership = £34 per month All details on our website
2016 OPEN COMPETITIONS Mixed Open - Sunday 29th May Seniors Open - Thursday 7th July Ladies Open - Thursday 4th August Mens Open - Sunday 14th August
NEW GOLFERS Cafe Golf for Ladies, Academy Golf for Men and our Junior Academy allow new golfers to learn and experience the game in a club environment. These packages include tuition with our P.G.A. Professional David Twizell, access to the golf course and practice facilities plus use of the clubhouse. For further information please contact Dawn or David by telephone or email
Secretary: Dawn Ridley 0191 252 0180 Professional: David Twizell 0191 252 5688 Email: whitleybaygolfclub@virginmedia.com 24 NORTHERN GOLFER
Junior winner James Wilson
Just for juniors
Great tournaments lined up for young golfers
T
he Macdonald Junior Golf Tour will be back this year with the aim of offering youngsters across Co Durham the chance to get a flavour for tour golf. Along with the launch of the Graeme Storm Junior Open, the backing of Macdonald Hotels for the junior tour for the first time, the Mizuno Race to Rockliffe and what’s happening at venues such as the Beamish Park Hotel Academy there are now a number of events for Durham youngsters to play in. And Northern Golfer will be running our second Junior Championship of Champions – won last year by Tyneside’s James Wilson – for young golfers across the North East
and Yorkshire. Details of the event will be announced in a future edition. The Macdonald Junior Tour is open to young golfers aged 7-12 (13 for girls) either with or without a handicap. Players do not have to be a club member to apply, but they must play in a minimum of four events to qualify for the final. The regional final will be on Sunday, September 4, at Macdonald Linden Hall Golf Club near Morpeth and the final will see Durham’s order of merit winners compete against rivals from Northumberland and Cumbria. The Durham venues are Blackwell Grange (May 10), Heworth (May 22), Billingham (June 19), Woodham (July 17) and Durham City (August 20).
Entries from players from other counties will only be accepted if there is space after the closing date. The closing date for entries is Thursday March 31, although late entries may be accepted. For information contact Mike Greener tel 07966 718 519
TEEINGOFF
Visitors & Societies Welcome Golf Parties 2016
Moortown Golf Club Sir Nick Faldo
Moortown takes centre stage Yorkshire club lined up for Faldo series and PGA North event
M
oortown returns to the Nick Faldo Series lineup this year. The Yorkshire club missed out last year but is now back in the line-up in the 20th year of the event set up by the major winner. Moortown will host the Northern Championship on July 18-20. The tournament will comprise 54-holes and count towards the World Amateur Golf Ranking. “Young golfers in the UK have benefitted from the experience of playing in the Faldo Series now for two decades,” said Faldo. “Following its successful introduction two years ago, we have continued to hold 54-hole championships across the UK allowing players the opportunity to gain even more tournament experience and to compete for World Amateur Golf Ranking points.” The six-time major winner added: “I thank the R&A, the European Tour, the PGA Tour and the PGA of America for their on-going support, which allows us to bring opportunity to thousands of talented young golfers worldwide every year.” The 2016 UK schedule features
seven championships across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Meanwhile, Moortown features on the PGA North schedule as part of an action-packed season with several new events. Pro-ams figure high on the list with seven clubs joining the fold. They are Moortown, Nefyn, Abergele, High Legh Park, Hallamshire, Lancaster and Sand Moor. In addition, the popular Lakeland Classic, revived last year after a long absence, will resume for its traditional two days at Windermere. Conwy will replace Aberdovey and join forces with Royal St David’s to provide the enduring 36-hole pro-am with a fresh impetus. England’s Golf Coast three-day proam also holds its place in the schedule. Meanwhile, the North Region Championship at Carus Green and James Brearley Lancashire Open at Blackpool North Shore have confirmed their commitments to the Order of Merit calendar. Assistants’ rankings events have been bolstered by three new venues - Bolton Old Links, Northcliffe and Carlisle which take the total number of events for assistants to seven.
12 or more From £23 per person includes Tea or coffee and bacon butties on arrival + 18 holes Other packages available to suit all requirements Telephone the Secretary on 0191 5342518
Open Competitions 2016
Now taking entries for all our events please visit www.wearsidegolfclub.co.uk or Telephone the Secretary on 0191 5342518 Cox Green, Sunderland, SR4 9JT
Hirsel Golf Club One of the UK’s Hidden Gems, featured in Golf Monthly’s Top 100 Hidden Gems of UK & Ireland list Come and play the No1 golf course in the Scottish Borders
Visitors & Societies Always Welcome Party Packages We can tailor your golf outing to suit your needs Is there a better place to take your annual outing to?’ Contact the Secretary on 01890 882678 or email secretary@hirselgc.co.uk Open Competitions 2016 For details or to enter please visit our website www.hirselgc.co.uk
Hirsel Golf Club, Coldstream, Kelso Road, Berwickshire, TD12 4NJ NORTHERN GOLFER 25
TEEINGOFF
Going wild in Richmond Project to help nature earns greens team top award
R
ichmond is celebrating an award to head greenkeeper Anthony McGeough and his team. The Richmond team came back winners from the STRI Awards at the Hotel Du Vin in Harrogate after being presented with the award for Outstanding Environmental Project of the Year thanks to the construction of a living wall at the club. With a resurgence of natural wildlife such as hares, buzzards, jays, deer and woodpeckers at Richmond, the club’s greens team had a chance to create something that would help support wildlife and provide more favourable conditions for less familiar species. McGeogh said: “The concept was to build a visually attractive retaining
Richmond Golf Club wall around a newly constructed eighth tee which would attract small mammals, insects, bees and butterflies, and over time the wall would start to decay and produce fungus to encourage this wildlife. “Working with a very small budget of just £70, we started thinning the trees lining the hole. Instead of burning the rubbish which is what we had done in the past, we cut them into 90cm lengths and began stacking them in pre-made compartments
CHESTER-LE-STREET GOLF CLUB HOST TO THE NORTHERN GOLFER JUNIOR CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS EVENT 2016 MEMBERSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR 2016 SEE OUR WEB SITE FOR DETAILS
OPENS 2016 SENIORS - 20TH APRIL & 2ND AUGUST MIXED GREENSOMES - 8TH MAY GENTS - 29TH MAY LADIES - 1ST JUNE 4 MAN TEAM - 20TH AUGUST LADIES AM-AM - 24TH AUGUST 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 26 NORTHERN GOLFER
Anthony McGeough made from fence posts. It became a labour of love and attracted a lot of attention from the members. A home for hedgehogs was also placed into the wall. “Once it was completed we capped the lengths of timber off with turf, laid green side down, soil was then placed on top and seeded with a bee friendly wildflower mixture. “We used all the branches from the pruned trees to create windrows which act as wildlife corridors for
Richmond’s living wall all sorts of little furry creatures and these run the full length of the woodland and link to the living wall. Insect hotels and a small colony of bumble bees were placed to take full advantage of the wild flowers. “We have now started to look at all our renovation work as an opportunity to further enhance the good environmental work we have started with the living wall. Greenwatch: Page 37
TEEINGOFF
PGA TEACHING PROFESSIONAL An exciting position has arisen at Sunderland Golf Centre for a highly motivated forward thinking individual to coach at this well established driving range.
As part of the overall management team , the successful applicant will have the opportunity to contribute to the future development of this successful golf center. The successful applicant will report solely to the golf driving range owner. For further details, or to send in your CV please email Chris Pope chris@sunderlandgolfrange.co.uk or telephone Chris on 07870 603827 (www.sunderlandgolfcentre.co.uk)
GREENLAY (Grass Machinery) LIMITED Specialists in horticultural machinery
Andrew Scrimshaw
Plans in place Close House pro sets tour goals for 2016
C
lose House attached professional Andrew Scrimshaw is looking forward to the start of the 2016 season after a full off-season of work on and off the course. Scrimshaw, who completed his PGA training at Close House, will be concentrating on his tour career in 2016 with a mixture of Alps Tour, EuroPro Tour and local PGA events having spent the winter working with coaches Andy Paisley, Duncan McCarthy, and the team at Inline Fitness, Blaydon. “I’ve had a really good few months since the end of the season and can’t wait to get started again,” said Scrimshaw. “I’ve spent a few weeks at the European Tour Performance Institute at Jumeriah Golf Estates in Dubai, which was an incredible experience - and a welcome break from the Northumberland weather! “It feels like things are coming together now and I’ve worked hard to iron out some of the weaknesses I identified last season with my coaches.” Having returned to working with Andy Paisley on the technical aspects of his game, Scrimshaw is aiming to qualify for this season’s EuroPro Tour in the UK while adding Alps Tour and local PGA events to his schedule
throughout the season. “I’m looking forward to the EuroPro event at Close House obviously, and I think the mix of events will give me the right blend of tournament golf and competitive practice,” added Scrimshaw. “The aim is to push on and compete week-in-week-out ahead of returning to European Tour Qualifying School towards the end of the season. “Going back to working with Andy has been great and feels like the right move for me. I’m also seeing great results from the new golf-specific programme I’m working on with Inline Fitness, and working with Duncan McCarthy on the mental side - getting into that tournament mindset and setting goals to get to the ultimate goal of making it as a tour player, is giving me a lot of confidence and I’m looking forward to the year ahead.”
TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE Telephone 01670 733330 Fax 01670 700067 Email: sales@greennlay.co.uk www.greenlayco.uk
Baker Road, Nelson Park West, Cramlington, Northumberland, NE23 1WL
LUB RYTON GOLF yC ne & Wear T
SPECIAL MEMBERSHIP OFFER Now until April 2017
ONLY £399 *for first time joiners
MONDAY 14TH MARCH TWO MAN TEXAS SCRAMBLE OPEN - £15 pair
contact: secretary@rytongolfclub.co.uk
Telephone: 0191 4133253 or www.rytongolfclub.co.uk NORTHERN GOLFER 27
TEEINGOFF
Travel joy and sickness
Mixed fortunes for Yorkshire pair overseas
Y
orkshire duo Jamie Bower and Jonathan Thomson experienced the joy and despair of golf as they represented England overseas. Bower, the Yorkshire County Champion from Meltham, dramatically sank an 18-footer for a last hole birdie to snatch victory in the Gauteng North Open at Irene Golf Club in South Africa. However Lindrick’s Thomson was forced to abandon England’s tour of Australia just days after finishing runner-up in the first event. Bower, 22, finished one shot ahead of South Africa’s Garrick Higgo, who bogeyed the 18th after leading for most of the round. “This is probably my biggest win to date and my first outside the UK
so it’s definitely really special for me,” said Bower, who was 13 under-par for 72 holes. “I heard a few rumours that Garrick had dropped some shots and that I was tied with him coming up the last,” said Bower. “But I didn’t know for certain so I just tried to make the best score I could and hope it was enough - luckily that was birdie! “I had a much shorter putt on a similar line in the morning which I holed so I did fancy it.” That birdie gave him a final round score of one-over 73, while Higgo took 75. Bower was part of an England Golf squad touring South Africa and added; “I’ve been working very hard on my long game over the winter,
Jamie Bower (left) and Jonathan Thomson (© Leaderboard Photography) under the guidance of England coach Alan Thompson, and I’ve been hitting the ball great tee to green which is very pleasing.” Thomson is now back home after he was forced to quit the England squad playing in Australia. “I’m very disappointed and gutted,” said the 19-year-old from Lindrick, who was second in the Australian Master of the Amateurs Championship at Royal Melbourne. “I think it’s the long flight that
has triggered the problem, being 6ft 9in tall and having to fly 26 hours is never a great combination. “It’s a long season and I need to get myself right for the big year ahead. I’m home now and getting myself fixed which is the main priority.” Thomson was playing in Australia as part of a four-man England Golf squad, alongside Adam Chapman (Windermere), Bradley Moore (Kedleston Park) and Ashton Turner (Kenwick).
Home to the Northern Golfer Junior Champion of Champion Photo courtesy of: Mark Bradshaw
2016 OPENS • Wednesday 9th March – Mens Spring Open 4BBB Stableford – (Age 18+) £25 per pair includes coffee & bacon sandwich • Saturday 23rd April – Mens Open 4BBB Stableford – (Age 18+) £24 per pair • Friday 20th May – Ladies Open 1 - £36 per team of Four (best two scores to count) • Sunday 5th June – Mixed Open 4BBB Stableford – £20 per couple • Tuesday 14th June – Seniors Open 4BBB Stableford – (Age 60+) £22 per pair • Tuesday 19th July – Seniors Open Team of four – (Age 55+) £48.00 per team • Sunday 7th August – Mens Open 4BBB Stableford – (Age 18+) £24 per pair • Thursday 18th August – Junior Open Medal – Age under 21 (Girls/Boys) £7.50 per player • Friday 19th August – Ladies Open 2 - £30 per team of Three (waltz – 1,2,3) • Friday 2nd September – Any Combination Open Scramble – (Age 18+) £40 per team of Four • Monday 5th September – Seniors Open 4BBB Stableford – (Age 55+) £22 per pair • Friday 21st October – Mens Autumn Open 4BBB Stableford – (Age 18+) £25.00 per pair includes coffee & bacon sandwich Applications available ONLINE @ www.tynesidegolfclub.co.uk | Telephone 0191 4132742 Email: secretary@tynesidegolfclub.co.uk | www.tynesidegolfclub.co.uk
T Y N E S I D E G O L F C L U B , Westfield Lane, Ryton, NE40 3QE 28 NORTHERN GOLFER
PROFILE
PRO -FILE
JOHN HARRISON
RIPON... THE PERFECT VENUE FOR A GOLF CLUB OR SOCIETY DAY
A beautiful parkland course enjoying peaceful surroundings & spectacular views
AGE: 55 TURNED PRO: 17 HOME CLUB: MATFEN HALL (SINCE 1994) CAREER HIGHLIGHTS More than 100 wins as a professional including the NE/ NW PGA Championship, Strokeplay and Matchplay Won the European Senior Tour qualifying school in 2009 Three top-five finishes on the European Senior Tour PGA Cup player in 1994 WHAT ARE YOU DOING THIS SEASON? “I’ve still got a category for the Senior Tour, so I’ll play a handful of events on there. After those, I’ll be playing a full schedule of local events and spending the rest of my time coaching at Matfen Hall. I’ve been a part of the NE/NW PGA throughout my career and I’m currently its chairman. We’ve got a great list of events this season and the pros up here compete at a very good level week-in-week-out. On the coaching side, I’m working with some good lads including a few county players, and I’ll be teaming up with Andy Paisley for the Northumberland county coaching. I’ll also be working with Ken Ferrie again this season.” HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE GAME? “My dad was a professional footballer and we moved up to Brampton from Manchester when I was a kid. My brothers, Steve and Phil, and I started playing with him. We got the bug (all three are PGA professionals) and continued to play together and improve as we got older.”
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WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD? “As long as I’m competing, I want to keep playing as long as I can – though it’s often the more frustrating part of my job. I’ve also got a lot of passion for coaching and still find it incredibly rewarding to see players improving and enjoying the game.” INTERESTING FACT: John and his brothers Steve and Phil are all professional golfers (as is Phil’s son Jack). In 2012, all three competed in the PGA Seniors Championship at Slaley Hall. The only other time three or more brothers competed in a tour was in 1975 when four Ballesteros brothers – Seve, Baldomero, Manuel and Vincente – played in the Madrid Open.
FOR ENQUIRIES, PLEASE CONTACT US: T E
01765 603640 (OPTION 1)
secretary@riponcitygolfclub.com
Ripon City Golf Club, Palace Road, Ripon HG4 3HH NORTHERN GOLFER 29
STORM’SJUNIORS
Search for the next big name Graeme Storm launches a new tournament, backed by some of the biggest names in golf, and tells Alan Hedley why he is investing so much time in the junior game
G
raeme Storm knows what it’s like to struggle to make it to the top in your chosen sport. A winter washing cake tins in a Hartlepool factory to make ends meet was hardly glamorous and he admits there were times when he came close to giving up on his dream of being a winner on the European Tour. Now 37, and with 15 years on Tour behind him, Storm has shown he is more than capable of winning, as he proved in the 2007 French Open and he’s come close a few times since, none more so than last year when he was runner-up on the Porsche European Open and 2014 when he lost a playoff for the Omega European Masters. There was also a welcome early return to form in Dubai this month where rounds of 68, 70, 69 and 69 saw him finish seven shots behind the winner, Yorkshire’s Danny Willett, and pick up a cheque for just under €30,000 which puts him back inside the top 100 in the tour rankings. With winnings of more than €6m, he is, along with Ashington’s Kenneth Ferrie, the North East’s most successful Tour pro of the modern era. It’s no coincidence that both are keen to help younger golfers. Ferrie has his own Golf Foundation and now Storm has launched his own junior tournament in the North East, which sits nicely alongside the Dyke House College Elite Development Squad scheme he mentors and involves Hartlepool Golf Club where he learned to play the game. The tournament, The Graeme Storm Junior Open - in association with the college - will be at Hartlepool on Thursday April 7 and is open to boys and girls aged between 7-18. There is no handicap limit and the stableford event will be the first time that Storm has put his name to a tournament. He said: “We have chosen that particular day to coincide with the US Masters in Augusta
30 NORTHERN GOLFER
- a Thursday renowned across the world for brilliant golf. “Hopefully, there will be plenty of golfers taking part, there are some great prizes up for grabs and it should be a great occasion - one I hope will go on to become an annual event and go from strength to strength.” Storm has some powerful backing for his tournament with Ryder Cup heroes Rory McIlroy, Darren Clarke and Justin Rose full of praise for the boost to junior golf in the North East. He has also lined up prizes from TaylorMade and Druh Belts & Buckles, while the £10 entry fee will be donated to charity partner the Finlay Cooper Fund. “I am keen to put something back into the sport which has served me so well over the years,” added Storm. “I have really enjoyed working with young golfers like Jack Ainscough and Will Skipp as the golf consultant at Dyke House and it would be nice to pass on some of my own experiences to more young golfers across the region. “This is not to make me money, it’s to try to put something back in,” added Storm. “All the money raised will be going to the Finlay Cooper Fund charity and this is the next step in me doing more with junior golf. “I would have loved something like this when I was younger. I was lucky enough to have been coached by Malcolm Cole at Hartlepool Golf Club until 1999 after my grandfather, Bill Trueman, had introduced me to golf. “Malcolm had played in the Open and was a really good golfer, which helped, but after that I never really had the chance to speak with established Tour players about their experiences, to get advice. That’s what I would like to do more of. “I have experienced what it’s like on the European Tour for more than a decade, the highs and the lows, so it would be great for me to be able to pass
STORM’SJUNIORS RORY MCILROY
“Graeme deserves a real pat on the back for putting together something like this. It should be a tremendous day for the youngsters”
NORTHERN GOLFER 31
STORM’SJUNIORS on more of those experiences – and hopefully my golf competition gives the young golfers of Cumbria, Durham, Northumberland and North Yorkshire an occasion to enjoy the game.” No-one knows better than Storm about the difficulties of making a mark in top-class golf - and he didn’t find the transition easy. “At the end of 2002 I got that job in a cake factory to save up for a couple of tournaments on the Challenge Tour and the EuroPro Tour.” In 2004, he won twice on the Challenge Tour and the breakthrough followed when he won the 2007 French Open, led the USPGA Championship after the first round and finished sixth in the World Golf Championship event at Doral in 2008. “I fell away, but the USPGA was my eighth tournament in eight weeks and I just ran out of steam. “Leading a major is something I can say I’ve done - you’d rather win one, obviously, but it’s not every time you get your name at the top of a leaderboard in a major.” He admits he can get down on myself and sometimes finds it hard to stay positive. “I travel a lot and it’s been
a lot more difficult the last couple of years because I’ve got a young family, but on the other hand that’s my job and I’ve got to do it. “In the last five years or so I haven’t contended that often but I’ve had a second and a third place and I’ve kept my card every year. “I just have to take each week as it comes – you never know what’s coming round the corner. Last season I was miles away in Switzerland and finished second. “One minute you’re looking at Tour school and next it’s the Race to Dubai so it can change on the flip of a coin, it just depends on which week you do it on. “You never know what’s round the corner in this game.” That was never more evident than this month’s return to form in Dubai with luck there will be more to come. ■Entry forms for the Graeme Storm Junior Open can be downloaded at www.dykehousecollege.com or email graemestormjunioropen@ gmail.com for further details. The closing date for entries is Thursday March 24
DARREN CLARKE
“It’s great to see a European Tour player helping to develop the stars of the future by trying to get more young people into golf. Good luck to everyone who takes part.” JUSTIN ROSE
“What a fantastic opportunity for youngsters of all ages to get a taste of tournament golf – and in front of a European Tour winner like Graeme.”
GOLF SOCIETIES
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GOLFERNEWS
Captain hat-trick T ynedale and Philips Golf Discount professional Martin Forster will complete a triple crown of captaincies next season after being named vice-captain of the Northumberland and Durham Golf Alliance for 2016. Forster, who coaches at Tynedale, Bellingham and Allendale golf clubs, was captain of the NE/NW PGA in 2003 and the PGA North Region in 2010. A member of the Alliance since 1990, Forster said: “It’s an honour to be asked to captain the society, following a number of very successful captains including
my regular playing partner Ritchie Kendrick. “I’ve always enjoyed playing the events across the North East and look forward to getting out across the region with the Alliance and the PGA again this season.” Forster, who turns 50 later this year, is also hoping to compete in the British Senior Open and the ISPS Handa PGA Seniors Championship later in the year. The Northumberland and Durham Alliance is open to professionals and amateurs, with 16 events across the North East in 2016. For more information go to ndgolfalliance.co.uk
Martin Forster
MIDDLESBROUGH GOLF CLUB BRASS CASTE LANE Telephone 01642 311766 www.middlesbroughgolfclub.co.uk
Visiting Party Packages - From £35 per person Middlesbrough Golf Club Pro Am - Friday 27th May £195 per team Gents Open - Sunday 29th May £30 per pair To book or for further information contact Gordon Cattrell Club Professional on 01642 311766 or email gcattrell@tgigolf.com Home of the North of England Youths Monday 1st - Thursday 4th August Follow us on Twitter @ MGC1908 34 NORTHERN GOLFER
GOLFERNEWS
Newcastle United Golf Club Est.1892
Full 7 Day Membership - £627.00 | 5 Day Membership - £525.00
Flexible Payment Terms Available Castle Eden’s club champions Thomas Harbord, Darren Rayner and Kathryn Watkin
Eden project
C
astle Eden was able to look back on a successful year when the club held its annual presentation evening. The evening was well attended and captain Phil Harbord welcomed the members and guests to the club. Among the highlights were the success of the club’s juniors with president Den Brown presenting the three Club Champions Shields to junior champion Thomas Harboard, club champion Daren Rayner and ladies club champion Kathryn Watkin. Retiring secretary Steve Watkin thanked the members for their support and said he was sad to be leaving the role which he had enjoyed for the last eight years. The club is already looking ahead and the new lady captain Heather
Newton recently drove in with Sue Farley as vice captain with dad David in support. Margaret Watkin won the guess where the drive finished with proceeds going to Heather’s nominated charity.
Coffee & Bacon Roll / 18 Holes / Soup & Sandwich £23.00 Coffee & Bacon Roll / 18 Holes / 2 Course Meal £27.00
Green Fees (Fri 1st April 2016 – Fri 28th October 2016) Weekday Round £18.00 Per Person Weekday Special (After 1pm) £50.00 per 4 ball Weekend Round £20.00 Per Person Weekend Special (After 1pm) £60.00 per 4 ball
60 Ponteland Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE5 3JW Tel 0191 2869998 Ext2 or email: liam1892@googlemail.com
Bedlingtonshire Golf Club
Enjoy our Golfing experience
New ladies caption Heather Newton drives in
Greens for go Whitburn has launched a rolling programme to improve the greens at the Durham club. Work on the drainage at the first, second and sixth has been completed and the target is to do the same on three green every year. Having also recently completed a new shower and toilet block for the men’s locker room the club is looking to convert its current snooker room into a spike bar which would enable the main club lounge to be hired out for functions. This follows the club installing a new bio-mass heating system and
Society Offers 2016 Coffee & Bacon Roll / 18 Holes £20.00
Memberships available from 1st April including intermediate categories - ring for prices Free coaching and Junior Development Club for Junior Members (under 16’s) VISITORS & SOCIETIES ALWAYS WELCOME CONTACT LAYLA LEVY, CLUB SECRETARY ON 01670 822457 (9am - 1pm) EMAIL: SECRETARY@BEDLINGTONGOLFCLUB.COM WWW.BEDLINGTONGOLFCLUB.COM
Whitburn Golf Club it is also pressing ahead with plans for a wind turbine to help supply its own electricity.
Acorn Bank, Hartford Road, Bedlington, Northumberland, NE22 6AA NORTHERN GOLFER 35
GOLFERNEWS
Sawgrass bound
Stuart Imeson (right) Dunstanburgh head greenkeeper Stuart Imeson has been confirmed as part of the six-man team working at the 2016 Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass later this year. Five BIGGA members, including Stuart, and a GCSAI member from Ireland will be enjoying the trip thanks to sponsors John Deere. The greenkeepers won their place on the trip after recording a short video about themselves and their career aspirations. The winners then made it through regional interviews conducted by a panel of representatives from BIGGA/ GCSAI and John Deere. Stuart, who started out as an assistant greenkeeper at Dunstanburgh Castle at the age of 16 and is now head greenkeeper at Embelton has been on BIGGA support teams at The Open and the BMW PGA Championship, and is also a member of BIGGA’s Young Greenkeeper Committee.
Summer camp Sedbergh School has launched a new all-inclusive residential golf course. The course is being run with the Gary Wolstenholme Academy at Carus Green and takes place in the Easter (April 4-7) and Summer (July 28-28) holidays. Northern Golfer readers receive a £50 discount with booking code NG002 (all-inclusive residential cost normally £439). To find out more and to book visit summercourses. sedberghschool.org or tel 015396 22616.
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Lee Westwood
Challenge for heroes
Westwood leads a host of celebrities donating to charity
L
ee Westwood has thrown his weight behind a massive online auction to help injured soldiers. The Close House pro is patron of the National Golf Club Challenge which raises money to help injured service personnel, and he said: “The National Golf Club Challenge team has done a truly outstanding job putting together this fabulous online auction, to support the On Course Foundation. “I am pleased and so proud to see how the game we all love has united in this unprecedented way, to make a significant contribution to the lives of our heroes, as they continue to work to rebuild their own lives after suffering lifechanging injuries, protecting our way of life. “I would urge golf club managers and secretaries around the UK who haven’t already donated a fourball voucher to get in touch and unite with the hundreds of clubs who already have. Each four ball donated really does make a difference.” Around 600 clubs
around the world have donated four ball vouchers and the National Golf Club Challenge Online Auction can be viewed at www. ngcauction.com and it already features an array of prizes from leading manufacturers and a huge selection of memorabilia donated by Westwood, Tiger Woods, Tom Watson, Justin Rose, Marc Warren, Oliver Wilson, Melissa Reid, Ian Poulter, Jamie Donaldson, Jack Nicklaus, Colin Montgomerie, Sandy Lyle, Sam Torrance and Phil Mickelson to name just a few. The prize list also includes golf breaks at some of the world’s most prestigious resorts including The K Club in Ireland, Donnafugata in Sicily and The Old Course Hotel together with stunning holidays and rounds of golf with European Tour Players and celebrities including former Newcastle United player and manager Kevin Keegan. Stacey Jeffries, NGCC event director said: “Arguably this online auction is now the largest auction ever assembled within golf. “In my time working to support our injured service personnel it has become clear to me that it is not the funds, facilities or opportunities that they most value, it is the support of the public and their public display of it. “The reaction has been outstanding, it speaks volumes that nearly a third of UK clubs have donated for the auction.”
GREENWATCH
GREEN WATCH
WITH JON WYER, ROCKLIFFE HALL
WINTER WEATHER
GOLF SOCIETY PACKAGES AT HOLLINS HALL MARRIOTT HOTEL & COUNTRY CLUB Our 18 hole Championship golf course was designed to give you some of the best golf in Yorkshire. Come and experience golf at Hollins Hall for your next society event.
From £27.50 per person As we enter the final month of winter, we are still yet to experience any ‘real’ winter weather. Yet again we have faced a wet winter with mild temperatures. From a greenkeeping perspective this can be a troublesome combination. Most of the country experienced the savage storms that tore through the UK, the North East being no exception. Many courses had long term closures throughout the Christmas period with flood damage to playing surfaces from persistent rainfall, some of which had been flooded for so long that areas have become bare where the grass has died off. Bunkers have been holding water or washing sand away and in some cases caused erosion and
destroyed areas. On top of this, the mild temperatures have meant there is still growth on the playing surfaces and greenkeepers have had to go to extreme measures to control this growth by using hand mowing equipment where possible to compensate for the wet ground conditions. Although the mild temperatures have kept the turf from going into dormancy, there has been little or no warmth to help dry out any excess water. The only salvation from this has been the repeatedly high winds and gales that we have also experienced, which although in their own way can be equally disruptive, have allowed courses to slowly dry out and reopen.
NEXT MONTH Health and safety
Includes a bacon roll and refreshments upon arrival, 18 holes of golf, one course meal upon your return and a sleeve of golf balls. For more information call Ivan Robb on 01274 534273 or email Ivan.Robb@marriotthotels.com Hollins Hall Marriott Hotel & Country Club Hollins Hill, Baildon , Shipley, BD17 7QW MarriottHollinsHall.co.uk
Business Membership Opportunity
Limited Offer At Hexham we have a wide range of services available to enable your golf to work alongside your business Your membership entitles you to a fantastic golf package which includes:
MAGDALENE FIELDS GOLF CLUB Berwick upon Tweed TD15 1NE
GREEN FEE SPECIAL Monday to Friday tee off between 10.30 to 11.30 £10 Per person - maximim of 4 people per booking Valid until 31st October 2016 Excellent Visiting Party Packages For further details telephone the Secretary on 01289 306130 e: secretary.m.f.g.c@hotmail.co.uk www.magdalene-fields.co.uk
• One four ball per day Sunday p.m to Friday • Free Tee Sponsorship worth £750 promoting your company name to thousands of golfers
• No green fees for your Corporate Golf Day (up to a maximum of 60 players) • 10% discount on food and beverages • Free room hire for conferences and meetings • No need to name beneficiaries, the card provides for up to four players on presentation
For further information please contact the Club Manager on 01434 603072 ext 1 who would be delighted to talk through the various options with you.
Spital Park, Hexham, NE46 3RZ Tel: 01434 603072 - email: info@hexhamgolf.co.uk www.hexhamgolf.co.uk NORTHERN GOLFER 37
COURSEREVIEW
Stunning golf by the seaside Alan Hedley takes a trip to the Tyneside coast and finds Whitley Bay in superb order
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hitley Bay is a real triumph. At first sight it could be taken for a links course, but it isn’t. Though it is not constructed on sand, it has just about all the characteristics of a links course - it’s visually stunning and a topnotch test of golf. With views of the North Sea, and St Mary’s Island and lighthouse, the 6,579 yard layout has the feel of links golf and is of championship standard, although a little short these days for an
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international professional event. Just one-mile north of the town centre, it really does have a beautiful setting with holes flanked by gorse and trees with the Briar Dene meandering through the course. The course opens with a relatively short par five and the main concern is the out of bounds to the left. A tough 400 yard-plus par four follows and then there’s a decent short hole with out of bounds, a gully and green guarded by well-placed pot bunkers.
The dogleg fourth at under 400 yards is a good birdie chance while the fifth is more difficult, needing a good drive to clear the Dene and trees to leave a decent approach. The second par five has out of bounds right, so hug the left and while there’s the chance of getting home in two, it is high risk. It might be better to lay-up for a pitch to find the split-level green. The next is another testing par four which needs both a good drive and a solid second shot to a green which slopes from back to front. Another tricky driving hole follows as anything tugged left could end up in the trees and there’s a large fairway bunker to avoid as the fairway doglegs sharply right. The front nine ends with a short par three played to a narrow, well-protected green and the 10th is another dogleg par four with emphasis again on accuracy as out of bounds, trees and heavy rough await, while a ditch runs across the fairway 60 yards short of the green. A long, testing par four dogleg right follows and you need to be left to really get at the green par is a good result here.
COURSEREVIEW
FACT FILE CONTACT Whitley Bay Golf Club Claremont Road, Whitley Bay NE26 3UF Tel: 0191 252 0180 Email: whitleybaygolfclub@ virgingmedia.com Web: www.whitleybaygolfclub.com GREEN FEES Weekdays £15 Weekends £18 Buggies £20 Memberships available TOTAL DISTANCE WHITE TEES 6,579 YELLOW TEES 6,304 RED TEES 5,754
The 12th is the signature hole (see fact file) and it is followed by a downhill par three with a small, bunkered green which slopes from right to left. Now it gets really interesting with one of the most difficult finishing stretches you’ll find. The 14th tee is tucked away and you must try to negotiate the valley. Not easy, and you’ll often be left with a blind shot to the green. The 15th is a lovely hole and needs a decent drive to the left over the Dene and gorse. Beware - the green is not an easy one to read. The toughest drive on the course awaits at 16, requiring a long carry over the dene, while the approach to the plateau green is always one more than you think. A cracking par three with an uphill tee shot follows and then it’s on to one of the toughest finishing holes you’ll play in the North East. The views are magnificent and you’ll need to be at your very best at this massive 459-yard par four to have any chance of a par.
Despite celebrating its 125th anniversary, Whitley Bay is certainly not stuck in the past thanks to a forward-looking board of management, which has been active in initiatives such as Café Golf to boost the ladies section plus a number of promotional activities with local schools and coaching leading to the award of GolfMark. Ever progressive, their plans to improve the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth holes are also nearing fruition. The remodelling work on the four holes has involved building two new greens, bunkering and tees, extensive mounding and planting gorse
FEATURES 18 hole championship course Practice ground Putting green Professional’s shop Visitors changing rooms Bar and lounge Restaurant Card room Disabled access to clubhouse Plenty of car parking CADDY’S TIP The key here is staying in play. Accuracy into the greens as well as a sure putting stroke will yield low scores. SIGNATURE HOLE The 582 yard par five 12th is simply magnificent and is rated one of the North’s best and toughest par fives. A drive to the right of the fairway misses the bunker left and a second shot to the right of “Charlie’s Folly” and short of the Dene gives a testing third to a two-tier green. Few walk off unscathed from this one.
OUR VERDICT One of the best courses in the North with first-class facilities. Well worth a visit.
NORTH EAST GOLFER 39
Do you live in Yorkshire? Do you have your own transport & clean driving licence? Are you interested in delivering Northern Golfer Magazine?
GOLFERNEWS
We are looking for someone based in the local area to deliver Northern Golfer on a monthly basis to selected golf clubs in and around the North, East and West Yorkshire area For further details please telephone Gillian Corney on 01661 845026 or email gillian@offstonepublishing.co.uk
Trophy comes home The Leeds cup returns to the outskirts of the city
NORTHERN
P
www.northerngolfer.co.uk
JOIN THE UK’S NO.1 TOUR • QUALIFYING TAKES PLACE OVER TWO STAGES THIS SPRING • ENTRY OPEN TO ALL PROFESSIONALS AND AMATEURS WITH A HANDICAP OF TWO OR BETTER • CHOOSE FROM ONE OF SIX FIRST STAGE VENUES • EARN A FULL CARD ON THE UK’S LEADING TOUR • MORE DETAILS AT WWW.EUROPROTOUR.COM QUALIFYING SCHOOL ENTRIES CLOSE MARCH 17
40 NORTHERN GOLFER
Gary Houston
Professional golf ’s oldest trophy returns to the city which gave it its name this year. The iconic Leeds Cup, inaugurated in 1902, will be staged at Howley Hall on August 9-11. The club, situated in Morley on the outskirts of the city, is certain to attract the leading PGA North players to the 36hole tournament which will be preceded by a pro-am. An ambitious course improvement programme has transformed the already challenging Howley Hall layout and is expected to be ready for play before the season gets under way. Founded in 1900 and home of the Yorkshire Open Championship, Howley reckon to have four of the best finishing holes in the county. Garry Houston, who has spent most of his career on the European and Challenge Tours,
was the 100th player to win the trophy at Moortown last year and is expected to defend the title. He also won the event at Oulton Hall in 2012. Sandwiched between those wins were Selby’s Nick Ludwell and Ben Mason, from Waterfront Golf, which completes four successive wins by professionals with European Tour experience. PGA North secretary Graham Maly said: “I am delighted to confirm the date in our calendar and thank the club and head PGA professional James Whitaker for supporting the event.” The cup was presented to the PGA on its formation in 1901 by the Lord Mayor of Leeds to be competed for annually by professional golfers.” Open champion Harry Vardon was the first to have his name inscribed on the trophy at Cobble Hall.
On the right track Yorkshire’s Rochelle Morris, right, was among eight of Great Britain and Ireland’s top players invited to take part in a Curtis Cup familiarisation session at Dun Laoghaire near Dublin. Dun Laoghaire is the venue for the 39th biennial match between Great Britain and Ireland and their US counterparts in June. Woodsome Hall’s Morris was runner-up in both English women’s
championships last year and will be hoping to be in the GB&I team of eight which will be announced in April. Six players will gain automatic selection – the top four players in the world golf rankings and the top two in the LGU Order of Merit. Two others will be chosen by a selection panel.
GOLFERNEWS
Cap for Chapman Adam selected for England as his club announce new chairman and captain
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indermere Golf Club’s Adam Chapman has been selected to join the team defending the men’s title at the European Nations Championship later this year. Taking place at La Reserva Golf Club in Sotogrande, Spain, the former Lakes School pupil, 20, will be joining teammates, James Allan of Essex, Marco Penge of Sussex and Ashton Turner of Lincolnshire at the end of February. The 2015 North of England champion, who recently completed an England Golf tour of Australia, where he reached the matchplay stages of the Australian and New South Wales championships, Chapman is now training in Portugal ahead of the championship. The event is contested over 72 holes of stroke play, with the best three cards
each day counting. An individual competition runs simultaneously with the Nations Championship. England won last year for the sixth time, with a one-stroke victory. All four members of that team have since turned professional. Chapman’s home club also has a new chairman in Steve Bell and captain Cliff Heath for its 125th anniversary year. Members of the club for 30 years and 36 years respectively, Grasmerebased Heath’s experience includes serving as Cumbria County Captain from 2005 and leading the team to victory in 2009 in the Northern Counties Championships for the first time, while in 2011 he was county president. Chairman of Windermere from 2014-16, Heath said: “I am delighted to be taking on the role of club captain
Adam Chapman for 2016, a position that is a great privilege to hold. “I’m also extremely pleased to be passing the chairman’s baton to Steve and am sure that under his steady hand, the club will continue to flourish.
“We’re delighted that Adam has been selected to defend England’s title and will be supporting him wholeheartedly. As a club, we are extremely proud of Adam and his achievements and will continue to support his ambitions.”
Billingham Golf Club
Just a perfect day Dunstanburgh Castle Golf Club Scenic 18 hole seaside links course designed by the famous James Braid, adjacent to spectacular Embleton Bay VISITORS & SOCIETIES WELCOME INCLUDING WEEKENDS
Winter Special
Coffee & bacon roll on arrival, round of golf followed by soup, large filled roll & chips £24 per person Mon-Fri • £27 per person weekends
WEEKEND SPECIAL (UNTIL 31ST MARCH 2016) 4 BALL ONLY £80.00 Pre-book only
Our free draining links course means we hardly ever close due to bad weather! GOLFAS 2014
Greens Team of the Year Winners!
Embleton, Northumberland, NE66 3XQ Tel: 01665 576562 email: enquiries@dunstanburgh.com www.dunstanburgh.com
OPENS 2016 29th Feb – 4BBB Mens Open 28th March – Texas Scramble – 4 Man Team 25th April – 4BBB Open 30th May – Junior Open 15th June – Seniors Open 9th July – Men’s Open 25th July – Ladies Open Telephone 01642 557060 to enter NEW CATEGORY OF MEMBERSHIP Lifestyle £200 per year plus £10 per round Weekdays - £15 per round Weekends
Telephone Julie Lapping on 01642 533816 or the Professional Mike Ure on 01642 557060 Sandy Lane, Billingham, TS22 5NA www.billinghamgolfclub.com email: billinghamgc@btconnect.com NORTHERN GOLFER 41
BERNARDGALLACHER
Bernard Gallacher
Bernie F names his champ In the third and final part of our chat with Bernard Gallacher on his recent trip to the region he reveals who he thinks is the greatest golfer
42 NORTHERN GOLFER
orget Tiger Woods - Jack Nicklaus is the world’s greatest golfer as far as Bernard Gallacher is concerned. Woods is back in upbeat mood and expects to add to his 14 major championships over the next decade despite back surgery for the second time in 18 months in September. But he has not won a tournament since the Bridgestone Invitational in August 2013 and won the last of his 14 majors in 2008. Can he win another five and take Nicklaus’s record? Perhaps he can, but Gallacher has no qualms about naming Nicklaus as his number one. “Jack is the greatest golfer who ever lived. You can forget about Tiger in that respect and the reason I say that - and I have thought about this quite a lot - is Jack was a great player in an era of great golfers,” said Gallacher. “Tiger has been a wonderful player and you have to remember how difficult it was for him as a black guy playing
golf and he never really got the chances the American country club scene provided. “It wasn’t easy for him to rise out of the circumstances that he had and what he did was fantastic. He is a wonderful player, but I always think his main adversaries were Ernie Els, Vijay Singh and Phil Mickelson and he dominated everybody in winning 14 majors. “Jack played in an era of strong American players like Arnold Palmer, Billy Casper, Lee Trevino, Tom Weiskopf, Hale Irwin, Tom Watson, Larry Nelson, Lanny Wadkins, and Tom Kite - they could field exceptional Ryder Cup teams in those days - and then there were the likes of Ben Hogan, Sam Snead and Gary Player. At 46 he was beating Seve Ballesteros and winning the Masters again. To me, he is the greatest player. He won 18 majors, but the really interesting statistic about Jack Nicklaus is that he was runner-up in a major on 19 occasions so could have won 37 - I
BERNARDGALLACHER think it annoys him that he hasn’t!” On his recent visit to Blackwell Grange - where he is an honorary member - to open the new clubhouse and driving range, Gallacher revealed taking the Golden Bear’s scalp is among his most treasured Ryder Cup memories. “I was shown a nice photograph from 1996 of myself with the Ryder Cup when we won it,” Gallacher told Blackwell members. “Europe has won seven of the last eight Ryder Cups, but in my day, it was difficult to win it because to start with we were a British and Irish side then. “In 1977 I played Jack in the Ryder Cup at Royal Lytham and that was the first time I played him. “I was naturally a bit apprehensive - terrified was the word really - and I was thinking about how I would play him, and I thought: ‘I’ll keep him waiting on the first tee’. When you keep someone waiting on the first tee chances are they’ll get nervous. “The next day arrived and the first tee at Lytham is unusual as it’s a very demanding par three. From the putting green you go through an avenue of trees, past the pro’s shop. Suddenly you’re at this 220-yard par three with out of bounds and the railway line right and it was into a left to right wind. I couldn’t see the first tee from the putting green and my caddie said ‘we’ve been called three times so we’d better get over to the tee’ and I said ‘no, we’re going to keep Jack waiting so that when we get over
there we’ll just meet Jack and get on with it’. “Eventually we go across to the tee very late and Jack hadn’t arrived! He’d been practising at the far end of the practice ground and was walking back with huge crowds clapping and waving to him - he was hugely popular. I was clapping and waving as well and I had to play him! “He was teeing off first and I told myself not watch so I wouldn’t be upset by his huge power and rhythm. I would turn away so as not be intimidated, so I did and Jack goes, but at the last moment I looked around. I didn’t want to, but I did and I thought ‘he’s caught that a bit heavy.’ Sure enough he came up a bit short at the front of the green. “I hit my two iron and ended up back left of the green. Jack chipped up to four feet and I putted down and left it two feet short, downhill, downwind and it was the most painful walk down to mark my ball. I was berating myself for leaving such a putt on the first green against Jack Nicklaus. “Then he just picked up my ball and said ‘you can have that’ and I’m thinking ‘Jack, you wouldn’t give me that putt if you knew how I was feeling.’ I then thought ‘maybe I should give Jack his four footer and then we could have a good game, giving each other 20 footers for a half on the second and that sort of thing, but I said nothing and Jack missed his putt. The first thing that went through my mind was I can only lose this 9 and 8 now!’ “I was four up after four and could have been six up after six after missing a birdie putt on five and three-putting six. “Then Jack whittled me back so that on the 16th I’m just one up - he holed a long putt and we’re all square with two to play. “I’m already reading the back pages of the newspapers about Jack giving Gallacher a four hole start and coming back to win. “At 17 Jack’s in the bunker and I have a putt of 84 feet - I know that because I holed it and they said it was the longest putt they’d shown holed on television at that time. “Jack missed his bunker shot and I’m one up with one to play and I holed a four footer on the last to win. “You may wonder why I’m telling this story - the reason is I like telling the story!”
MEMBERSHIP AVAILABLE FOR ALL CATEGORIES Summer Green Fees 1st April 2016 to 31st October 2016
From £20.00 pp without a member - from £15.00 pp with a member
Visiting Party Packages
From £26.00 pp includes coffee & bacon roll on arrival, 18 holes of golf followed by soup & sandwiches. (Mon/Wed from £21.00)
2016 Open Competitions Men’s Texas Scramble
Monday 11th April - £40.00 per team
Keith Shivers Bowl 36 hole scratch Sunday 1st May - £25.00 pp incl food
Men’s 4BBB
Saturday 18th June - £16.00 per pair
Senior’s 4BBB
Monday 11th July - £16.00 per pair
Men’s Charity 4BBB in aid of Help for Heroes Monday 1st August - £25.00 incl food
Mixed 4BBB
Sunday 14th August - £16.00 per pair
Seniors Texas Scramble
Tuesday 13th September - £40.00 per team
See www.theheworthgolfclub.co.uk for online booking
All enquiries to Bernie Craig 0191 4699832 (option 1) or email: bernie@theheworthgolfclub.co.uk Heworth Golf Club, Gingling Gate, Heworth, NE10 8XY
SKIPTON GOLF CLUB 18 HOLES OF STUNNING YORKSHIRE GOLF FULL MEMBERSHIPS FROZEN AT £790 FOR 2016 VISITING PARTIES AND SOCIETY GROUPS WELCOME GOLF PACKAGES AVAILABLE FROM £19 PER PERSON
OPEN COMPETITIONS 2016 MIXED - 26th June and 10th September SENIORS - 12th May, 23rd June and 7th September MENS - 25th June, 31st July and 25th September LADIES - 16th May, 24th June and 4th October For bookings and enquiries please contact John Bailey, Business Manager on 01756 795657 or email enquiries@ skiptongolfclub.co.uk | www.skiptongolfclub.co.uk Short Lee Lane, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 3LF NORTHERN GOLFER 43
GOLFEROBITUARY
Tributes to a legend
Region remembers Christy O’Connor Jnr.
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olfers in the North East - especially at Whitburn and Slaley Hall - were saddened to hear of the death of Christy O’Connor Jnr. The former Ryder Cup hero, European Tour and Senior Tour veteran and pioneer of golf in Ireland died aged 67, passing away in his sleep while on holiday in Tenerife. He is survived by his wife Ann, daughter Ann and son Nigel. O’Connor Jnr is probably best known for hitting one of the most famous shots in Ryder Cup history – a two-iron approach to the 18th green at The Belfry in 1989 which came to rest four feet from the hole, helping Tony Jacklin’s team retain the cup with a 14-14 tie. But on Tyneside, he will be remembered as a charming, friendly man who was touring professional with Slaley Hall and as far back as the 1960s when he spent a couple of
years as assistant pro at Whitburn Golf Club. The Lizard Lane club flew its flag at half mast as a mark of respect and several members including former captain Denis Miller and former chairman Gordon Scrowther can remember the fresh-faced youngster working there for his uncle Howard Spencer, who was the pro at South Shields and organised the golf shops and lessons at both clubs. Christy’s other uncle was, of course, Christy O’Connor Snr, one of Ireland’s greatest ever players although Christy jnr was no slouch as he proved in two Ryder Cup appearances. He also played with success in 28 seasons on The European Tour winning the Irish Open and British Masters and won 17 tournaments in total. In his maiden campaign in the over-50s ranks, O’Connor Jnr stormed to a three-shot victory in
the 1999 Senior Open Championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club, before returning to Northern Ireland a year later to successfully defend the title at Royal County Down. He also lifted two titles on the Champions Tour in America in 1999, and his success did not halt after hanging up his clubs as he forged an extremely successful career as a golf course designer, with Shane Lowry’s home golf course Esker Hills, former Irish Open venue Fota Island and recent host of the Challenge Tour’s Irish Challenge, Mount Wolseley – where he played in the pro-am last October – among the layouts in his portfolio. Tony Jacklin, two-time Major winner and 1989 Ryder Cup Captain,
said: “We were delighted to have him on the team in 1989 and I remember he was very excited when I told him. “We couldn’t have retained the Ryder Cup without him, no doubt. “He had a great effect on the team room too. “We had a great team unity and he was a big part of that.”
GEORGE WASHINGTON GOLF CLUB
S S Breakfast Club - Includes Tea or Coffee
Bacon Roll
£5.00 Monday to Thursday Green Fee
McGeorge Muffin
President’s Breakfast*
Bacon, Egg & Tomato
Buffet served in The Orangery
£6.95
£10.00
£20 £25
Sweet Muffin or Cookie
£3.45 Friday to Sunday Green Fee
All Packages include a 25 ball range voucher pp so you can practice on our NEW State of the Art Driving Range OPENS 2016 - Saturday 28th May - Scratch/Net Open, Monday 27th June - Mixed Open, Thursday 4th August -Seniors Open, Tuesday 23rd August - Ladies Open Contact the Golf Shop to Enter our Opens
0191 417 8346 44 NORTHERN GOLFER
*Breakfast available till 10.30am georgewashington.co.uk gsd@georgewashington.co.uk
Burgham, Nr Felton, Northumberland, NE65 8QP email: info@burghampark.co.uk www.burghampark.co.uk
Great Value Membership Offer Until March 2017 full membership £575 Free membership for juniors under 16 Pay and play membership option £225 plus £10 per round Direct debit payment options. Competitions 5 days a week. Corporate memberships also available. Bookings for visitors and societies now being taken for 2016 Packages tailored to suit your needs Telephone
01670 787898
East Coast Golf Passport Bridlington and the surrounding coastline proudly boasts six of Yorkshire’s finest golf coures all located within a short distance of each other offering golfers of all abilities an excellent test of golf on six very different and contrasting courses The six clubs have come together to create a new and innovative golf pass which enables visitors to Bridlington and the East Yorkshire area the opportunity to play six fantastic courses and at the same time enjoying incredible savings of up to half the normal Green Fees.
How to apply for this great deal?
Simple, just contact the office at Bridlington Belvedere Golf Club, 01262 606367 seven days a week or e-mail enquiries@bridlingtongolfclub.co.uk and let us take care of the arrangements for you.**
BRIDLINGTON GOLF CLUB
Belvedere Road, Bridlington t: 01262 606367 www.bridlingtongolfclub.co.uk
HORNSEA GOLF CLUB
Rolston Road, Hornsea t: 01964 534989 www.hornseagolfclub.co.uk
The Special reduced cost of your passport is;
£58* for 3 rounds of golf! £70* for 4 rounds of golf! £80* for 5 rounds of golf! ENJOY EXCELLENT SAVINGS!
Passport Prices includes Weekends and Bank Holidays!! FILEY GOLF CLUB
FLAMBOROUGH HEAD
West Avenue, Filey t: 01723 513293 www.fileygolfclub.com
THE BRIDLINGTON LINKS
Lighthouse Road, Flamborough t: 01262 850333 www.flamboroughheadgolfclub.co.uk
Flamborough Road, Bridlington t: 01262 401584 www.bridlington-links.co.uk
SCARBOROUGH SOUTH CLIFF Deepdale Avenue, Scarborough t. 01723 360522 www.southcliffgolfclub.com
The Revelstoke Hotel
In conjunction with the East Coast Golf Passport 1-3 Flamborough Road, Bridlington YO15 2HU
Three Day Golf Break Only £169.00 Inc. 3 rounds of golf & 2 nights b&b
Four Day Golf Break Only £237.00 Inc. 4 rounds of golf & 3 nights b&b
Five Day Golf Break Only £299.00
Inc. 5 rounds of golf & 4 nights b&b. Offer Includes Weekends Please contact us on 01262 672362 e: info@revelstokehotel.co.uk www.revelstokehotel.co.uk
www.golfcoastpassport.co.uk *Terms and conditions apply **Dates subject to availability ***Offer is not to be used in conjunction with any other offer
YORKSHIRECOAST
By the seaside With the weather a little damp of late, Dean Bailey headed to the North Yorkshire coast to sample the best of county’s linksland
BRIDLINGTON BELVADERE (PHOTO: JAKI M)
SCARBOROUGH SOUTH CLIFF GOLF CLUB Measuring a little under 6,500 yards, Scarborough South Cliff Golf Club offers a game of two halves with seven clifftop holes and 11 inland holes over the main road from Scarborough to Filey. The par 72 layout is fast-running in the height of summer and is particularly tough when the wind blows in from the North Sea. The course remains true to its Dr Alister Mackenzie post-WWI layout with the clifftop holes offering stunning views of Scarborough’s South Bay and the rugged coastline to Filey, while the first three and final eight holes offer undulating tree-lined fairways demanding accuracy from the tee. The course hosts the Men’s English Amateur Championship later this season, highlighting its place as one of Yorkshire’s finest layouts. Scarborough South Cliff Golf Club, Deepdale Avenue, Scarborough, North Yorkshire YO11 2UE, tel 01723 360 522 www.southcliffgolfclub.com FILEY GOLF CLUB The James Braid-designed layout at Filey Golf Club measures 6,230 yards from the back tees and remains a challenging example of the designer’s work. Laid out in 1899, the links at Filey still bear many of Braid’s trademarks, while the stroke index one ninth hole, which measures 435 yards, is widely regarded as one of the toughest
par fours along this stretch of coastline. During his period as club professional at nearby Ganton, Harry Vardon often played challenge matches over the Filey Course with his fellow Channel Islander Fred Beck, Filey’s professional. Expect a warm welcome in the clubhouse before and after your game – perfect to relax and enjoy the view across Filey Bay. Filey Golf Club, West Avenue, Filey, North Yorkshire, YO14 9BQ, tel 01723 513 293 www.fileygolfclub.com
FLAMBOROUGH HEAD GOLF CLUB Flamborough Head offers a year-round treat with a classic English links course rolling over the clifftops on the North Yorkshire coast. Measuring just 6,198 yards, Flamborough is not the longest links course but it is a demanding test. Avoid the rough at all costs, it is deep and will take a great shot to escape from, while the greens are large and undulating. The mix of short and long holes, played in different directions, means you are lucky if you face two similar shots in a full round here making it a tough test but an enjoyable
SCARBOROUGH SOUTH CLIFF GOLF CLUB NORTHERN GOLFER 47
holiday accommodation. The driving range, restaurant and bar are all open to the public Bridlington Links Golf & Leisure Estate Flamborough Road, Marton, Bridlington, East Yorkshire, Y015 1DW, tel 01262 401 584 www.pureleisuregroup.com/parks/bridlingtonlinks
FLAMBOROUGH HEAD GOLF CLUB one. The clubhouse at Flamborough, close to the historic lighthouse, offers stunning views of the golf course and out to the North Sea. Flamborough Head Golf Club Lighthouse Road, Flamborough East Riding YO15 1AR, tel 01262 850 333 www.flamboroughheadgolfclub.co.uk BRIDLINGTON LINKS GOLF & LEISURE ESTATE With breathtaking views over Bridlington Bay, the clifftop layout at Bridlington Links certainly offers some of the best views among our list.
The 6,719 yard, par 72 course is a true links test with the signature par five third hole demanding course management skills and accurate shot making. Lay up to the pond from the tee, or over it for the longer hitters, before avoiding the pond to the right on your second shot – play this one as a three-shotter and hope to make your birdie putt to get your round off to a great start. The facilities at Bridlington Links also include a floodlit driving range and the Sir Henry Cotton short course, plus the Danes Dyke Inn & Restaurant, a Pure Fitness gym and
BRIDLINGTON GOLF CLUB Bridlington Golf Club, or Belvedere, was founded in 1905 just to the south of the town. The 6,708 yard mature parkland course is an easy walk, while its tree-lined fairways present a stern test for those who tend to be a little wayward from the tee. The key to good scoring here is the front nine, as the finishing stretch offers few obvious birdie chances with tight, sloping greens testing the best short game players. The club has recently unveiled exciting plans for 2017, with a 12 bedroom hotel, new offices and an indoor practice facility. Bridlington Golf Club, Belvedere Road Bridlington, YO15 3NA, tel 01262 606 367 www.bridlingtongolfclub.co.uk HORNSEA GOLF CLUB With its extensive gorse and wind-blasted thorn, Hornsea Golf Club is a classic English links. Established in 1898 and moved to its present site in 1908, Sandy Herd designed the course before it was modified by Dr Alistair Mackenzie
Bed & Breakfast
‘The Friendliest Club on the Coast...’
SOUTH CLIFF GOLF CLUB
BOOK NOW FOR YOUR SPRING GOLFING BREAK 1 NIGHT & 1 DAY’S UNLIMITED GOLF*
£49 pp
Golf Coast Passport with Bed & Breakfast from
2 NIGHTS, 3 ROUNDS OF GOLF FROM 5 COURSES*
£116 pp
Bed & Breakfast with unlimited golf* Facilities include two bedrooms (max 4 guests) lounge with stunning views of the course & North Sea, a fully equipped kitchen, bathroom, parking, full use of the Clubhouse and full English Breakfast in our restaurant
Flamborough Head Golf Club For more information call: 01262 850333 LIGHTHOUSE ROAD, FLAMBOROUGH YO15 1AR
www.flamboroughheadgolfclub.co.uk
enquiries@flamboroughheadgolfclub.co.uk 48 NORTHERN GOLFER
HOST CLUB OF THE 2016 ENGLISH AMATEUR
OPENS 2016
Pairs – 1st May • Ladies Am-Am – 20th May Gents Am-Am – 29th May • Mixed Pairs – 12th June South Cliff Classic Individual – 9th/10th July Junior/Adult Pairs – 8th August • Seniors Pairs 12th August
SEE OUR WEBSITE FOR DETAILS AND HOW TO ENTER www.southcliffgolfclub.com A warm welcome for Societies all year round Group discounts available. Visitors welcome at weekends Please contact: Manager 01723 360522 or email: clubsecretary@southcliffgolfclub.com Scarborough South Cliff Golf Club, Deepdale Avenue, Scarborough YO11 2UE www.southcliffgolfclub.com
YORKSHIRECOAST and James Braid, and today it measures 6,647 yards with a par of 72. With a stiff breeze often blowing from the North Sea, the course here remains a tough test with seven holes leading out from the clubhouse towards the iconic water tower before a double loop of five holes, including the signature 11th - a 289 yard par four named Pond, and the closing stretch offers some of the county’s finest challenges en-route to the clubhouse. Hornsea Golf Club, Rolston Road, Hornsea East Yorkshire, HU18 1XG, tel 01964 534 989 www.hornseagolfclub.co.uk
located to explore the town and with a number of Yorkshire’s finest golf courses within a short drive, the Revelstoke offers a traditional setting with modern comforts including free wifi and flat-screen TV. There’s also the Harbinger Arms Bar at the hotel – the
perfect place to discuss the ups and downs of the day’s golf. The Revelstoke Hotel, Flamborough Road Bridlington, East Yorkshire, YO15 2HU tel 01262 672 362 www.revelstokehotel.co.uk
THE WHITE LODGE HOTEL After a long day on the golf course there are few better places to relax and share stories of your round than the White Lodge Hotel in Filey. With views out across Filey Bay, the hotel is perfectly placed for your golf outings and offers 20 recently refurbished en-suite bedrooms along with a newly redecorated lounge and restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. The White Lodge Hotel, The Crescent Filey, North Yorkshire, YO14 9JX, tel 01723 514 771, www.whitelodgehotelfiley.co.uk REVELSTOKE HOTEL For those travelling to Yorkshire to journey along its golfing coast, the Revelstoke Hotel, Bridlington offers a warm welcome. Perfectly
THE WHITE LODGE HOTEL
NORTHERN GOLFER 49
GOLFERTRAVEL
Emerald Isles a golfing jewel Alan Hedley takes a trip across the Irish Sea
T Driving off the Nose, Wicklow’s iconic sixth hole
Irish ferries Ulysses passing the Royal Dublin clubhouse
he intrinsic charm of playing golf in Ireland lies in the wide variety of its courses. There are some truly world-class venues such as Portrush, the K Club and County Down to name just three, but there are also many other quality courses which often escape attention but over a 30-year period, I’ve hacked my way around a fair few of both! What has never varied is the high level of hospitality and welcome afforded and on a recent trip to the Dublin and Wicklow area being able to experience more of the same and also play three outstanding courses was a joy. Having travelled to Dublin from Holyhead courtesy of Irish Ferries on their magnificent ship Ulysses, a visit
to the Teeling Distillery, Dublin’s only working whiskey distillery and then onto the Purty Kitchen in Monkstown made sure everyone was in the right frame of mind for golf. Staying in the welcoming and well-run Glenview Hotel did much the same and all that was need was some great golf courses. Our first was Woodbrook, a club steeped in history but very up to date with Peter McEvoy’s redesigned layout giving remarkably flat, generously wide, tree-lined fairways. The test at Woodbroook lies in avoiding strategically-placed fairway and greenside bunkers and having a sure putting stroke on frighteningly fast greens with subtle slopes and borrows. Wicklow’s 18-hole clifftop links
Garesfield Golf Club OPENS COMPETIONS 2016
Wednesday 6th April - Garesfield Challenge Individual Open - £12 per person inc free pint • Saturday 23rd April - Team Open Scramble - £40 per team Wednesday 27th April- Ladies Team Open Scramble - £32 per team Wednesday 4th May - Garesfield Challenge Individual Open - £12 per person inc free pint Wednesday 11th May - Mixed Open • Wednesday 1st June - Garesfield Challenge Individual Open - £12 per person inc free pint Saturday 11th June - Gents Pairs Open - £20 per pair • Monday 6th July- Garesfield Challenge Individual Open - £12 per person inc free pint Tuesday 12th July- Senior Pairs Open - £16 per pair Wednesday 3rd August - Garesfield Challenge Individual Open - £12 per person inc free pint • Saturday 17th September - Gents Team Open - £40 per team Wednesday 21st September - Mixed Pairs Open - £16 per couple • Wednesday 5th October - Ladies Team of 4 Open - £32 per team Email entries to garesfieldgc@btconnect.com For Ladies Competitions contact Sue Morgan on 07832168610 Visitors & Societies always welcome - great prices. Online Tee booking booking coming soon! New Members deals available contact the Secretary for details on 01207 561309 option 1 or email garesfieldgc@btconnect.com Well Stocked Golf Shop call in and see our great offers - Golf Lessons available We also cater for social events contact Lynne Williamson for details 01207561309 / Bar/catering option 3 See Garesfield Golf Course Facebook page and website for updates. www.garesfieldgolfclub.co.uk
Garesfield Golf Club, Chopwell, NE17 7AP 50 NORTHERN GOLFER
GOLFERTRAVEL
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 per night on two people sharing
The Auld Cross Keys Inn
(2 course evening meal, B&B, 18 holes at Minto Golf Club & Hawick Golf Club )
Tel: Karen or Dave on 01450 870305 bookings@crosskeysdenholm.co.uk www.crosskeysenholm.co.uk Five Star Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence
The Green, Denholm, Scottish Borders, TD9 8NU Wicklow Golf Club has simply outstanding views of the spectacular Wicklow Mountains and the magnificent coastline from the old Wicklow Head Lighthouse to the south as far as Bray Head to the north and across the Irish Sea. Redeveloped in 1991 by Craddock and Ruddy, it may not be to everyone’s taste with a certain number of blind shots but I loved it, especially the drive from the championship tee on the sixth - The Nose - so called as it is situated on a promontory in the Irish Sea with a 200 yard carry to the fairway - not for the fainthearted. The welcome in the clubhouse was outstanding both before and after our round and it was difficult to tear ourselves away from such wonderful hosts. Harry Colt was brought in to design Royal Dublin following its destruction by the military during the First World War and Martin Hawtree was invited to redesign and upgrade the links for the modern game. He made several significant changes, raising and significantly contouring all of the greens with a series of run-offs plus a complete re-design of the sixth, seventh and eighth holes. The course was also lengthened by more than 400 yards and it is now in excess of 7,297 yards from the back. Just getting to the club is an indication of how special the site is. The course is accessible by a narrow, one-lane wooden bridge built back in
Woodbrook golf course
The Glenview Hotel 1819 out to Bull Island in Dublin Bay or a detour around and through the course itself. It’s the second-oldest golf course and synoymous with the legend of Christy O’Connor Snr. There is a section of the clubhouse given over to record the achievements of O’Connor, the club’s head professional, who played in 10 Ryder Cup matches and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2009. Royal Dublin has hosted the European Tour’s Irish Open crowning champions in Bernhard Langer and Seve Ballesteros. Hawtree’s redesign added more than 450 yards in length - fortunately we played it off the more managable 6,934 white tees - and of the new holes - the 573-yard par five sixth and the 187-yard par three seventh are magnificent. It wasn’t all golf with excellent visits to the Coach House in Roundwood and the Ocean Bar and Grill and Bray for dinner proving noone can beat the Irish for hospitality. ■ Irish Ferries offer up to 16 crossings of the Irish Sea a day. Alan sailed to Dublin from Holyhead on Irish Ferries flagship Ulysses which at almost 51,000 tonnes is the largest and bestequipped ship on the Irish Sea. Fares start at £79 each way for a car and driver with no extra charge for carrying golf clubs or baggage in the car. Additional passengers in the same car are from £30 each way. They also offer package stays at selected hotels, B&Bs and cottages to create great value self-drive golf holidays.Visit www.irishferries.com or tel 08717 300 400
One of the jewels of Scottish Golf THE FINAL COURSE DESIGNED BY JAMES BRAID Visitors always welcome at this beautiful course that golfers of all abilities can enjoy Green fees from £20 (twilight) | Excellent packages available Stranraer Golf Club, Creachmore, Leswalt, Stranraer, DG9 0LF Telephone 01776 870245 or email: stranraergolf@btconnect.com www.stranraergolfclub.net
NORTHUMBRIA GOLF BREAKS FOR THE BEST GOLFING HOLIDAYS UNDER THE SUN
AUTUMN MIXED COMPETITION WEEKS AUTUMN MIXED WEEK TO NUEVO PORTIL SOUTHERN SPAIN 21ST - 28TH SEPTEMBER 2016 • 7 Nights half board with free open bar from 5.00 to midnight • 5 rounds of golf on Nuevo Portil and La Monacilla Golf courses • Buggies included, all golf and airport transfers. £540 pp. Single supplement £100
AUTUMN MIXED WEEK TO EL ROMPIDO 5* HOTEL 28TH SEPTEMBER - 5TH OCTOBER • 7 nights half board with free open bar 5.00 until Midnight • 5 rounds of competition golf on El Rompido North & South courses • All Transfers • £525 pp sharing • Single supplement £100
ALL PRICES ARE BASED ON TWO PEOPLE SHARING AND DO NOT INCLUDE FLIGHTS. PLEASE ENQUIRE FOR CURRENT FLIGHT PRICES
ALL OF OUR PACKAGE HOLIDAYS ARE ATOL PROTECTED Telephone: 01207 562 322 or Mobile: 07889 943 753
ATOL PROTECTED ATOL 6253
Email: brian@golfnorthumbria.com www.golfnorthumbria.com Northumbria Golf Breaks, The Office, Ravenside Farm Hedley, Stocksfield NE43 7SX NORTHERN GOLFER 51
GOLFERCOMPETITIONS
win
Northern Golfer competitions are also listed on our website www.northerngolfer.co.uk/competitions, Alternatively, you can enter via email at competitions@northerngolfer.co.uk (mark the competition name in the subject field) or post your entry to: Competitions, Northern Golfer, Unit One, Bearl Farm, Stocksfield, Northumberland, NE43 7AL
Please include your contact details and telephone number. Closing date Thursday April 7 2016. Usual competition rules apply – available on request. Winners will be published in our next edition.
.WIN GOLF FOR FOUR AT WEARSIDE GOLF CLUB. Between Sunderland and Washington, the 18-hole parkland course at Wearside sits in the shadow of Penshaw Monument on the southern side of the River Wear. It is one of the oldest parkland courses in the North East, and one of its most picturesque. For your chance to win answer this question: Where will the 2016 Ryder Cup be played?
.WIN GOLF FOR FOUR AT CASTLE EDEN GOLF CLUB. The picturesque 18-hole parkland layout at Castle Eden is one of Co Durham and Teesside’s finest. The par 70 course measures just more than 6,000 yards from the back tees and has hosted a number of Durham county events. Its undulating greens and tree-lined fairways are regularly regarded among some of the best in the county and many of them are tricky to master. For your chance to win answer this question: How many major championships has American Tom Watson won?
.WIN GOLF FOR FOUR AT SOUTH MOOR GOLF CLUB. The Dr Alister MacKenzie-designed South Moor layout is one of Durham’s finest with its rolling landscape making for a stern test punctuated by gorse, heather and bracken. For your chance to win answer this question: Who won the 2016 Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship?
December/January competition winners: Linden Hall Peter Henderson of Brandon, Co Durham Pontefract & District David McDonald of Blaydon on the Tyne
NEW AND USED TROLLEYS AVAILABLE TO BUY We have moved! Find us NOW at 27 Horsley Avenue, Crawcrook, NE40 4XF The Golf Season is nearly here make sure your trolley is up to scratch! Caddy Cell Lithium batteries in stock with full 3 years guarantee
www.5thtee.co.uk
• Batteries & Chargers always available • Free Battery Testing (including Lithium)
Telephone: 07737 963 881 or 0191 4138746 Email: info@5thtee.co.uk 52 NORTHERN GOLFER
Golf Trolley Repair & Service Centre Recommended by Slaley Hall
VISITING PARTIES & GOLF SOCIETIES WELCOME Availability Monday to Friday and Weekends Prices start from as little as
£12 per person
Contact: Andrew or Peter on 0191 5130837 email seahamgolfclub@btconnect.com
SEAHAM GOLF CLUB
Shrewsbury Street, Seaham, Co. Durham SR7 7RD
www.seahamgolfclub.co.uk
TIPS GOLFERTIPS
Dan y wae Golf HoPoerfk c orman Tour
BETTER BALL STRIKING
A common cause of poor ball striking for amateur golfers stems from trying to get under the golf ball in the downswing in order to lift the ball into the air. While this would seem the logical approach, our clubs are designed to do this for us as long as we strike down on the ball. When you try to lift the ball, you will often lose height in your right side during the downswing (right-handed golfer). This will cause fat and thin shots and often lead to well struck shots flying on a higher trajectory.
David W. Leindecker / Shutterstock.com
THE DRILL This simple drill will help you to maintain your height in the downswing and improve your ball striking. Grab a long iron and tee your ball up. The ball should be teed high enough to be able to go straight underneath it should you lose your height. When you achieve a consistent strike off the high tee* you will have gained the correct feeling of maintaining your height and you’re well on your way to better ball striking! *expect the ball to fly right to left in this drill just like playing off a lie with the ball above your feet
54 NORTHERN GOLFER
665 28 545 ce tel 012 forman ourper .t w w w .uk golf.co
GOLFGEAR
Hi-tech help is at hand Dean Bailey looks at new kit for the start of 2016 The start of the season brings with it a host of new releases for the game’s biggest manufacturers. This month sees the arrival of the latest TaylorMade multi-material driver alongside fairway woods
and rescue clubs, plus a new wedge release from Titleist and new shoes from FootJoy to come in March, Rory McIlroy-approved balls from Nike, and the latest G family of equipment from Ping…
M PEOPLE TaylorMade M2 driver RRP: £329 taylormadegolf.co.uk Following the success of October 2015’s TaylorMade M1, the M2 family of multimaterial drivers, fairway woods and rescue clubs hits shelves on February 19. The M2 driver is focused on delivering more distance with as much forgiveness as possible, with weight distributed towards the back of the head. The M2 features the same carbon-composite crown as the M1, but does not feature the same moveable weight tracks – adjustability comes in the form of the loft sleeve offering 12 positions in a four degree range.
FREESTYLERS FootJoy FreeStyle shoes RRP: £135 (laced) £150 (BOA closure system) footjoy.co.uk
THE PLAYERS’ CLUB Titleist Vokey SM6 wedges SRP: £140 (steel) £155 (custom graphite) titleist.co.uk The latest incarnation of Titleist’s Bob Vokey-designed wedges hit shelves March 11. The SM6 series of wedges feature better gapping between lofts – ranging from 46-62 degrees – thanks to a progressive positioning of the centre of gravity for each variant. There’s also a new micro groove system applied to the face of each wedge, five sole grind options, and three finishes – tour chrome, jet black and steel grey. 56 NORTHERN GOLFER
The super-flexible and rather bright FootJoy FreeStyle shoes are released in March. Offering maximum freedom of movement without sacrificing grip, the red-eyed tree frog-inspired footwear is available five colourways, each with a one-year waterproof guarantee.
INTHEBAG NEW BALLS, PLEASE Nike RZN balls RRP: £40 (RZN Tour) £30 (RZN Speed) nike.com Nike’s four new balls for 2016 – two four-piece models: the RZN Tour/Black (lower-spin distance), RZN Tour/ Platinum (mid-spin control), and two three-piece models: the RZN Speed/Red (longer carry) and RZN Speed/White (softer feel) are available now. The RZN Tour/Platinum has been designed in conjunction with Rory McIlroy at The Oven – Nike’s golf research and development centre in Fort Worth, Texas.
IN THE BAG
featuring Danny Willett, winner of the European Tour’s Dubai Desert Classic
IN THE FAMILY Ping G driver RRP: £349 ping.com Ping has unveiled its new G family of clubs for 2016. The new range of drivers, fairway woods, hybrids, ‘crossovers’ and irons includes the G driver, used by Bubba Watson on the PGA Tour, which features Dragon Fly Technology - which contributes to increased distance, forgiveness and consistency by saving 8g of weight from the crown to better position the centre of gravity and increase the moment of inertia.
TOP TECH SkyCaddie LINX GT Gametracker Edition with Tags RRP: £269.95 skycaddie.co.uk SkyCaddie’s new GPS watch, the SkyCaddie LINX GT, brings more information to your fingertips with the help of the SkyCaddie Mobile GPS App and the SmartTag system. There are 35,000 preloaded courses and the watch links to the app to give you a bird’s eye view of the course. Plus, when combined with SmartTag club tags, the app tracks your club, and the location and distance of each shot, recording it to review.
With his win in the Dubai Desert Callaway XR 16 (10.5°) Classic in February, Danny Willett rose to 13th in the Official World Golf Rankings and to third place in the season-long Race to Dubai. With his win, Willett also secured a 1-2-3 for Callaway at the top of the Race to Dubai standings with Branden Grace (second) and Swede Henrik Stenson (first). Callaway XR 16 (3&5) Following his win, Willett said: “You can’t buy the feeling of coming down the back nine, the back three, in contention in a golf tournament. It’s something that you can’t pay for in life. You’ve got to earn it. “Coming down the last with all Callaway Apex Pro (5-9) the situations that were going on. It’s just nice to know that I can dig deep there and produce.” Callaway Mack Daddy 2
(47°, 54°, 58°)
Odyssey Versa #1 Wide
Callaway SR3 NORTHERN GOLFER 57
MATCHPLAYPAIRS MATCH PLAY PAIRS APPLICATION FORM For your chance to win a top prize in amateur golf, simply fill in this application form and send it to: Tournament Organiser, Northern Golfer, Offstone Publishing, Unit One, Bearl Farm, Stocksfield, Northumberland, NE43 7AL DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES: MONDAY MARCH 30, 2016 2015 winners Ian Irving and Gary Foxwell
LEAD PLAYER PLAYER NAME
HANDICAP GOLF CLUB
ADDRESS POSTCODE TEL (DAY)
TEL (EVE)
Deadline for entries is March 30
PARTNER
HANDICAP
PLAYER NAME
GOLF CLUB
ADDRESS POSTCODE TEL (DAY)
Match Play Pairs 2016
TEL (EVE)
PAYMENT:
ENTRY FEE
I have enclosed a cheque made payable to Offstone Publishing for £25 Or I authorise Offstone Publishing to debit my Mastercard/Visa/Maestro/Delta card by £25 only
£25
Card Number
F
ollowing another successful event in 2015, with a thrilling 25-hole final, the Northern Golfer Gents Match Play Pairs returns for 2016. Matches are played throughout the season and we’ll be following the event throughout the year ahead of the semifinals at Slaley Hall and the final at Wynyard Golf Club in September. The winners will receive places on the NE/NW Pro Am to be staged on
NORTHERN GOLFER GENTS MATCH PLAY PAIRS RULES 2016 1. A Pairs Match Play competition to be run in conjunction with Northern Golfer for its readers within its circulation area. 2. Entry forms, illegible or incorrect may result in the entrants being disqualified. 3. At each match, if courtesy is not given, green fees will be shared by both home and away teams. 4. All entry forms are to be directed to Northern Golfer with the entry fee.
Issue No:
Valid from:
(Maestro only)
Exp date:
CSC: (3 digits on the
7. Matches to be played using 90% of the difference of the handicap taken from the lowest handicap as per the new COGNU rules.
Cardholders Signature:
Please fill in the name and address the card is registered to: Title
5. The minimum age for the competition is 18, there is no maximum. 6. The maximum handicap is 24.
back of your card)
Inital
Surname
8. Matches to be played off the tees of the day - (Home players may choose between yellows or whites depending on club policy). 9. This competition is open to Golf Club members with a valid handicap.
Address
10. Handicap certificates should be available at all matches for opponents to inspect if requested. 11. No player can enter the competition more than once.
Northern Golfer would like to keep you informed of our news, offers and competitions. If you prefer NOT to recieve our newsletter please tick this box
58 NORTHERN GOLFER
the Algarve later this year organised by Kevin Batty from Golfing Holidays. In 2015, the final was staged at Ramside Hall Golf Club with Arcot Hall’s Ian Irving and Gary Foxwell winning the title in a dramatic sevenhole sudden-death playoff. To enter, fill in the application form and send it to Northern Golfer Match Play Pairs, Offstone Publishing, Unit 1 Bearl Farm, Stocksfield Northumberland, NE43 7AL.
12. Once a team has registered their home club, they cannot transfer to another club without notifying Northern Golfer and a transfer will only be accepted once a check has been made that the players have fully complied with COGNU handicapping rules.
13. The home drawn pair to offer three dates and times to their opposition. 14. No extensions will be given. 15. In the event of being unable to arrange a date, both teams will be disqualified. 16. Should a match be tied after 18 holes, the result will be decided by a sudden death play off commencing at the 1st hole. 17. A panel consisting of representatives from Northern Golfer will adjudicate any disputes in conjunction with the Rules Office of the R & A. Their decision will be final. 18. No correspondence will be entered into. 19. The prizes are not transferable. 20. Distance Measuring Devices are permitted. 21. All players must agree to being photographed and included in Northern Golfer should the occasion arise. 22. The Semi-Finals and Final are to be played during the first two weeks of September 2016 23. Date and venue of the NE/NW PGA Pro Am has yet to be confirmed 24. Closing dates for entries March 30, 2016.
LADIESGREENSOMES LADIES PAIRS APPLICATION FORM For your chance to win a golf break to Matfen Hall, simply fill in this application form and send it to: Tournament Organiser, Northern Golfer, Offstone Publishing Unit One, Bearl Farm, Stocksfield, Northumberland, NE43 7AL DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES: THURSDAY APRIL 30, 2016 2015 winners Anne Gollogly and Katie Clark
Ladies Greensomes
Deadline for entries is April 30
T
he Northern Golfer Ladies Greensomes returns this season following the success of last year’s inaugural event. The event is sponsored by Matfen Hall and will be played throughout the season with entries open now. The event sees pairs of ladies, who are active members of golf clubs with a handicap of 36 or less and aged over 18, compete in knockout matchplay rounds at courses around the region
ahead of the semi finals and final at Matfen Hall, Northumberland in September. The winning pair will receive a twonight stay for four people at Matfen Hall, which includes dinner, bed and breakfast, use of the spa facilities and two rounds of golf as well as the championship trophy. To enter this year’s Northern Golfer Ladies Greensomes Championship, fill in the coupon left, alternatively go to www.northerngolfer.co.uk
NORTHERN GOLFER LADIES GREENSOMES CHAMPIONSHIP RULES 2015 1. Run in conjunction with Northern Golfer for its readers within its circulation area. 2. The format for the event will be match play greensomes - in which each member of a pair tees off on each hole. A tee shot is then selected and the pair progresses, playing alternate shots, until the ball is holed or the hole is conceded. Note, there is no limit the number of drives chosen from each player. 3. A pair’s handicap is calculated using the England Golf’s Greensomes Handicap Conversion Table (available on request and from www.northerngolfer.co.uk). A pair’s greensomes handicaps are added together. The lowest of the two teams’ combined greensomes handicaps is then deducted from the highest. This number (decimals rounded down) is the number of strokes the higher handicapped team will receive. 4. Entry forms, illegible or incorrect may result in disqualification. 5. At each match, if courtesy is not given, green fees will be shared. 6. All entry forms are to be directed to Northern Golfer with the entry fee. 7. The minimum age is 18. 8. The maximum handicap is 36. 9. Matches to be played off the tees of the day (Home players may choose depending on club policy). 10. This competition is open to golf club members with a valid handicap.
11. Active handicap certificates must be available at all matches for opponents to inspect if requested. 12. No player can enter the competition more than once. 13. Once a team has registered their home club, they cannot transfer to another club without notifying Northern Golfer and a transfer will only be accepted once a check has been made that the players have fully complied with COGNU handicapping rules. 14. The home drawn pair to offer three dates and times to their opposition. 15. No extensions will be given. 16. In the event of being unable to arrange a date, both teams will be disqualified. 17. Should a match be tied after 18 holes, the result will be decided by a sudden death play off commencing at the First hole. 18. A panel consisting of representatives from Northern Golfer will adjudicate any disputes in conjunction with the Rules Office of the R&A. Their decision will be final. 19. No correspondence will be entered into. 20. The prizes are not transferable. 21. Distance Measuring Devices are permitted. 22. All players agree to being photographed and included in Northern Golfer. 23. Closing dates for entries is April 30, 2016.
LEAD PLAYER PLAYER NAME
HANDICAP GOLF CLUB
ADDRESS POSTCODE TEL (DAY)
TEL (EVE)
PARTNER
HANDICAP
PLAYER NAME
GOLF CLUB
ADDRESS POSTCODE TEL (DAY)
TEL (EVE)
PAYMENT:
ENTRY FEE
I have enclosed a cheque made payable to Offstone Publishing for £10 Or I authorise Offstone Publishing to debit my Mastercard/Visa/Maestro/Delta card by £10 only
£10
Card Number Issue No:
Valid from:
(Maestro only)
Exp date:
CSC: (3 digits on the back of your card)
Cardholders Signature:
Please fill in the name and address the card is registered to: Title
Inital
Surname
Address
Northern Golfer would like to keep you informed of our news, offers and competitions. If you prefer NOT to recieve our newsletter please tick this box NORTHERN GOLFER 59
directory NOR THERN
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Pick up a copy of Northern Golfer at any of these venues
COUNTY DURHAM Barnard Castle Golf Club Harmire Rd, Barnard Castle, DL12 8QN 01833 638 355
To be listed or to advertise please call 01661 844115 or email enquiries@northerngolfer.co.uk
Beamish Park Golf Club Beamish Park, Stanley, DH9 0RH 0191 370 1382 Birtley Golf Club Portobello Road, Birtley, Chester-le-Street, DH3 2LR 0191 410 2207 Bishop Auckland Golf Club High Plains, Bishop Auckland, DL14 8DL 01388 661 618 Blackwell Grange Golf Club Snipe Lane, Darlington, DL2 2SA 01325 464 458 Brancepeth Castle Golf Club Brancepeth Castle, DH7 8EA 0191 378 0075 Castle Eden Golf Club Castle Eden, TS27 4SS 01429 836 510 Chester le Street Golf Club Lumley Pk, Chester le Street, DH3 4NS 0191 388 3218 Cocken Lodge Golf Cocken Lodge Farm, Leamside, DH4 6QP 0191 584 1053 Consett & District Golf Club Elmfield Road, Consett, DH8 5NN 01207 505 060 Crook Golf Club Low Jobs Hill, Crook DL15 9AA 01388 762 429 Darlington Golf Club Haughton Road, Darlington, DL1 3JD 01325 355 324 Dinsdale Spa Golf Club Middleton St George, Darlington, DL2 1DW 01325 332 297 Durham City Golf Club Littleburn, Langley Moor, DH7 8HL 0191 378 0029 Hallgarth Hotel Golf & Country Club Coatham Munderville, Darlington, DL1 3LU 01325 300 400 Hobson Golf Club Hobson, Near Burnopfield, NE16 6BZ 01207 270 941 Ineos Golf Club School Aycliffe Lane, Newton Aycliffe, DL5 6EA. Sec: Patrick Montgomery, 07974 742 679
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Oak Leaf Golf Club School Aycliffe Lane, Newton Aycliffe, DL5 4EF 01325 310 820 Ramside Hall Golf Club Ramside Hall Hotel, Carville, Durham, DH1 1TD 0191 386 9514 Rockliffe Hall Golf Club Hurworth-on-Tees,Darlington, DL2 2DU 01325 729 980
Bamburgh Castle Golf Club The Wynding, Bamburgh, NE69 7DE 01668 214 321
Seahouses Golf Club Beadnell Road, Seahouses, NE68 7XT 01665 720 794
Saltburn by the Sea Golf Club Hob Hill, Saltburn by the Sea, TS12 1NJ 01287 622 812
Bedlingtonshire Golf Club Acorn Bank, Bedlington, NE22 6AA 01670 822 457
Slaley Hall Slaley, Hexham, NE47 0BX 01434 673 350
Seaton Carew Golf Club Tees Road, Seaton Carew, TS25 1DE 01429 266 249
Belford Golf Club South Road, Belford, NE70 7DP 01668 213 232
Stocksfield Golf Club New Ridley Rd,Stocksfield, NE43 7RE 01661 843 041
Bellingham Golf Club Boggle Hole, Bellingham, NE48 2DT 01434 220 152
Tynedale Golf Club Tyne Green, Hexham, NE46 3HQ 01434 608 154
Teesside Golf Club Acklam Road, Thornaby Stockton on Tees TS17 7JS 01642 616 516
Blyth Golf Club New Delaval, Blyth, NE24 4DB 01670 540 110
Warkworth Golf Club The Links, Warkworth, NE65 OSW 01665 711 596
Burgham Park Golf Club Near Felton, Morpeth, NE65 8QP 01670 787 898
Wooler Golf Club Dod Law, Doddington, Wooler, NE71 6AN 01668 282 135
Close House Heddon-on-the-Wall, NE15 0HT 01661 852 953 Dunstanburgh Golf Club Embleton, NE66 3XQ 01665 576 562
Roseberry Grange Community Golf Club Grange Villa, Chester le Street, DH2 3NF 0191 370 0660
Goswick Golf Club Goswick Beal, TD15 2RW 01289 387 256
Seaham Golf Club Shrewsbury Street, Seaham, SR7 7RD 0191 581 1268
Gubeon Golf Centre Walton Road, Morpeth, NE61 3YJ 01670 519 090
Sharpley Golf Seaton, Seaham, Co Durham, SR7 0NP 0191 513 1100
Haltwhistle Golf Club Banktop, Greenhead, NE49 9JR 01697 747367
South Moor Golf Cub The Middles, Craghead, Stanley, DH9 6AG 01207 232 848
Hexham Golf Club Spital Lane, Hexham, NE46 3RZ 01434 603 072
Woodham Golf & Country Club Burnhill Way, Newton Aycliffe, DL5 4PN 01325 319977
Longhirst Hall Golf Club Longhirst Hall, Morpeth, NE61 3LL 01670 791 562
CUMBRIA Brampton Golf Club Talkin Tarn, Brampton, CA8 1HN 01697 72255 Seascale Golf Club The Banks, Seascale, CA20 1QL 019467 28202
NORTHUMBERLAND Allendale Golf Club High Studden, Allenheads Road Allendale, NE47 9QL 01434 683 926 Alnmouth Golf Club Foxton Hall, Alnmouth, NE66 3BE 01665 830 231 Alnmouth Village Golf Club Marine Road, Alnmouth, NE66 2RZ 01665 830 370 Alnwick Castle Golf Club Swansfield Park, Alnwick, NE66 2AB 01665 602 632 Arcot Hall Golf Club Dudley, Cramlington NE23 7QP 0191 236 2794
Macdonald Linden Hall Golf and Country Club Longhorsley, Morpeth, NE65 8XF 01670 500 011 Matfen Hall Golf Club Matfen, NE20 0RH 01661 886 400 Magdalene Fields Golf Club Berwick-upon-Tweed, TD15 1NE 01289 306 130 Morpeth Golf club Loansdean, Morpeth, NE61 2BT 01670 504 942 Newbiggin Golf Club Newbiggin NE64 3DW 01670 817 344 Percy Wood Golf Club Coast View, Swarland, Felton, NE65 9JG 01670 787 010 Ponteland Golf Club 53 Bell Villas, Ponteland, NE20 9BD 01661 822 689 Prudhoe Golf Club Eastwood Park, Prudhoe, NE42 5DX 01661 832 466 Rothbury Golf Club Whitton Bank Rd, Rothbury, NE65 7RX 01669 621 271
Wilton Golf Club Wilton,Near Redcar, TS10 4QY 01642 465 265 Wynyard Hall Golf Club Wellington Drive, Wynyard Park Billingham, TS22 5NQ 01740 644 399
TYNE AND WEAR SCOTTISH BORDERS Eyemouth Golf Club Gunsgreenhill, Eyemouth, D14 5SF 01890 750 004 Hirsel Golf Club Kelso Road, Coldstream TD12 4NJ 01890 882 678 Roxburghe Golf Club Kelso, Roxburghshire, TD5 8JZ 01573 450 333
TEESSIDE Billingham Golf Club Sandy Lane, Billingham, TS22 5NA 01642 533 816 Cleveland Golf Club Majuba Road, Redcar, Cleveland TS10 5BJ 01642 471 798 Eaglescliffe & District Golf Club Yarm Road, Eaglescliffe, TS16 0DQ 01642 780 238 Hartlepool Golf Club Hart Warren, Hartlepool, TS24 9QF 01429 274 398 High Throston Golf Club Hart Lane, Hartlepool, TS26 0UG 01429 268 071 Hunley Hotel & Golf Club Brotton, By Saltburn, TS12 2QN 01287 677 444 Ingleby Barwick Golf Club Lullingstone Crescent, Ingleby Barwick, Stockton on Tees, TS17 5GJ 01642 765 000 Knotty Hill Golf Centre Sedgefield, Stockton on Tees, TS21 2BB 01740 620 320 Middlesbrough Golf Club Brass Castle Lane, Middlesbrough TS8 9EE 01642 311 515
Backworth Golf Club The Hall, Backworth, NE27 0AH 0191 268 4274 Beamish Park Hotel Golf & Driving Range, Marley Hill, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE16 5EG 01207 230666 Boldon Golf Club Dipe Lane, East Boldon, NE36 0PQ 0191 536 5360 Centurion Park Golf Club Rheydt Avenue, Wallsend, NE28 8SU 0191 263 0041 City of Newcastle Golf Club Three Mile Bridge, Gosforth Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 2DR 0191 285 1775 Garesfield Golf Club Chopwell, NE17 7AP 01207 561 309 George Washington Golf Club Stone Cellars Road, Concorde Washington, NE37 1PH 0191 417 8346 Gosforth Golf Club Broadway East, Gosforth Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 5ER 0191 285 3495 Heworth Golf Club Gingling Gate, Heworth, Gateshead, NE10 8XY 0191 469 9832 Hetton le Hill Golf Club Elemore Vale, Easington Lane, DH5 0QR 0191 517 3061 Houghton le Spring Golf Club Copt Hill, Houghton le Spring, DH5 8LU 0191 584 7421 Newcastle United Golf Club 60 Ponteland Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE5 3JW 0191 286 9998
Middlesbrough Municipal Golf Club Ladgate Lane, Middlesbrough, TS5 7YZ 01642 315 533
Northumberland Golf Club High Gosforth Park, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 5HT 0191 236 2009
Norton Golf Club Blakestone Lane, Norton Stockton on Tees, TS20 3LQ 01642 676 385
Parklands Golf Club High Gosforth Park, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 5HQ 0191 236 4480
Ryton Golf Club Clara Vale, Ryton, NE40 3TD 0191 413 3253
Filey Golf Club West Avenue, Filey, YO14 9BQ 01723 513293
South Shields Golf Club Cleadon Hills, South Shields, NE34 8EG 0191 456 8942
Forest of Galtres Golf Club Skelton, York, YO32 2RF 01904 766198
Tynemouth Golf Club Spital Dene, Tynemouth, NE30 2ER 0191 257 4578
Forest Park Golf Club Stockton-on-Forest, York, YO32 9HF 01904 400 425
Tyneside Golf Club Westfield Lane, Ryton, NE40 3QE 0191 413 2742
Fulford Golf Club Heslington Lane, York, YO10 5DY 01904 413 579
Wearside Golf Club Cox Green, Sunderland, SR4 9JT 0191 534 2518
Ganton Golf Club Station Road, Ganton, Scarborough, YO12 4PA 01944 710 329 Harrogate Golf Club Forest Lane Head, Harrogate, HG2 7TF 01423 862 999
Whickham Golf Club Hollinside Park, Fellside Road Whickham, NE16 5BA 0191 488 1576
Heworth Golf Club Muncaster House, Muncastergate, YO31 9JY 01904 426 156
Whitburn Golf Club Lizard Lane, South Shields, NE34 7AF 0191 529 4210
Kirkbymoorside Golf Club Manor Vale, Kirkbymoorside, YO62 6EG 01751 431 525
Whitley Bay Golf Club Claremont Rd, Whitley Bay, NE26 3UF 0191 252 0180
Knaresborough Golf Club Boroughbridge Road, Knaresborough, HG5 0QQ 01423 862 690
YORKSHIRE (EAST)
Malton & Norton Golf Club Welham Park, Welham Road, Norton,Malton, YO17 9QE 01653 697 912
Beverley and East Riding Golf Club Anti Mill, Westwood, Beverley, HU17 8RG 01482 868757 Bridlington Golf Club Belvedere Road, Bridlington, YO15 3NA 01262 606 367 Bridlington Links Golf Club Flamborough Road, Marton, Bridlington, YO15 1DW 01262 401 584 Driffield Golf Club Sunderlandwick, Driffield, YO25 9AD 01377 253 116 Flamborough Head Golf Club Lighthouse Road, Flamborough, Bridlington, YO15 1AR 01262 850 333 Hornsea Golf Club Rolston Rd, Hornsea, HU18 1XG 01964 534989
Masham Golf Club Burnholme, Swinton Road, Masham, Ripon, HG4 4NS 01765 688 054 Oakdale Golf Club Oakdale, Harrogate, HG1 2LN 01423 567 162 Pannal Golf CLub Follifoot Road, Pannal, HG3 1ES 01423 872 628 Pike Hills Golf Club Tadcaster Road, Askham Bryan, YO23 3UW 01904 700 797 Richmond Golf Club Bend Hagg, Richmond, DL10 5EX 01748 823 231
Scarborough South Cliff Golf Club Deepdale Avenue, off Filey Road, YO11 2UE 01723 360 522
Mid Yorkshire Golf Club Havercroft Lane, Pontefract, Darrington, WF8 3BP 01977 704522 Moor Allerton Golf Club Coal Road, Wike, Leeds, LS17 9NH 0113 266 1154
Scarthingwell Golf Club The Scarthingwell Centre, Scarthingwell, Tadcaster, LS24 9PF 01937 557 878
Moortown Golf Club Harrogate Road, Leeds, LS17 7DB 0113 268 6521
Selby Golf Club Mill Lane, Brayton, YO8 9LD 01757 228 622
Otley Golf Club West Busk Lane, Otley, Leeds, LS21 3NG 01943 465 329
Skipton Golf Club Short Lee Lane, Skipton, BD23 3LF 01756 795 657
Oulton Hall Rothwell Lane, Oulton, Leeds, Yorkshire, LS26 8HN 0871 222 4690
The Oaks Golf Club Aughton Common, Aughton, YO42 4PW 01757 288 577 Thirsk & Northallerton Golf Club Thornton le Street, Thirsk, YO7 4AB 01845 525 115
Pontefact & District Golf Club Park Lane, Pontefract, WF8 4QS 01977 792241
Whitby Golf Club Low Straggleton, Whitby, YO21 3SR 01947 600 660
Rawdon Golf and Lawn Tennis Club Buckstone Drive, Rawdon, Leeds, LS19 6BB 0113 2506040
York Golf Club Lords Moor Lane, Strensall, YO32 5XF 01904 491 840
Sand Moor Golf Club Alwoodley Lane, Leeds, LS17 7DJ 0113 268 5180
YORKSHIRE (WEST)
Scarcroft Golf Club Syke Lane, Leeds, LS14 3BQ 0113 289 2263
Bradford Golf Club Hawksworth Lane, Guiseley, LS20 8NP 01943 875570 Cookridge Golf Club Cookridge Lane, Cookridge, Leeds, LS16 7NL 0113 230 0641
Wakefield Golf Club 28 Woodthorpe Lane, WF2 6JH 01924 258778 Woodhall Hills Golf Club Woodhall Road, Calverley, Pudsey, LS28 5UN 0113 255 4594
Dewsbury District Golf Club The Pinnacle, Sands Lane, Mirfield, WF14 8HJ 01924 492399
Wetherby Golf Club Linton Lane, Linton, Wetherby, LS22 4JF 01937 580 089
Garforth Driving Range Barwick Road, Garforth, Leeds, LS25 2DN 0113 287 1111
OTHER GOLF OUTLETS
Garforth Golf Club Long Lane, Garforth, Leeds, LS25 2DS 0113 286 2021 Headlingly Golf Club Back Church Lane, Adel, Leeds, LS16 8DW 0113 267 9573
Andy Paisley Golf Centre, Hexham Golf Club, Spittal Lane, Hexham, NE46 3RZ 01434 603 072 Aslan Golf Lizard Lane, Whitburn, NE34 7AF 0191 5294210 Bargain Golf Seaham Golf Club, Shrewsbury Street, Seaham, SR7 7RD 0191 5130837 & Hobson Golf Club Burnopfield, Newcastle, NE16 6BZ 01207 271605
Ripon Golf Club Palace Road, Ripon, HG4 3HH 01765 603 640
Hollins Hall Hollins Hill, Baildon, Shipley, Bradford, BD17 7QW 01274 530 053
YORKSHIRE (NORTH)
Romanby Golf Club Yafforth Road, Northallerton, DL7 0PE 01609 778 855
Horsforth Golf Club Layton Rise, Horsforth, Leeds, LS18 5EX 0113 258 6819
Aldwark Manor Golf Club Aldwark Alne,YO61 1UF 01347 838 146
Rudding Park Golf Club Rudding Park, Harrogate, HG3 1JH 01423 872 100
Huddersfield Golf Club Fixby Hall, Lightridge Rd, HD2 2EP 01484 426203
Bedale Golf Club Leyburn Road, Bedale, DL8 1EZ 01677 422 451
Sandburn Hall Golf Club Flaxton, York, YO60 7RB 01904 469 929
Leeds Golf Club Elmete Lane, Leeds, LS8 2LJ 0113 265 9203
Direct Golf Lullingstone Crescent Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, TS17 5GJ 01642 765 000
Scalm Park Golf Club Bishop Wood, Wistow Common, Selby, YO8 3RD 01757 210 846
Leeds Golf Centre Wike Ridge Lane, Shadwell, Leeds LS17 9JW 0113 288 6000
Dynamic Indoor Golf Wideopen, Newcastle, NE13 7BA 0191 481 3590
The KP Golf Club Pocklington, York, YO42 1UF 01759 303 090
Catterick Golf Club Leyburn Road, Catterick Garrison, DL9 3QE 01748 833 268
Custom Fit Golf South Moor Golf Club Superstore Craghead, Stanley DH9 6AG 01207 283 525
Eureka Copt Hill, Houghton le Spring, DH5 8LU 0191 584 1198 George Paylor 5th Tee 27 Horsley Avenue, Crawcrook, NE40 4XF 07737 963881 Jeffrey Musgrove Golf Shop Garesfield Golf Club Chopwell, NE17 7AP 01207 563082 Leda Discount Golf Centre Grange Villa, Chester le Street, DH2 3NF 0191 370 1757 Marshalls Golf Heworth Golf Club, Gingling Gate, Heworth, NE10 8HY 0191 4384223 Gordon Catterill Golf Shop Middlesbrough Golf Club, Brass Castle Lane, TS8 9EE 01642 311766 Philips Golf Discount Unit 3 Strand Business Centre Locomotion Way, Camperdown Ind Est Killingworth, NE12 5UJ 0191 268 0008 Riverdale Hotel Bellingham NE48 2JT 01434 220 254 Snainton Golf Direct Coast View, Swarland, Felton, NE65 9JG 01670 787 010 Stokesley Driving Range Broughton Road, Stokesley, TS9 5JJ Sunderland Golf Centre Newcastle Road, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear, SR5 1JT. 0191 516 8600 Tim Jenkins Golf Cleveland Golf Club, Majuba Road, Redcar, TS10 5BJ 01642 471 798 also at Castle Eden Golf Club, Castle Eden, TS27 4SS 01429 836689 Tour Performance Golf California Road, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA3Â 0BY 01228 545 665 The Hobson Golf Range Hobson Golf Club, Burnopfield, NE16 6BZ ZFL Golf Unit 8d, North Tyne Ind. Estate, NE12 9SZ 0191 270 2362 SELECTED TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRES ALNWICK, BELLINGHAM, BERWICK, CORBRIDGE, HALTWHISTLE, HEXHAM MORPETH, NEWCASTLE, ROYAL QUAYS, SALTBURN, SEAHOUSES WHITLEY BAY AND SELECTED GOLF CLUBS IN THE BORDERS AND CUMBRIA
NORTHERN GOLFER 61
To be listed or to advertise please call 01661 844115 or email enquiries@northerngolfer.co.uk
Westerhope Golf Club Whorlton Grange, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE5 1PP 0191 286 9125
Scarborough North Cliff Golf Club North Cliff Avenue, Scarborough, YO12 6PP 01723 355 397
directory
Easingwold Golf Club Stillington Road, Easingwold, YO61 3ET 01347 822 474
NOR THERN
Ravensworth Golf Club Angel View, Longbank, Gateshead, NE9 7UU 0191 487 6014
from the
bunker Ted Bliss (right) with son Stephen (centre) and grandson Alex with their trophies at Gosforth’s presentation night Golf at Gosforth is just pure Bliss. Grandfather Ted Bliss, a former captain of the club, ended 2015 with his 11th hole-in-one, his first club trophy for 20 years, while his son Stephen, a six handicapper, won the club’s Calcutta singles and doubles and Ted’s grandson Alex, who is off 11, picked up the Victory Trophy. Ted, 77, who plays off 13, had four holes-in-one in 12 months in 2014 to take his total of aces top 10, but the 11th at the end of last year, was a little bit special as it was at the sixth which is currently being played as a par four of 280 yards. Not surprisiingly, he used a driver and all 11 of his aces have been at the Gosforth club where he joined in 1972. He’s aced all five par threes at Gosforth, having done a hat-trick at the fifth and twice aced the 11th. “I suppose I was a bit of a late starter with regard to holes-in-one as the first was in 1987,” said Ted, ‘but none of them were flukes, they were all pretty decent shots. “You have to be pretty accurate to have a hole-in-one unless it’s a a bit of a lucky fluke. I was delighted with the hole-in-one and also with the fact all three of us picked up trophies at the club’s presentation night - I think I was more pleased with that and it’s maybe some sort of record for three generations to have won in the same year at the same club. Mind you, it’s 20 years since I last won a trophy!” Well done chaps. Ted has also been captain of the club and chairman of the seniors section and made one appearance for Gosforth in the Newcastle and District League with a 100% record!
Picturesque 18 Hole Parkland Course Visiting & Societies always welcome GOLF PACKAGES 2016 From £20.00 per person - includes coffee/bacon roll + 18 holes of golf Buggies available For further details or to book please contact the Professional Darren Crowle on 01388 762429 or email: secretary@crookgolfclub.co.,uk OPEN COMPETITIONS 2016 To enter check our website www.crookgolfclub.co.uk CROOK GOLF CLUB LOW JOBS HILL, CROOK, DL15 9AA 62 NORTHERN GOLFER
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Michael Bowman and Mark Ridley
South Moor pro Mark Ridley fell off the wagon in style on the western Mediterranean coast in Turkey. After finishing fourth with amateur partner Michael Bowman in the Golfplan Insurance PGA ProCaptain Challenge, Ridley attended the tournament’s gala dinner and karaoke. He said: “The camaraderie among players from all over the UK was so good I thought I would enter into the spirit of the occasion. I can’t remember too much about it apart from that I was so rough it reminded me why I don’t drink and I have happily gone back to being a teetotaller, thank you very much!”
Top tweets Nicola Whitehead (@WhiteheadNicola) @negolfer @RamsideGolfClub @ThisGirlCanSY snow’ stopping #teamWhitehead the hard work continues #soonbespring Longhirst Golf (@longhirstgolf): 2015 saw more great memories for Longhirst - including the men’s #golf league win!! @Forebiz @negolfer Chamonix Sean Caddy (@SeanSkiCaddy): A photo of @KeriDrish taking a photo of @ChrisPaisley86 ... 9th hole of @ADGolfClub. #funweekahead
14 MONTH MEMBERSHIP THE PRICE OF 12 FROM FEBRUARY 1ST 2016 - 31ST MARCH 2017 Monday 18th April. Ladies Open. £24 team of 4. Saturday 6th August. Gents Open. £16 per pair. Tuesday 9th August. Seniors Open. £16 per pair. Monday 5th September. Ladies Open. £12 per pair.
VISITING PARTIES WELCOME - Packages tailored to suit your needs!
3 MONTH TRIAL MEMBERSHIPS ONLY £150! For further details or to book a tee time telephone the Secretary on 0191 2867636 or 0191 2860594 email: wgc@btconnect.com
WESTERHOPE GOLF CLUB Whorlton Grange, Westerhope, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE5 1PP www.westerhopegolfclub.com
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Discounted golf equipment & clothing Fully stocked store - all major brands In-store Flightscope Xi & golf simulator for accurate custom fitting & tuition We have a massive selection of second hand sets of irons, woods, wedges & drivers in
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TITLEIST AP1 & AP2 716 IRON IN STOCK
All staff P.G.A. qualified. Over 35 years experience. Friendly honest advice External practice area for long game and new short game area next to shop We have thousands of happy repeat customers, we must be doing something right
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Part Exchange welcome - top prices given
Authorised stockists for Callaway, Mizuno TaylorMade, Cobra, Titlest, Bridgestone & more. We have heads & shaft options for a
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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 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
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2016
GOLF SOCIETIES DEAL ONE
DEAL TWO
DEAL THREE
PERCY WOOD 1 Night accommodation Breakfast 2 Rounds of golf
PERCY WOOD 2 Nights accommodation Breakfast 3 Rounds of golf
£65.00 M/Week £75.00 W/End
£105.00 M/Week £109.00 W/End
PER PLAYER
PER PLAYER
PERCY WOOD & SEAHOUSES 1 Night accommodation Breakfast 1 Round Percy Wood 1 Round Seahouses £71.50 M/Week £73.50 W/End PER PLAYER
DEAL FOUR
DEAL FIVE
DEAL SIX
PERCY WOOD & SEAHOUSES 2 Nights accommodation Breakfast 2 Rounds Percy Wood 1 Round Seahouses £105.00 M/Week £109.00 W/End
PERCY WOOD & DUNSTANBURGH 1 Night accommodation Breakfast 1 Round Percy Wood 1 Round Dunstanburgh £81.50 M/Week £87.50 W/End
PERCY WOOD & DUNSTANBURGH 2 Nights accommodation Breakfast 2 Rounds Percy Wood 1 Round Dunstanburgh £116.50 M/Week £119.50 W/End
PER PLAYER
PER PLAYER
PER PLAYER
DEAL SEVEN
DEAL EIGHT
DEAL NINE
PERCY WOOD & BURGHAM 1 Night accommodation Breakfast 1 Round Percy Wood 1 Round Burgham £77.50 M/Week £87.50 W/End
PERCY WOOD & BURGHAM 2 Nights accommodation Breakfast 2 Round Percy Wood 1 Round Burgham £102.50 M/Week £116.50 W/End
PER PLAYER
PER PLAYER
PERCY WOOD, SEAHOUSES & BURGHAM 2 Nights accommodation Breakfast 1 Round Percy Wood 1 Round Seahouses 1 Round Burgham £117.50 M/Week £121.50 W/End
DEAL TEN
DEAL ELEVEN
PERCY WOOD, DUNSTANBURGH & BURGHAM 2 Nights accommodation Breakfast 1 Round Percy Wood 1 Round Dustanburgh 1 Round Burgham
PERCY WOOD, SEAHOUSES & DUNSTANBURGH 2 Nights accommodation Breakfast 1 Round Percy Wood 1 Round Seahouses 1 Round Dunstanburgh
£124.50 M/Week £130.50 W/End
£121.50 M/Week £127.50 W/End
PER PLAYER
PER PLAYER
Email: golf@percywoodgolf.co.uk www.percywoodgolf.co.uk Chesterhill | Swarland | Morpeth | Northumberland | NE65 9JW
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