Yorkshire Golfer – February 2019

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February 2019

Fixby do us proud

Huddersfield juniors just edged in final in bid to win Home Nations Inter Club title

Sky Sports’ Mark Roe offers his 2019 Majors forecast

Berry will lead Yorkshire again before bowing out

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February 2019 Yorkshire Golfer is published by League Weekly Ltd, 31 Branch Road, Batley, W. Yorks WF17 5SB Tel 01924 470296 for subscriptions & deliveries Contents are protected by copyright and may not be reproduced wholly or in part without permission of the publishers

IN THIS ISSUE WOODS? YOU BELIEVE IT! If you’re one of those people hoping that Tiger Woods can win another Major then Sky Sports’ Mark Roe can offer you encouragement p4 and p5 SAME AGAIN – FOR NOW Yorkshire Union of Golf Clubs has confirmed that Darryl Berry will captain its team in 2019 – but has begun the search for the highly-successful leader’s successor as this will be his last season p6 CAT-NAV TO THE RESCUE How Elsham Golf Club professional David McNicholas’s cat Kiwi used up one of its nine lives before being tracked down with the aid of GPS p9

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EDITORIAL:

Sandra Kirton 07771 885757 sandra@yorkshire-golfer.com mike@yorkshire-golfer.com @yorkshiregolfer

find us online: www.yorkshiregolfer.net SWING MAESTRO Waterfront Golf’s Danny Walsh offers a cure for a slice and Scarthingwell Golf Academy’s Tony Howarth provides some gripping advice p10 and p22

MEETING A LEGEND Leeds Alliance captain bumps into Gary Player 12 MAKING HIS MARK Rawdon’s Mark Rhodes is heading to Abu Dhabi as a member of Britain’s golf team at the Special Olympics World Games where he will play the renowned Yas Links p14

STUNNING SANDBURN There is a challenge awaiting every golfer from the humble hacker to the scratch player at superb Sandburn Hall in the Vale of York p18 and p19 NEW ROUTE, SAME DESTINATION Our columnist Chris Hanson has set himself a series of targets as he looks to return to the European Tour via success on the Challenge Tour p20 QUICK TO IMPRESS Howley Hall’s Ben Hutchinson, a former Yorkshire champion, got his England career off to a great start as he was joint top points scorer for the team on his debut in Spain at Costa Ballena p21

Spread your club's good news... email your results, open events, photographs and news items to us on: mike@yorkshire-golfer.com and follow us on Twitter @yorkshiregolfer THE NEXT ISSUE OF YORKSHIRE GOLFER WILL BE DELIVERED TO CLUBS ON TUESDAY, MARCH 5th, 2019

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February 2019

SO CLOSE Battling Fixby youngsters go down by just one point in Home Nations Inter Club Championship final

English champions Huddersfield are denied in Algarve HUDDERSFIELD Golf Club went agonisingly close to winning the Junior Team Golf Home Nations Inter Club Championship, which was played at Morgado Golf and Country Club, in Portugal’s Algarve.

The Fixby youngsters went down by a single point to Burhill in an allEngland final, losing by 3.5 points to 2.5.

Reigning English champions Huddersfield were cheered on by a travelling band of supporters that included club President Charles Webb, captain Brad Tupman, lady captain elect June Sowden and head professional Alex Keighley.

They topped Pool A after winning two and losing one match in a group that also included West Herts, Carmarthen Golf Club from Wales and Barassie from Scotland.

Burhill had made it through to the final with an unbeaten run against Cruden Bay from Aberdeen, Welsh representatives Bulith Wells and Rossendale from Lancashire.

Huddersfield had beaten Burhill into second place in the English finals last November and got off to a great start in front of the Sky cameras when James Edwards smashed his drive pin high on the 340- yard opening hole to set up a birdie, and he was one under par gross in defeating Burhill’s David Gurr 4&3.

Fixby’s Ben Walker went down in the next game by 3&1 before the Yorkshire side gained the advantage once again after Dylan Shaw Radford showed great determination in hanging on to a slender lead to win 2&1.

Louie Walsh has seen plenty of tournament action at the tender age of 13 and the five-handicapper had a tough match against Burhill’s Harley Yates before finishing all square.

Huddersfield’s Jessica Hoskins also showed plenty of Yorkshire grit in recovering from a six-hole deficit before finally succumbing 3&2.

The deciding game was between

Huddersfield’s youngest first-team player Brighdy Connors and Burhill’s Elliott MacGregor.

Brighdy always belies her years and gave her opponent a real run for his money before losing by two hole.

Huddersfield’s junior organiser Stuart Henbest said: “There’s a right way to win and a right way to lose. Our team acted with grace in defeat and I’m very proud of how they all handled it. I’ve no doubt this team will be back in the coming years, they’re too good not to be.”

Henbest also paid tribute to Dominic Hughes, who missed out on a place in the final.

“Dominic was exceptional throughout,” said Henbest. “His eagle from the bunker on day four prompted the best celebration I saw all week and deservedly so. Watch out for him this year; with his length off the tee and his attitude to the game I expect big things from him this year.

“Also a special mention for Oliver Hughes and Daniel Henbest. At 11 years old they played four rounds in four days off white tees on championship golf courses, both playing and scoring really well and they will benefit greatly from the experience.

“I look forward to seeing the all the players progress this year. It’s frightening to think of how good they’ll be in the future and all bodes well for junior golf at HGC. “Finally thank you to the President, captains and members of all sections of HGC for the extremely generous donations and support we received to get us to Portugal. We couldn’t have done it without your help. And thank you for

all your support while we played in the competition, especially from those who were able to come out and watch the team.

“We had the most supporters of all the teams and it gave us a huge boost having you with us.

“We remain English National Champions and will be doing our best to represent our club at the highest levels again in the future.”

Huddersfield continued a strong record for Yorkshire clubs in the event ,which dates back to 1998 when Northcliffe won the inaugural event at Atalaya Park in Spain.

They followed up in 2001 at La Manga Club and Hallamshire finished fourth in 2007 before bettering that by one place in 2015. Last year Thirsk & Northallerton finished fifth, also at Morgado.

Play around the world at Snainton VISITORS to Snainton Golf Centre can now play some of the best golf courses in the world, hitting real shots, following the installation of Toptracer technology on the range.

Unlike indoor simulators, Toptracer, pictured right, measures actual full shots on the range and feeds the results on to a monitor in each bay.

There are various games on offer including the chance to take on other Toptracer users in a world long drive competition.

Golfers can also take each other on in closest to the pin contests, dive into advanced analytics to fine-tune their game and virtually tee it up at some of the world’s greatest

courses. Toptracer Range delivers the same ball-tracking technology that traces the shots of the game’s best players on TV and offers a fun and engaging tech-driven experience that will appeal to seasoned players, range rivals, friends, family members, and even first-time golfers.

Guests can use the Toptracer

Range Community App to link their personal profiles to access their entire history of shot data, including specific club performance details, as well as how they rank against other players on leaderboards.

There are now 37 ranges in the UK using Toptracer and Snainton is one of only two in Yorkshire.

Huddersfield’s finest: back row, left to right, Stuart Henbest, Dylan Shaw Radford, Ben Walker, James Edwards, Dominic Hughes, Louie Walsh. Front row, left to right, Daniel Henbest, Oliver Hughes, Jessica Hosking, Brighdy Connors

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February 2019

EXPERT EYE Sheffield-born broadcaster and former European Tour winner runs the rule over the contenders

Woods can be master of Augusta for the fifth time Sky Sports’ Mark Roe talks to Mike Smith and selects his winners for this year’s Majors

S Mark Roe pictured with Francesco Molinari last year after the Italian won The Open Championship at Carnoustie. Roe was Ryder Cup hero Molinari’s short-game coach for four years

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KY SPORTS golf pundit Mark Roe believes Tiger Woods can complete one of the greatest comebacks in the history of golf by winning the Masters at Augusta in April.

Sheffield-born Roe, who competed in golf’s first Major of the year in 1996, believes Woods’ intimate knowledge of the course designed by Normanton-born Dr Alister MacKenzie could help see him pull on the green jacket for the fifth time.

“His comeback has been one of the greatest in the history of our sport, arguably surpassing Ben Hogan, who recovered from that terrible car crash to win the US Open in 1950,” Roe told Yorkshire Golfer.

“He has come through so many surgeries and so many dark moments through sheer hard work, passion and desire.

“It’s incredible to think that he had slumped to 1,029th in the World Rankings before coming back and knocking on the door a few times and then winning the Tour Championship at the end of last year.

“I think a lot of people believed he would win again, but doubted it would happen so quickly and at such a prestigious event.”

The course today is a different proposition from the one Roe played 23 years ago having been lengthened with its fairways narrowed, and he believes course familiarity could be the difference.

“The greens are incredibly tricky and Tiger has been so good round there in the past and knows the course so welI that it’s the one event you could see him winning even if he doesn’t bring his ‘A’ game with him,” said Roe. “His swing looks much quieter and more controlled. I think he deserves to be favourite and is my pick to win.

“It is a special place and seeing Eddie Pepperell so emotional after receiving his invitation brought back great memories. The letter dropped through my letterbox on Christmas Eve and it was the best present any-

body could ever receive.”

Roe qualified for the Masters by virtue of a top-15 finish at the US Open the year before at Shinnecock Hills, which was won by Corey Pavin, and he is going for a long shot and another superb exponent of the short game by naming Phil Mickelson to tame Pebble Beach.

Mickelson played his first tournament as a professional there in 1992 and in 2012 won the AT&T Pebble Beach ProAm for a fourth time, prompting him to say:“It’s a special place for me, an emotional place… my grandfather having caddied here… the overall importance of the tournament to the game and how much I love the place. It just feels great to win at Pebble.”

Although he is now 48, Mickelson’s opening round of

‘It’s incredible to think Woods had slumped to 1,029th in the World Rankings’ 60 and subsequent defeat by a shot at the Desert Classic on the PGA tour last month proved that he still has the game to win and Pebble would be a dream venue for Mickelson to complete his own Grand Slam of Golf.

“In terms of Majors the US Open is the only one to have eluded Phil. He has a great record there and his recent long-game form, coupled with his fantastic short game, make him a contender in my book, and how fitting a venue it would be if he could add the US Open to his other wins at what is the most beautiful golf course in the world,” added Roe. If Pebble is the beauty then Bethpage Black is the beast.

The Long Island layout became the first publicly-owned and operated course to host the US Open, which returned in 2009, and will host the PGA

Championship in May. The entire first hour of tee times at Black are reserved for those who sleep in their cars the night prior. At around 4:30am golfers get a knock on their window and are given a ticket with a tee time. It will be very different for the world’s best who will be ferried to the course in a fleet of luxury courtesy cars.

Roe was there in 2009 as short-game coach to Lee Westwood and Ross Fisher, who was tied for the lead stood on the 16th tee in the last round before Lucas Glover rallied to win, and describes it as a monster of a course.

“It’s a real brute of a course and definitely favours the long hitters and this Championship has a history of seeing players break through and that’s why I’m going for Cameron Champ,” he said.

“I haven’t seen him up close and personal yet, but from what I have heard and seen on TV he’s looks something special. I was speaking to one of the caddies – and this is a guy who has been on Tour for over 20 years and had some really good bags – and he told me Champ is the best player he had ever seen.”

The 23-year-old has staggering raw power, averaging 320 yards in his debut year on the PGA Tour and tipped by leading coach and another Sheffield native Peter Cowen to be challenging for world No 1 spot “in the next two years”.

The Open Championship makes a historic return to Royal Portrush for golf’s oldest championship after nearly 70 years, and is expected to be the biggest sporting event ever held in Northern Ireland, generating more than £70 million in terms of economic impact.

Roe is not familiar with the course, which is undergoing changes before hosting the event. Preparations and the work to create the two new holes on the renowned Dunluce Links are well underway.

The new 7th and 8th holes will utilise land from the adjacent Valley Course to develop a new par-5 hole, playing down into the valley encompassing that course’s 6th hole, and then a par-4, playing back over its 5th hole into some beautiful duneland.

Both holes will have an

Continued on facing page

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February 2019

for this season’s top four events and starts by backing former world No 1 to complete his amazing comeback Continued from facing page

immediate air of maturity using some of the most stunning land at Royal Portrush. The new holes will replace the current 17th and 18th holes on the Dunluce Links, freeing up that land to be used to accommodate the spectator village and Championship infrastructure.

The most significant changes will be to move the 2nd green to lengthen the par-5 hole by around 40 yards and on the current 10th hole, which will be the 12th at The Open, to alter the line of the hole and extend it by 50 yards.

Elsewhere, the existing 8th green (the 10th at The Open), which was not designed by architect Harry Colt, will be reshaped and several new back tees will be created.

The overall length of the course will increase by just under 200 yards to 7,337 yards and the number of bunkers will be increased by three to 62 in total, still leaving Royal Portrush with the fewest bunkers of any of the courses that host The Open.

Roe feels the added length will play right into the hands of Brooks Koepka and is tipping him for a fourth Major.

“I can’t see many years going by where Brooks won’t win a Major, and the fact that he started his career right here in Europe is one of the reasons I say that,” said Roe, who worked as current Open champion Francesco Molinari’s short-game coach for four years and knows what it takes to

Mark Roe’s anguish shows after he was disqualified from The Open in 2003 having failed to swap cards with his playing partner become the Champion Golfer of the year. “I remember my old Sky colleague and Frankie’s (Molinari) long-game coach Denis Pugh telling me that Koepka would win 10 Majors after he saw him play for the first time.

“This is a kid who came through the Challenge Tour, winning three times before graduating to the European Tour where he also won before

making it big back in the States. And he’s also won twice in Japan.

“So he has gained a lot of experience playing different courses in all types of weather and conditions and any question marks about him handling a links course in the wind could be answered at Royal Portrush in July.

“I also feel the course will suit Jon Rahm and it’s just a

matter of time before he picks up his first Major, but Brooks is my pick.”

Rory McIlroy, who lifted the Claret Jug at Royal Liverpool in 2014, describes Royal Portrush as one of his favourite golf courses in the world and believes it will be a fantastic Open venue. But Roe thinks the huge level of home expectation might be too much.

“It’s bizarre to not mention Rory when looking for a potential winner at Portrush as he’s such a mercurial player, but he seems to have backed off when in contention compared to Koepka who has been really impressive in finishing off his opponents in his Major wins so far.”

Koepka is definitely a biggame player and has finished among the top-15 in all 12 of the last Majors he has played, dating back to a tie for fourth in his US Open debut at Pinehurst No 2 in 2014.

“When Tiger came in with a last round 64 and posted 14 under in last year’s PGA Championship at Bellerive, Brooks still had six or so holes to play, but he knew what he had to do and came up with the goods.

“He must be made of granite, and perhaps Denis’s prophecy may well come true. “ He also believes the Open Championship could be Matt Fitzpatrick’s best chance of claiming one of golf’s big four, although some would claim he already has. Sheffield’s Fitzpatrick won the US Amateur at Brookline in 2013,

which, along with the British Amateur, the Open and the US Open used to be regarded as the fur Majors. Bobby Jones was the only golfer to win all four back in 1930 and thus complete the pre-Masters Grand Slam.

Five-time European Tour winner Fitzpatrick, from Hallamshire, has found an extra few yards over the winter thanks to lengthening his driver by an inch and a new workout routine. His average driving distance in the Omega Desert Classic was over 300 yards.

“I’m a big Fitzy fan. He’s a special talent and has all the attributes required to win an Open. He has a low ball flight from the tee and can shape his shots and he’s just one of a new crop of fantastic English players who would love to win the Claret Jug. For me it’s the world’s greatest golf event and the one every young player aspires to win and it’s always a special week for British players.

“I was the same as a kid on the putting green at Hallowes.

‘This putt to win the Open’. I must have holed it a thousand times.”

He looked set to have a chance of making his dream come true at Royal St George’s in 2003 and thought that his third-round 67 had just equalled Nick Faldo’s new course record, leaving him two shots behind. He then devastatingly discovered that he had not exchanged cards with his playing partner on the first tee and had been disqualified.

Roe sat with his head in his

hands in the car park outside the press tent trying to calm himself. When he subsequently spoke it turned out to be one of the most moving press conferences to have been given in the history of the Championships.

“It’s a mistake I’ve never made before, but I had a great day,” he said. “I enjoyed the crowd and the attention. I’ll think about the positive rather than the negative. I’ll shed a tear in private. When I go home and see my kids it won’t be that bad.

“The rules are there to protect the game of golf. Of course I’ll watch tomorrow, but something inside me will wonder what could have happened.”

Peter Dawson, secretary of the Royal & Ancient, described it as one of the great tragedies of championship golf, admitting that the checking procedures clearly failed .The R&A shouldered some blame, but not responsibility.

If the error had been discovered before the players had left the scorers’ hut it could have been corrected, but they had both left and were disqualified.

Memories of that day are never far away for Roe and has decided to have the scorecards and pictures from the week framed. “I’ll give them to a friend who sponsored me that week at Royal St George’s. I had lunch with him at Christmas and he said he would like them for his office.

“Yes, that week should have been a lot better, but it is history now.”

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February 2019

STEPPING DOWN - AND UP White Rose captain to leave role while one of his former players accepts new post

Berry leads Yorkshire for final season THE Yorkshire Union of Golf Clubs has confirmed the reappointment of Baildon’s Darryl Berry as county captain for 2019.

Berry learned his golf in Bradford and was a regular in the Bradford & District Union team, first winning their boys’ championship before becoming men’s champion in 2003 and again in 2014.

He played in forty five county matches for Yorkshire between 1999 and 2014, and was a member of the Yorkshire team that won The Daily Telegraph Northern League in 1999 and 2000.

A member of the Yorkshire teams that won The Northern Counties Qualifier in consecutive years from 2000 to 2003, at Castletown, Ganton, Silloth and Sandiway respectively, his aggregate score of 135 at Sandiway (65+70) secured him the low individual prize.

Berry represented Yorkshire at four English County Finals and was in the teams that were crowned champions in 2001 at Burnham & Berrow and again at La Moye, Jersey, in 2002 where he won all three of his singles matches.

Yorkshire county champion in 2002 and capped by England three times (v Finland, Germany and Spain) he turned professional in 2004 and until 2009 competed on The EuroPro Tour before regaining his amateur status.

In 2013 Berry, left, was appointed county captain and since then has led Yorkshire to four Northern Counties league titles and three English County Finals, including victories at Sandwell Park in 2016 and most recently at Aldeburgh in 2018.

Berry will step down at the end of the 2019 season and a successor will be identified during the course of this year.

Jonathan ‘Jigger’ Thomson will represent Ryder Cup venue The Belfry as he looks to win back his place on the European Tour

Belfry role for ‘Jigger’ Thomson THE Belfry Hotel & Resort, has announced golf professional Jonathan ‘Jigger’ Thomson, as a brand ambassador ahead of this year’s European Challenge Tour.

Rotherham’s Thomson first picked up a club at the age of five where he practised alongside a promising group of youngsters that included future Masters winner Danny Willett.

Between the ages of seven and 12 he endured extensive chemotherapy treatment to combat acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, which went into

remission.

The former Yorkshire county player birdied the last two holes at Qualifying School Final Stage in 2017 to earn a European Tour card, but he finished outside of the top 115 last year and will focus on the second-tier Challenge Tour this season.

Standing at 6ft 9ins, Thomson is the tallest player to have competed on the top-tier tour, and was quick to make a big impression on the EuroPro Tour, winning the Glenfarclas Open in September 2016 just

four weeks after turning professional.

On the announcement, Thomson commented: “It’s an honour to be part of such an iconic venue. The three golf courses, hotel, spa and all they have to offer are fantastic and I’m really looking forward to my journey ahead as one of their brand ambassadors.”

Resort Director at The Belfry, James Stewart, said: “It’s fantastic to be able to add another ambassador to our growing programme. Jigger’s determination and spirit has

been incredible and after coming through all three stages of Qualifying School in 2017 we’re delighted to be part of what is sure to be a bright future.

“The Belfry continues to go from strength to strength and we’re thrilled to be working with Jigger and wish him the very best of luck this year.”

The Belfry Hotel & Resort, which is located near Sutton Coldfield in the West Midlands, is also represented by European Tour winner Matt Wallace and England cricketer Stuart Broad.

8

February 2019

SUCCESS STORY Wakefield golf club’s shrewd deal saw layout double in size and its reputation scale new heights

Normanton has quickly come of age THIS year sees Normanton Golf Club celebrate 21 years at its new home of Hatfeild Hall and a lot has happened since they relocated from Normanton to their current home in Stanley on the outskirts of Wakefield.

In the autumn of 1996 Normanton members were playing a short nine-hole course located in the town, with nine internal out of bounds and returning back to a clubhouse with limited facilities.

Less than two years later they found themselves enjoying a championship 18-hole layout designed by architect Patrick Dawson, who worked on redesigning a number of holes at Augusta National.

Many look back on those days in wonderment and owe a debt of gratitude to the Directors, who negotiated a shrewd deal on the sale of the land of their former nine-hole course to a house builder, the proceeds of which enabled them to sink £1m into restoring the magnificent Hatfeild Hall so close to its magnificent original state, giving them a clubhouse

worthy of any of the top clubs in the land.

Existing members who moved across from Normanton in March 1998, as well as the many new members who joined in the first few months, will remember a very bare new course – it had been open for just a couple of years as a payto-play – with virtually no trees and barren fairways. But everyone could see, even at that stage, the tremendous potential.

The same was seen of the remnants of the Hall and even after the expensive refurbishment they were still able to invest over £200k on muchneeded drainage work, without even having to visit the bank.

Innovative Normanton then negotiated another imaginative deal with the Forestry Commission for them to plant thousands of young trees on the course.

The impressive result today is an established course that has tree-lined fairways, attractive water features and hazards strategically placed bunkers and large USGA standard style

A view of the 18th green at Normanton Golf Club greens. In a nostalgic nod to Normanton-born MacKenzie, many greens feature his trademark tiers making them devilishly difficult when at their quickest.

Yes, 21 years on Normanton Golf Club is in a good place in more ways than one.

Impressive reviews from societies and visiting parties have made it a must-play destination on the

rota, and the membership has remained constant at around 550 during what are very challenging times for golf clubs.

They are looking forward to the next 21 years with a good degree of wellfounded optimism as Richard Poynton, the club’s Marketing & Membership Director explains.

“Besides golf we have been

‘Normanton negotiated an imaginative deal with Forestry Commission’

extremely fortunate at Normanton to have some tremendous facilities here that we have been able to utilise for non-golf activities, such as weddings and other functions.

“Indeed, I believe many golf clubs who don’t have facilities to exploit the nongolf market are struggling and will struggle to survive on just golf alone.

“Whereas, besides the excellent reputation we have gained as a golf course, we have also gained an excellent reputation for being an extremely popular and successful venue for host-

ing celebratory parties and events, such as weddings.”

Richard says that to keep membership numbers hovering around the mid-500s has been a great achievement in today’s climate where golf is competing for our time against so many other possibilities.

Recent joining offers have helped in this, which Richard points out are still available for a limited time and are detailed on the website.

So, let’s raise a glass and say cheers to 21 years at Hatfeild Hall – and here’s to the next 21 too.

9

February 2019

ROAD TRIP New technology offers ‘paws’ for thought as puss is recovered

Kiwi tracked down thanks to cat-nav GPS technology has helped many golfers improve their games in more recent times and it also came to the rescue of Elsham Golf Club professional David McNicholas last month, albeit in a very different guise.

His cat Kiwi had made several disappearing acts from the golf club, so he bought her a collar with a built-in GPS tracker, which allowed him to monitor Kiwi’s location through his girlfriend Stacey’s phone.

However, last month Stacey noticed Kiwi was moving considerably faster than usual when she was clocked doing 60mph down the A180.

Stacey rang David to check whether Kiwi had hopped in the car with him, but they soon realised she had hitched a ride with someone else instead.

“Stacey was in Lincoln and happened to spot on her phone that Kiwi was outside her normal roaming range. She rang me to ask if Kiwi was with me but she wasn’t,” David told the

Grimsby Telegraph.

Using the tracker, Stacey followed Kiwi’s signal to a car park in Immingham, where she spotted a stationary lorry, and after explaining her plight to the driver she checked the back of it and sure enough, Kiwi was inside.

Stacey found out that the lorry had delivered fish to the golf club earlier that day, ready for a fish and chip night, giving Kiwi its chance to jump in.

David added: “I am delighted to say that after close inspection the fish provided by our member Martyn Boyers was of the highest standard.”

Kiwi has form when it comes to disappearing. Last year she was missing for almost a month before being discovered three miles away in Brigg town centre thanks to a social media campaign.

Elsham chairman Robert Taylor said: “Of the nine lives Kiwi originally had, a good number must now be missing.”

Elsham Golf Club professional David McNicholas gives Kiwi a cuddle after its latest escapade on the road

Got a story you want to see in print?

Then send your club news to us mike@yorkshire-golfer.com @yorkshiregolfer

Waterfront first in queue for new event WATERFRONT was the first club to enter a new team scratch event introduced by the Yorkshire Union of Golf Clubs for clubs with fewer than 18 holes.

And they might well be the team to beat as team selector John Stead can call upon players of the calibre of Ben Schmidt, Charley Daughtrey and Richard Jones.

Schmidt, 16, is one of the rising stars of Yorkshire golf having won the English Boys’ County Champion of Champions and the Westwood Trophy last year. Daughtrey, like Schmidt, is an England Boy international while the evergreen Jones lost in a playoff for the English senior men’s championship at Sherwood Forest last July.

All three are also members at the 18-hole Rotherham Golf Club and Schmidt and Daughtrey are part of Wath Comprehensive 6th Form Golf Scholars’ programme, which was developed in conjunction with Waterfront owner and PGA Professional Frank Houlgate.

Jones, who has played over 100 times for Yorkshire, is golf

course superintendent at Waterfront Golf, which sits alongside Manvers Lake in Wath Upon Dearne.

The inaugural men’s event will be played at Crow Nest Park Golf Club, near Brighouse, on Wednesday, July 31, 2019 and team with the lowest aggregate score – with all three scores to count – will be declared the winner. The player with the lowest individual score will receive a voucher.

YUGC secretary Jonathan Plaxton said: “We kept analysing the fixture list and realised that we engage with a lot of clubs a lot of the time, but not all the clubs all of the time so we looked at ways of embracing and reaching more clubs in the county and their players and involving them at county level since they are all stakeholders in the Yorkshire Union of Golf Clubs” YUGC affiliated clubs eligible are: Ben Rhydding, Bradford Moor, Castlefields, Clayton, Crow Nest Park, East Bierley, Elland, Fulneck, Ghyll, Headley, Hanging Heaton, Hebden Bridge, Heworth, Lightcliffe, Longley Park, Marsden Masham, Rawdon, Roundhay, Ryburn, South Bradford, Queensbury, Todmorden, Whitwood, Withernsea and Waterfront.

GARFORTH GOLF CLUB Alister MacKenzie Course est. 1903 OW BOOK NOID TO AVINTMENT

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BOOKINGS NOW BEING TAKEN FOR 2019

Twilight golf from 2.30pm weekdays £20pp (Quote YG0119) Societies Welcome Sunday pm, Society Packages available.

2019 Corporate Twilight & Society Days bookings now being taken.

Telephone: Gareth Johnson, Golf Professional, on 0113 286 2063 - For Special Offers or Lessons.

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February 2019

DANNY WALSH Head Teaching Professional at Waterfront Golf

How to fix the dreaded slice...

MANY GOLFERS struggle with a slice and the characteristics involved in producing this shot have an even greater affect when using a driver.

Not only does it make it difficult to gain accuracy but it also effects distance.

As you can see from the top photo, a slice occurs when the club path is travelling from out to in (in this case -11.9 degrees) and the club face in relation to the path is significantly open (9.7 degrees open to club path).

This scenario sees the ball start slightly left and curve to the right.

To produce a more accurate, controlled and more powerful ball flight, we must therefore change the path of the swing so it is nearer to 0 degrees and match the club face to the path.

I find most golfers react to what they see the ball doing.

A golfer who sees the ball curving to the right all the time tends to start swinging more left to change the ball flight. This actually results in the ball curving more to the right.

FACE FIRST – make sure the face is as square as possible throughout the swing, check grip, face at address and positions in the backswing particularly at the top of the backswing.

If we can now match the face with the club path, the golfer will start seeing a different ball flight.

The ball will start flying left (a pull shot) and the shot will become stronger with less curvature. The middle image shows the path -11.7 degrees (out to in) but now the face is 0.8.

FIX THE PATH – you can now start to change the path of the swing. Feel as though you are swinging way to the right ( exaggerate the swing path).

This can be done more freely now without the fear of the ball going massively to the right.

The bottom photo now shows the club path and club face matched up much better producing a relatively straight golf shot.

The key to fixing your slice is to stick with the process, more often than not there is not a quick fix.

B a

12

February 2019

Meeting up with legend Gary Player FORMER Howley Hall President Steve Bestwick met a golfing legend during a trip to South Africa.

Nine-time Major winner Gary Player was at Royal Cape Golf Club ahead of attending one of South Africa’s top horse racing meetings The Sun Met is one of South Africa’s most prestigious turf races and is held in the southern suburb of Kenilworth where the racecourse lies less than two miles from Royal Cape.

Player is one of South Africa’s most successful breeders and the Gary Player Stud near Colesberg is home to some of the best stallions and mares in the world.

He is the first South African breeder to produce an international Group 1 winner in the USA out of a South African mare – Serena.

Bestwick is amateur captain of the Leeds & District Alliance, which kicks off at Leeds Golf Centre on February 25, and spends most winters at Royal Cape, where he is a member.

He said: “We met him out on the course and watched him hit a couple of shots, including a drive which he absolutely nailed down the middle of the fairway.

“He was very entertaining and most polite when we caught up with him in the bar later.

Leeds & District Alliance amateur captain Steve Bestwick with nine-time Major winner Gary Player “He was here for a couple of days and also played here just before Christmas and it’s always nice to have an Open Champion visit our club.”

Dating back to 1885, it is the oldest golf club in South Africa and in 1910 hosted the South African Open and Amateur Championships for the

first time.

It was in this same year that the title ‘Royal’ was conferred on the Cape Golf Club by H M King George V in commemoration of the visit of HRH The Duke of Connaught, who represented the King at the opening of the first Union of South Africa parliament.

Alwoodley to play host to elite visitors ALWOODLEY is gearing up for a busy season and the highlight of 2019 will be the Brabazon Trophy – or the English Open Amateur Strokeplay Championship to give this prestigious event its full title.

Taking place in the last week of May (Thursday, May 30 to Sunday, June 2), it will be the first time that this highlight of the England Golf calendar has come to Alwoodley.

Golf fans in Yorkshire will be able so see top amateurs from around the world take on Alister MacKenzie’s first-ever course design in a bid to add their name to a trophy previously won by the likes of Charl Schwartzel, Jordan Smith, Ignacio Garrido and Ronan Rafferty.

On Tuesday, June 24

View from the 17th at Alwoodley towards its clubhous regional qualifying for the Open Championship will again take place at Alwoodley.

In the corresponding event last year Stiggy Hodgson set a new course record of 64.

The final elite event of the year will see the return of the North of England Amateur.

This will be contested from Tuesday, October 1 to Thursday, October 3, and once again the championship is expected to attract a high-calibre field.

Fulford’s Charlie Thornton took the title last year with a dogged and determined display, the highlight of which was a third-round score of 65.

February 2019

13

ADVERTORIAL New way to travel around the golf course is fast, fun and is attracting newcomers to the sport

Time to jump on GolfBoard GOLFBOARD is being hailed as the game’s greatest invention since the introduction of graphite shafts.

Powered by an environmentally friendly lithium-ion battery, the GolfBoard is an easyto-ride, fully electric vehicle that is changing the way golfers experience the game, adding a whole new level of fun and excitement.

Golfers of all ages can now ‘Surf the Earth’ from shot-toshot by going ‘GolfBoarding’.

GolfBoarding changes the golfing experience without changing the spirit and traditions of the game. With over 300 courses across the globe now offering GolfBoard rentals, and hundreds of thousands of GolfBoarding rounds played, the GolfBoard has a proven ability for attracting new players and energising the sport.

The GolfBoard dramatically increases the pace of play, and after conducting extensive time trials the average round on the GolfBoard is 2 hrs 37mins, making it possible to play 36 holes in five hours, and still provides a bit of a workout for those who feel guilty about not walking.

The GolfBoard is driven by front and back gear boxes providing power to all four wheels.

This proprietary 4-wheel PosiTraction feature provides solid climbing ability even on the steepest hills while simultaneously reducing turf wear.

The GolfBoard is primarily controlled using an ergonomically designed one-touch thumb throttle, which allows the user to accelerate and decelerate smoothly.

The throttle mechanism also features an intelligent LED bat-

brushes.

Tyres specifically made for golf course use mean it is also turf friendly.

Produced by the world’s leading manufacturer of turf equipment tyres, GolfBoard’s gentle-on-the-turf 4ins by 11ins tyres provide maximum traction while minimising turf wear. With the GolfBoards low weight of only 125 pounds distributed over the same surface area as much heavier equipment, there is substantially less impact and pressure on the turf than from a fully loaded electric golf cart.

Ease of use and safety is optimized by an onboard computer GolfBoard is aimed at increasing the pace of play and making the stretch that monitors between shots more enjoyable for the golfer speed and controls braking. tery charge level indicator. A hi/ motors and fully enclosed driThe rider simply releases the low speed option mounted on vetrain to ensure reliability and thumb throttle and the board the Stability Bar allows the user low maintenance. Built to hanimmediately decelerates and to set a maximum speed preferdle high-power industrial applicomes to a complete stop. An ence, along with a forward / cations, the GolfBoard’s motors automatic rear axle parking reverse function that provides are expected to be maintenance brake then locks the board in optimal manoeuverability. free for several years before position even on the steepest It also features the highest requiring a simple and lowterrain. This provides a stable quality industrial grade electric cost replacement of the motor’s

structure to step off, and won’t allow the GolfBoard to roll away even if you come to a stop at a tricky sidehill shot.

GolfBoard riders can select either high speed or low speed modes of operation. For the Commercial Use Board, low speed is a gentle 5mph, allowing first time users the ability to practise turning and operating the board with security and confidence. Once new users have perfected their GolfBoarding skills, they can advance to a maximum speed of 10mph.

For personal use, GolfBoard offers an optional high performance package with a low speed of 7mph and a high of 12.5mph on flat terrain, plus up to 14mph downhill.

UK distributors Malcolm Barry and Peter Hogg discovered Golfboard at Los Naranjos golf course in Marbella, Spain and enjoyed the experience so much that they contacted the Iberian agent for the product and entered into a six-month negotiation to secure the rights for the UK market.

The Fairmont at St Andrews was the first UK course to jump onto Golfboard with an order for eight and the pair have developed a leasing programme for golf clubs that generates a profitable revenue stream from renting to players. They also have demo models available and can be contacted on 07775 440229 (Malcolm) or 07974 450509 (Peter) or e mail: malc.barry@btinternet.com.

14

February 2019

BEST OF BRITISH Rawdon Golf Club member getting ready for Special Olympics at world-renowned Yas Links

All roads leading to Abu Dhabi for Mark YORKSHIRE’S Mark Rhodes is one of eight British golfers preparing for the championship of a lifetime and the chance to win gold during the Special Olympics World Games in Abu Dhabi, in March.

Mark, 34 is a member of Rawdon Golf Club where he has a lesson every fortnight.

During the winter he makes use of Ghyll Beck Driving Range.

He began golf at a tri-golf come-and-try event and was encouraged to start at the driving range.

From that small beginning Mark has competed in three National games at Leicester, Bath and Sheffield plus numerous regional competitions.

He won gold at The Special Olympics 40th Anniversary Games, held at Callander Golf Club, in Scotland.

Special Olympics GB golf coach Frank Hunter said: “Mark knows that being part of the GB golf squad is really something very special and through this his confidence has been given a huge boost.”

In Abu Dhabi, 7,000 athletes from 170 nations will take part in seven days of competition in 24 sports.

They will be supported by 2,600 coaches, 20,000 volunteers and an expected 500,000 spectators.

During January the squad practised and played together at Moor View Golf Centre, in Sheffield, where PGA Master Professional Peter Ball was on hand to “lend a second pair of eyes” before the players returned to their hotel for a series of training sessions.

The weekend schedule included sport training, media classes, kit trying, photographyand other break-out tasks for each sport’s squad.

Learning about the culture in the UAE was also an important feature of the get-together.

During the Special Olympics World Games in March the SOGB golf team will get to play the world-renowned Yas Links, ranked 44th in Golf Digest’s World’s 100 Greatest Courses.

Hunter added: “There is a great deal of excitement among our players as this really is the opportunity of a lifetime to represent Special Olympics GB on the world stage and play on the famous Yas Links – what a challenge.

“The weekend in Sheffield offered the chance for the golf team to practise together, meet fellow competitors from other sports and learn more about the prospect of competing as a team.

“We are all thrilled about representing Great Britain.”

Mark Rhodes, back row far right, with the GB squad

Wortley’s new app proving massive hit with its members WORTLEY Golf Club in South Yorkshire has launched a new smartphone app developed for them by Coursemate.

The new app was designed and produced for Wortley by the Coursemate team in conjunction with the marketing and membership group at the club. The app, which has distinct iOS and Android platforms, has

been made available for free in the app stores and both members and club visitors are deriving great benefits from it.

Features within the app include a short history of the club, a course planner and pages covering club promotions, events and current weather details.

Additionally, the clubhouse catering details and

menus can be accessed and the app also works with Wortley’s tee booking system allowing tee times to be booked.

The feature that has gained most traction concerns push notifications, sent throughout the day to members. Early each morning, for example, a push notification is sent out regarding current course

playing conditions, buggy availability etc.

The chair of the club’s M&M team commented on just how ‘hands on’ and proactive Coursemate were during the build process.

They also stated that as a communication tool to reach members and visitors the new app was far and away the most modern approach they had used.

Knaresborough gets set for its centenary KNARESBOROUGH Golf Club has launched a major course and clubhouse upgrade ahead of its Centenary celebrations in 2020.

On the course, contractors have started work on creating the first of eight new bunkers on five different holes – the fourth, the sixth, the seventh, the 14th and the 17th.

In the case of the fourth, the 14th and 17th, two bunkers will be Course upgrade work getting underway at Knaresborough Golf Club built, at a tangent, on either side of the fairinstallation of drains and That’s where we see ways. The new hazards are trenches has significantly Knaresborough can move forlocated between 220 and 240 reduced the risk of flooding ward.” yards from the championship around the eighth and ninth The new bunkers are the tees. holes. result of a detailed review by Greens chairman Tom The club is also marking its golf architect David Hemstock, Halliday says the objective is to who designed the layout of the approach to its Centenary year pose more challenges for in 2020 by refurbishing the now defunct Flaxby golf longer hitters and to encourage clubhouse with new décor, furcourse. all players to think more about niture and carpeting.

He proposed many more how best to navigate the House chair Christine bunkers, but the management course.

McGurk said the aim was “to committee decided to test the He has also highlighted the ensure members, guests and success of this first instalment need to upgrade the course to visitors are accommodated in before deciding on any future ensure Knaresborough fares style and comfort as it begins changes. well in the forthcoming change its next 100 years.”

As part of the improvement to the USGA assessment methCelebrations will get underprogramme, scores of trees are ods for all UK courses this way on Thursday, December 19 being removed, some holes reyear. with a Founders’ Day and shaped, existing bunkers renoHe said: “The most enjoyCentenary Launch on the vated and more weather-resistable courses to play are those anniversary of the very day that ant pathways being laid that are a fair test for all levels Col William Collins gained between greens and tees. of golfer, but challenge you And a recent modernisation unanimous support for a golf mentally as much as physically. of a pumping system and club to be formed.

February 2019

Best British boys to head for Moortown MOORTOWN will host the British Boys’ Championship for the fifth time in its storied history when the event returns to the Leeds course in 2020.

The former Ryder Cup venue will welcome the best junior golfers from Europe and beyond from August 11-16 and nearby Alwoodley will also stage the qualifying 36hole strokeplay rounds. The top 64 will then compete in the matchplay stages.

Alwoodley was Dr Alister MacKenzie’s first design in 1907 with Moortown following two years later and the latter famously staged the Ryder Cup in 1929 before Robert Burles was victorious when the Boys was first played there in 1934.

Former Pannal secretary Richard Braddon then ventured north from his home club of Beaconsfield in 1958 to claim the title.

Eight years later Andrew Phillips had a landslide 12&11 win over Alan Muller before Scot Garry Harvey beat Woodsome Hall’s Robert Newsome in the 1972 final.

Previous Yorkshire winners include Peter Tupling in 1967 at Western Gailes, Martin Foster two years later, Howard Clark in 1971

Cherry picked CHERRY Burton Golf Club near Beverley has been sold to Bridlington based leisure operator Aureus Leisure.

The company owns a number of leisure sites including The Hawthorns Holiday Park in Bridlington and the Sandy Beaches Caravan Site in Kilnsea, near Hull.

The golf course had been advertised as for sale since February 2014, due to the impending retirement of the owners, and was closed to and Duncan Muscroft, who lifted the trophy at Formby in 1980. The county’s most recent winner was Matt Fitzpatrick, who triumphed at Notts Golf Club in 2012.

The origins of the club date back to 1903 when Frederick LawsonBrown went on holiday to Bridlington. While there he went to

the public early in 2018.

The course was initially established in September 1993 by brothers John and Paul Slingsby. It became a nine-hole, 3,420-yard, par-36 course, including a practice area, driving range and clubhouse with facilities. see the Yorkshire Amateur Golf Championship being played at Ganton Golf Club. Any golfer visiting Ganton can’t help but admire the beautiful surroundings, and it was this picturesque setting which inspired him to seek a similar location in Leeds.

He enlisted the help of three

other non-golfing associates – J R Greenhalgh, H Leach and J H Mountainand the four went out week by week to find suitable land for a golf course.

In time they approached two men who played golf at Woodhall Hills Messrs F Turner and N Casson. In October 1908, after eight months of visits, meetings and discussions with others, they found a site at Black Moor.

This was located on the outer northern fringe, and five and a half miles from the centre of the expanding city of Leeds The founders considered this to be an ideal site for developing the high-class golf course they had visualised.

In November 1908 a second meeting was held at F J Turner’s house when it was decided to send out circulars inviting one hundred members to join at a subscription of two guineas per person.

In November 1908 the land was acquired from the Lane-Fox (Bramham) estate on a rental of £100 for ten years, free of rates and tax.

The international media were invited to Moortown’s opening with an exhibition match between the Open Champion James Braid and the legendary Harry Vardon.

This was scheduled for May 21, 1910, but had to be cancelled because of the death of King Edward VII and was rescheduled for September 24, 1910 with a prize of two guineas on offer for the best gross score.

15

Hessle is first stop on Order of Merit schedule APRIL’S Raywell Classic at Hessle Golf Club will be the first event on this year’s Yorkshire Order of Merit.

The YOM is a series of scratch open golf competitions for amateurs held at courses throughout Yorkshire and played over 36 holes of individual strokeplay.

Throughout the year competitors are awarded points on their finishing position in each tournament (top 20) with the golfer accumulating the most points throughout the season being crowned the Order of Merit Champion.

Last year Sam Bairstow from Hallowes topped the rankings.

Events confirmed are:

April 5: Raywell Amateur Classic, Hessle Golf Club – entry £30 April 28: Cleveland Salver, Cleveland Golf Club – £25 May 5: York Rose Bowl, York Golf Club – £30 May 12: Scratch Open, Lindrick Golf Club – £40 May 20: Sir Norman Rae Classic, Northcliffe Golf Club – £30 May 25: Seaton Salver, Seaton Carew Golf Club – £30 July 10: St Ives Salver, Bingley St Ives Golf Club – £30 July 12: Wike Ridge Classic, Leeds Golf Centre – £25 July 17: Oakdale Acorn, Oakdale Golf Club – £TBC July 21: Whitley Cup, Dewsbury District Golf Club – £30 July 26: Amateur Classic, Moor Allerton Golf Club – £35 August 20-22: Yorkshire Amateur Championship, Pannal Golf Club – £TBC

16

February 2019

ADVERTORIAL Golf Escapes can point you towards a get-away-from-it-all golfing holiday that is sure to please

Six of the best sure to inspire GOLF ESCAPES make it their mission to inspire golfers, whether that is in the UK, Europe or long haul. With that in mind, below are six golf escapes that should serve to do just that.

Iberostar Founty Beach Hotel is a great place to start, on the shore of Agadir beach in Morocco where guests can enjoy 10km of unspoilt coastline. Renovated just last year, it offers plenty of leisure facilities and beautiful accommodation with stunning views over the Atlantic Ocean.

Here you are within easy access of some of the best golf clubs in the area including Golf du Soleil, which boasts two courses – Golf Les Dunes and Golf de L’Ocean, which has already built up a brilliant reputation.

Next we offer you the fivestar Praia d’el Rey Marriott Golf

and Beach Resort in Portugal.

Home of the already famous West Cliffs Golf Links, this hotel boasts beautifully appointed guestrooms and stunning views over the Atlantic Ocean.

The Praia d’el Rey course is a classic links course while West Cliffs receives some impressive reviews and is bucket-list golf for many.

Now we take you to the five-star Westin Resort Costa Navarino in Greece. This resort boasts an idyllic beachfront location and is a picture-perfect resort as the design was inspired by old Messinian mansions.

While you are here you can experience the resort’s seemingly unlimited options for food and drink with over ten restaurants and bars serving delicious cuisine, ranging from traditional Greek food to internationally themed eateries.

Praia d’el Rey Marriott Golf and Beach Resort

The Westin Abu Dhabi resort & Spa The resort boasts two very special golf courses, The Dunes Course and The Bay Course.

Both are highly regarded as being among some of the finest courses in Europe with plans

for two more courses now in full swing.

Moving out of Europe we switch to the fantastic five-star Westin Puntacana Resort and Club in Dominican Republic,

F o r a g r e a t d a y ’s g o l f i n g i n Yo r k s h i r e v i s i t …

Ilkley Golf Club

For our

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which is an extensive golfing resort situated just a few steps from the beautiful sands of Punta Cana.

This resort boasts stunning gardens, an abundance of recre-

ational activities and beautiful guestrooms. Within short distance is Corales Golf Course & La Cana Golf Course, a 27-hole championship course that has been described as being one of the best courses in the Caribbean.

The five-star Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort and Spa (pictured below) boasts a great location set in the heart of Abu Dhabi with local attractions including Ferrari World, the Marina Circuit Yas Mall and Yas Waterworld as well as the Corniche.

The Abu Dhabi Golf Club provides 27 championship holes that stretch out over 162 hectares of stunning, rolling terrain creating a very special golfing experience.

You can also enjoy a round at the Saadiyat Beach Golf Club while you are here.

The five-star Fairmont Zimbali Resort in South Africa is another that makes the list due to world-class service and stunning location within this exclusive eco-estate.

You will never be short of somewhere great to eat or drink during your stay including casual poolside dining, Indian Fusion cuisine, and other international flavours to be samplked after some enjoyable golf at Durban Country Club and Zimbali Coastal Resort.

Have we inspired your next escape? Then get in contact and let us be of assistance via www.golf-escapes.com or 01342 811 777.

17

February 2019

GETTING TO KNOW Q: How did you start playing golf?

A: My dad has always played and he started taking me to the driving range at about 5 years old.

Q: What’s the best advice you have ever received?

A: Our England regional squad manager, Jim, always said “fairways and greens”.

Q: What was the last book you read?

A: Rory McIlroy’s autobiography.

Q: Your first trophy in golf?

A: The York Golf Club (Strensall) Junior open, aged 11.

Q: What was the last movie you saw?

A: Bird Box, it’s a horror/drama that is more weird than scary.

Q: If you don’t choose golf as a career what field would you like to work in?

A: I have taken a liking to statistics and data analysis, but my Major is Business Management, so anything that combines the two of them would be great

... DAN BRADBURY

Former Yorkshire Boys captain Dan Bradbury from Wakefield Golf Club is in the second year of a golf scholarship at Lincoln Memorial University and has played a starring role so far for his team known as the Railsplitters. YORKSHIRE GOLFER caught up with him...

Q: Which four guests would you invite for dinner?

A: Lionel Messi, Marcelo Bielsa, Eddie Pepperell, James Cordon Q: What is the most memorable shot you have played?

A: My very first hole in 1. I was 11 and playing at Wakefield, 7th hole, 220 yards. I pulled out driver and hit it 150, it landed on the back of a grass bunker, rolled all the way up the hill and dropped in. It took about 30 seconds but it was the best 30 seconds ever.

Q: Your favorite course in Yorkshire?

A: Alwoodley or Ganton, I don’t think they can be separated

Q: Who is your golfing hero?

A: I have always really liked Lee Westwood, obviously he’s from nearby so I always want him to succeed

Q: What other sports and teams do you follow outside of golf?

A: Football, I’m proud to be a Leeds United fan. Since moving to the US, I like most college sports.

Q: Who would be in your ideal fourball?

A: Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Seve Ballesteros

Q: What’s the funniest thing you have ever seen on a golf course?

A: I was playing in a practice

round for the British boys at Muirfield. I was on the 13th hole and my dad was watching and he was stood up by the green on a hill.

I pulled my 7 iron and it was flying straight at him, but as it was into the wind, he didn’t hear us shouting fore!

He eventually saw it and turned, only for it to hit him on the back of the leg!

Q: Your favourite pub/restaurant for a night out?

A: I don’t tend to go out too much, but the New Inn in Walton is always a good place to start.

Q: What’s the worst thing anybody has ever said to you?

A: The hardest thing I’ve had to hear was when I was told I hadn’t make the England regional squad, but it just motivated me more.

Q: Who would play you in a movie?

A: Adam Sandler. I’ve always loved him and he’s a great actor and comedian.

Q: Your four favourite songs?

A: Die a happy man – Thomas Rhett; Wagon Wheel – Darius Rucker; Wake me up – Avicii; When we were young – Adele Q: What is your proudest moment in your golfing life so far?

A: Hard to choose between being selected as the Yorkshire Boys’ captain and being selected for the six-man men’s team.

Q: What was your first set of clubs?

A: It was a Callaway junior set but the first men’s set was Ping i15s.

Q: What is the biggest issue in golf and how would you tackle it?

A: Slow play – college rounds last 5 hours at best. There’s not much you can do other than what’s already been done! For every 10 mins over 4 hours = a 1 shot penalty.

Q: Finally, who is golf’s greatest player?

A: Tiger Woods.

G

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February 2019

S

ANDBURN HALL GOLF CLUB, set in the beautiful Vale of York countryside, boasts an idyllic location surrounded by a scenic woodland landscape.

The club was established in 2005, and has been lovingly crafted by top architect Martin Ebert, and the talented greenkeeping team.

Sandburn Hall’s 18-hole, par 72, 6,700 yard championship course has been designed to challenge golfers of all abilities as it weaves its way through beautiful Yorkshire streams, lakes and forests.

The master plan designed by the award-winning architects at Mackenzie and Ebert includes improvements to tees with key bunker redesign to make the course an enjoyable test of golf for all.

The golf club has also invested heavily in drainage, establishing itself as one of the best courses in Yorkshire for all year-round golf.

Advertorial Feature

An added bonus is both the 9th and 18th greens are close to the clubhouse, so a quick 9holes is always an option for the golfer for whom time is at a premium, or a stop off for

STUNNING SANDBURN refreshments at the halfway point.

Sandburn Hall has seen an influx of new members of late due mainly to the fantastic condition of the course all year round, together with

the new modern style in the clubhouse.

Sandburn Hall prides itself on the presentation of the course and also a first class customer experience.

Check the Sandburn Hall club website for the current special membership offers available by visiting www.sandburnhall.co.uk.

The modern, recently refurbished clubhouse offers a relaxing and welcoming environment to enjoy a drink or bite to eat for members and visitors alike.

Live sporting events on Sky and BT are shown on the TVs in the bar. The menu is offered daily from 8:30am, with a wide variety of choice and great value for money.

You must also try the Tykes restaurant which is open to the public and offers the ultimate dining experience for those who are looking to enjoy good local food made with the freshest ingredients.

As well as a mouth-watering à la carte menu, diners are offered the option of choosing their own fish or steak which they can watch being prepared in the theatre kitchen.

For anyone wanting to improve their game, Steve Robinson, the award winning English Golf Union Futures Coach and one of Golf Monthly’s top 25 coaches in the UK, is available for lessons on the fabuSandburn Hall lous driving range has added strategic and practice facilitree planting in ty. His academy is recent years, to set up to offer augment the mature tuition to all woodlands that Continued over offer a challenge the page

February 2019 From previous page abilities, from newcomers to top amateur golfers.

Amongst the other fine facilities the club has to offer, Sandburn Hall boasts a large outdoor practice tee, which enables golfers to hit from grass as well as from range bays fitted with the latest Power Tee technology.

With excellent transportation links, Sandburn Hall is the ideal venue for a society or corporate day, offering tailor-made packages to suit everyone all year round.

With packages starting from just £20, visiting has never been more highly recommended. You can be sure of a very warm welcome from the Golf Team led by experienced Club Manager and former PGA Professional, Darren Tear.

Sandburn Hall’s golf team are skilled in the provision of superb bespoke golf society packages.

The club also has a number of attractive membership packages available to suit whatever your lifestyle.

As well as competitive rates for the rest of the 2019/20 season, membership comes with additional benefits such as 10% off all food and beverage, discounted guest green fee rates, special golf buggy rates, and an extensive competition calendar.

Without doubt Sandburn Hall is leading the way within Yorkshire and the modern approach to golf club membership has really enhanced this classy venue.

Members and visiting societies are also benefitting from this with repeat business and new enquiries coming in thick and fast.

19

Sandburn Hall has some wide and handsome fairways – but mind the abundance of traps

SANDBURN HALL GOLF CLUB Flaxton, York YO60 7RB Tel: 01904 469922 www.sandburnhall.co.uk

The winding waterways and ponds make for distinctive features of Sandburn Hall – best avoided, naturally!

SANDBURN HALL – YELLOW TEES 1 - 521 yds par 5 A straightforward opener with out of bounds beyond the road on the right. Fairway bunkering is a feature of Sandburn before you come into a typically elevated green with plenty of runs offs.

2 – 362 yds par 4 Again, plenty of room to aim at, but spraying it too wide either side will likely cost you a shot. The green is well guarded.

3 - 411 yds par 4 A sharp dogleg left which will tempt the bigger hitters but there’s very little margin for error. Position is the smart option. Another raised green with bunkers and run offs.

4 – 378 yds par 4 Another gentler dogleg, well protected out wide with the corner guarded by sand and a mature oak tree. Plenty of bunkers, but not too tight in to a big green.

5 – 336 yds par 4 Trouble left, but it’s wide open to the right – taking the tiger line brings into play three low lying fairway traps you can’t see from the tee.

6 – 161 yds par 3 The first short hole is attractive, over water for the first but far from last time. It’s a big, elevated target with run offs all around and bunkers to the front.

7 – 423 yds par 4 A long, straight par four, again with trees and bushes to both sides, with a plantation crowding in from the right towards the hole.

8 – 188 yds par 3 The front bunkers you see from the tee are actually well short of the putting surface which has mounding to the left and two midright bunkers.

9 – 479 yds par 5 Heading for home, parallel to the first, with

heavy woodland that will punish anything too far right. It’s all about position on your approach to a green slightly above you, guarded by a big tree.

10 – 360 yds par 4 A dogleg right, with a corner bunker that you can take on. A narrow entrance to a green sloping back right to front left with with quite steep faced bunkers.

11 – 382 yds par 4 The beck follows you up the right towards a raised, flat green. Anything shortish could run back to you.

12 – 491 yds par 5 Open your shoulders on the drive, before you are asked a major question – go over the dogleg and the lake, or try to tip-toe round it.

Well bunkered green, tougher than the index suggests.

13 – 178 yds par 3 All about the traps and run offs around the green.

14 – 424 yds par 4 A testing par 4 if the wind’s against, with tricky fairway traps and a couple short of the green which will catch a lot of second shots.

OB lies beyond two rear bunkers.

15 – 381 yds par 4 The beck feeds the lake that crosses the fairway but it shouldn’t come into play. The green is tucked away and again the lake on the right shouldn’t feature.

16 – 326 yds par 4 Short par 4 that just needs the sand avoiding if stroke 18 isn’t to cost you.

17 – 479 yds par 5 A tough, tight drive, with the beck down the right and heavy woodland running down the left to the dogleg – beyond which is the lake.

Position is at a premium.

18 – 163 yds par 3 A picturesque finish with the lake nearby offering aesthetics more than hazard, with the welcoming clubhouse awaiting.

20

February 2019

CHRIS HANSON THE EUROPEAN CHALLENGE TOUR BLOG

New route but destination is still the top I

HOPE 2019 has started exactly how you wanted it to and you’re already on your journey to achieving your goals and dreams for this year.

And how are those New Year resolutions going?

I’ve stayed pretty strong so far with my diet plans and I’ve certainly upped my training, which started back in November with my new fitness coach Mark Parry.

I want to make a difference to myself this off-season and doing that will have plenty of positive effects on my golf going forward – more speed, more power, more self–confidence, all of which will hopefully drag my career out for longer.

I’ve not had a long off-season for a while, and even though this one is through negative reasons after losing my card I feel it’s a blessing in disguise.

I get to spend time with my family, and also make some technical and physical changes.

Fitness and nutrition are certainly things I wish I had taken a lot more seriously at an early age.

Looking back to when I was 18, and knowing now what benefits there are from both fitness and nutrition, it seems stupid that I didn’t work harder on this area.

It’s certainly a piece of advice I would pass on to any keen up-and-coming players: “Seek advice from a golf specific expert, take it seriously and work hard.”

I’m now playing catch up with the new young breed of golfer coming through the system, and I don’t want to get left any further behind.

There is no getting away from the fact that times are changing whether you like it or not. In another five years there will be a load more Cameron Champs and Brooks Koepkas.

So, welcome Mark Parry to Team Hanson – and feel free to get in touch

Chris Hanson is closing in on his goal of increasing his driver swing speed to 120mph with him on Instagram/Twitter (@markparrygolf) if you have any questions about what we’re up to or specifically about what he does.

Mark is a freelance personal trainer based in Estepona, Spain, but he’s also a specific golf trainer working with clients from beginners to Major champions, and he also competes in Long Drive Championships.

So, what have we been doing? Well it started with testing my mobility, strength and power. You have to understand what you can and can’t do, and set some benchmarks so you can plan

and push towards some goals.

Also, how do you know how much you have improved if you don’t get a starting point? Okay, you kind of know and can feel a difference, but personally it’s great to see numbers, as they certainly don’t lie.

So, the basic plan is to get four gym sessions per week planned in around my golf practice and playing, and along with that three cardio sessions, which for me involves running.

I try to run between 3-5 miles each time, and make one of those CV sessions an interval sprint session.

I really hate doing cardio work in the gym; I like to be outdoors exploring – and running does that for me.

It’s so flexible; all you need are a pair of trainers and off you go wherever you are in the world.

Here’s Mark’s take on it so far.

“Having started working with Chris in early December, it’s been great to see him apply himself to the programmes I’ve set.

He really knows what he wants to achieve and is well on his way to smashing his goals, and I’m sure we will be resetting those goals sooner

than we thought”.

The gym sessions all include strength and speed training. They target my physical limitations and challenge my stability and mobility in all exercises. The aim is to build a solid foundation of strength followed by speed, from where we can then move on to more power–based exercises.

So, my goals to the end of February are to: Increase driver swing speed to 120mph Have a more stable lower body in my golf posture and takeaway Be able to make an easier/longer backswing turn with my irons Make a difference to my physical appearance Create some good food and drink habits in terms of meals, snacks and hydration.

I’m already on target to achieving some of these goals.

Along with technical work on my swing, I’ve been doing specific sessions where speed has been my main focus.

I still make it a performance test, but on Trackman I do a 10-ball test where I try to complete my routine and perform well on the test, but my intentions are to swing the club as fast as I can.

I then take my high-speed score, my average speed score, and the test score.

It’s fair to say I’ve been enjoying my training lately and also the technical work I’ve been doing. I seem to work really well when I’m set a challenge or a target, or have to change something; it seems to focus my mind better and makes it easier to drive me towards my goals.

I know it’s extremely early days and a long way off before I start to compete again, but I’m super excited about the year ahead, and I hope you’re looking forward to this next chapter in my golfing adventure.

I’m certainly looking forward to sharing the journey back with you.

Yorkshire Schools competitors face tough examination COMPETITION is expected to be fiercer than ever in the four Yorkshire Schools’ Golf Association events to be played across the county this year.

The association gained national prominence during a standout 2018 that saw Huddersfield’s Charlotte Heath and Ben Schmidt from Rotherham lead the Girls’ and Boys’ teams for the England v Scotland international.

An international cap is much coveted and a real plus on any golfing CV, especially for those seeking a golf scholarship in the USA as Schmidt will testify having been offered a place at East Tennessee University starting in 2020.

Furthermore, the schools’ golf structure enables players to earn their place through performances and results in events and not rely on traditional means of selection by a panel of observers.

Each of the regional events in Yorkshire attract between 50 to 80 boys and girls aged 12 to 19 with progression possible based on performance. The growing reputation of the association has attracted sponsorship this year from the KP Club in Pocklington.

Jonathan Plaxton, who is secretary of the association, said: “We are gaining traction and I would specifically like to mention the fact that, possibly

due to the performances of Charlotte and Ben last year, we received generous donations from both The Yorkshire Ladies’ County Golf Association- who were first to the party- and then latterly from the Yorkshire Union of Golf Clubs also. This is a first as far as I’m aware.

“I’m also very pleased to confirm that Ashley Pheasant at the KP Club has agreed to sponsor the cost of the prizes we will be awarding at our four events on Yorkshire soil.”

Darwin Escapes’ Kilnwick Percy Resort, the KP Club, is nestled in the beautiful East Yorkshire village of Pocklington and boasts stun-

ning views from its 120-acre championship golf course.

Not only does it provide the perfect location for a Yorkshire countryside getaway, but it is also open to the public for use of the spa, gym, golf course and on-site restaurant, The Glasshouse, which serves a range of mouth-watering cuisine suitable for all ages.

The association’s support team has been strengthened with the appointment of Ray and Juliet Agar, who will lead the West Yorkshire event at Howley Hall in March.

Ray is well-versed in golf at this level and serves as junior organiser at Cookridge Hall in Leeds.

Plaxton added: “We now have a full team alongside Kevin Hughes (Kirkbymoorside) who leads for us in the North and East of Yorkshire.

“He runs the show at Malton & Norton. That leaves Ian Lindley in South Yorks for the championship which Hickleton host.”

Low Laithes will once again host the Team Championship qualifier in April with the winning team going through to compete in the nationals at Woodhall Spa. Cleckheaton will have the honour of staging the English Schools’ Under-16 national championships in July.

YORKSHIRE SCHOOLS’ GOLF ASSOCIATION’S 2019 CALENDAR Monday, March 25: West Yorkshire Schools’ Championship, Howley Hall Friday, March 29: North & East Yorkshire Schools’ Championship, Malton & Norton Monday, March 18: South Yorkshire Schools’ Championship, Hickleton Friday, April 26: Yorkshire Schools’ Championship Final, Low Laithes Friday, May 31: NASUWT sponsored North of England Schools’ Championship, Denton, Lancashire Monday, June 24: NASUWT sponsored English Schools’ National Championship, Sherwood Forest, Notts Wednesday, July 10: 2019, NASUWT sponsored National Schools’ Team Championship, Woodhall Spa, Lincs Monday, July 22: NASUWT sponsored English Schools’ Under-16 National Championships, Cleckheaton

21

February 2019

TOP MAN Howley Hall’s former Yorkshire champion impresses as he makes his international bow in Spain

Superb Hutch off to a flier with England HOWLEY HALL’S Ben Hutchinson was joint top scorer on his England debut in the Costa Ballena octagonal match in Spain.

Despite admitting that he was “very rusty” Hutch scored four and a half points from a possible seven in the match, which was won by Spain.

England finished in seventh place, but could only field five of the original six-man team when Gloucestershire’s Joe Long had to return home with a foot injury.

“I was very rusty at the start of the week, especially my long game, but I got better as the week went on,” he said.

It was Hutchinson’s first appearance on a golf course for over a month.

“It was great to get back playing in sunshine and on a good golf course.

“For the past few weeks I

have been using the indoor centre at Howley Hall along with the putting green that our professional Ryan Rastall has installed in there, but there’s only so much you can do indoors.

“It was a good week and I was generally pleased with my performance and lost two singles games on the last hole, which could have gone either way.

“It wasn’t the result we were all hoping for, but losing Joe was a big blow.

We were awarded half a point for all the games he couldn’t play in, but he’s one of our best players and I think he would have scored more points than that.”

Hutch was called into the England squad after some good showings last year, the highlight of which was reaching the last

‘I was very rusty at the start of the week, especially my long game’

16 in the Amateur Championship where he was beaten by the eventual winner Jovan Rebula of South Africa.

He has spent the winter months working on his putting technique and started to see the benefits during the tournament that was played at the Jose Maria Olazabal designed course in the Costa de la Luz. “That was definitely the best part of my game throughout the week,” he said.

“I have been working hard

to correct some technique issues I had developed, and England coach Paul Ashwell and Mike Kanski, from the Harold Swash Putting School of Excellence at Formby Hall, have both helped me.”

His debut appearance for England in Spain marked a notable family double as his cousin Danny Denison also represented his country at the same event in 2005.

Hutchinson could have followed Denison into the paid

ranks after making it through all three rounds of the European Tour Q School at the end of last year, which would have guaranteed him a number of starts on the Challenge Tour this year.

But he opted to stay as an amateur and gain more experience through the England Squad programme, which includes another spell of warm weather training at Vale Do Lobo in Portugal in March before his assault on the amateur circuit starts in earnest.

Howley Hall’s Ben Hutchinson is pictured above, second right, with his England teammates at Costa Ballena

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@yorkshiregolfer

Rastall’s all-round service earns nomination for award HOWLEY HALL head professional Ryan Rastall has been nominated for a national award with golf retail buying group TGI. Rastall is one of four shortlisted by the group for the ‘Golf Shop of the Year’ and the winner will be announced when TGI holds its annual conference at Trump Turnberry on February 5.

A key part of his retail offering is club fitting, which is carried out in his teaching, performance and custom fit centre where golfers can try out the very latest gear from a wide range of manufacturers and see their results using Trackman 4, which captures every detail of the club and ball at impact.

Rastall said: “As an individual pro shop we probably have more demo clubs than anybody else in Yorkshire, but I always

try to be honest with customers and if I can’t find them something which gives them more distance or accuracy or will not improve their game then I recommend they stay with what they are currently using.”

The Lincolnshire native is in his third year as head professional at the Morley club having previously served as assistant to James Whitaker.

“The club have been very supportive in helping me develop the pro shop with enhancements like a new ceiling with great lighting, and I have also invested in point of sale and merchandising to help create the right kind of impact.

“The majority of our customers come from outside of the club membership and I have a great team here in my brother Tom and Ben Hutchinson, and just to be

nominated for the Pro Shop of the Year from the hundreds of members within the TGI group is a great accolade.”

Former Yorkshire amateur champion Hutchinson is playing full-time amateur golf and helps out when not competing.

Rastall’s reputation as a club fitter has been further enhanced by website Golfshake.com, who recently named him equipment expert, and he now conducts equipment testing on their behalf, which can be viewed at Golfshake.com.

Rastall recently attended the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida, as part of the Golfshake team.

The convention attracts over 40,000 golf professionals and industry experts from around the world and showcases the latest trends in golf equipment and technology.

Ryan Rastall, left, with Ben Hutchinson, centre, and Tom Rastall at Howley Hall

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22

February 2019

TONY HOWARTH, Academy Director at Scarthingwell Golf Academy

Want to play well?

Well then get a grip!

CAN YOU name the two things that a golfer uses on every golf shot?

The answer is 1: a golf ball and 2: a golf grip.

Many golfers forget the importance of their club grip, however it is a vital part of a good golf shot. The golf grip is what keeps your hands on the club, allows you to create power but also enables you to play those soft, delicate touch shots too.

Just like your golf ball, your golf grip loses its efficiency over time. Instead of being comfortable to the touch, weathered and worn golf grips feel slicker, worn down and slippery in your hands.

Golf grips need to be replaced every so often, restoring that feel and comfort.

One question I am regularly asked is how often should I replace my grips.

The average golfer playing a couple of times a week should replace their golf grips every year, but the time of year you play most and the more often you play, the more frequently you should replace them.

In my opinion, it is best to replace them coming into the new season giving you the best opportunity of extending the lifetime of your grips.

Many golfers don’t always consider the correct sizing of their golf grips. A correct thickness of grip shouldn’t allow you to dig your fingers into your palms on your top hand. If you can, your grip is too small.

Having a grip which is too big may cause a lack of hand action and can result in a fade or slice.

Always ask your local professional to help you choose a grip thickness that will suit your hand size.

Then it is down to you to choose a “feel” that you like. Grip feel ranges from hard to soft to the touch and you will know immediately when you pick up the right one for you!

Remember, you wouldn’t drive on the road with worn tyres that will not grip the road….so please don’t play with worn grips that will not stay put in your hands!

TONY HOWARTH, 2004 Sinclair Award Winner, Academy Director and Golf and Marketing Manager at Scarthingwell Golf Course, has over 25 years PGA experience and has taught all levels of golfers. This experience ranges from European Tour, Ladies European Tour and County players through to club golfers and complete beginners. Tony has appeared as guest speaker at many events including the Junior Golf Partnership seminar held at the Belfry, as Key Note Speaker at the inaugural Golf Careers Convention at the University of Northumbria,

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guest speaker at the UK Golf Show, the Turkish Golf Federation 1st Annual Coaching Conference and most recently at the GolfEurope Show in Augsburg, Germany. In his role as SNAG Master Trainer, Tony works with International Golf Development implementing first touch coaching and development programmes across the world including Europe, Africa and Asia. Tony’s simplistic style of coaching has been his road to success and he has become known as an expert not just on the golf swing but especially on the short game and putting.