Founded in 1874, Seaton Carew Golf Club will be celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2024 and the club has a rich golfing history as the 10th oldest in England. It was also the first to be established in the counties of Durham & Yorkshire, something which is still celebrated on the club’s crest and in its original name of Durham & Yorkshire Golf Club.
As part of its anniversary activities, Seaton Carew will be hosting England Golf’s premier tournament, the English Amateur Championships which take place between the 28th of July and 4th of August. The 2024 event will be even more significant because it’s also the governing body’s centenary year.
Uniquely, Seaton Carew has 22 holes which are played as two different layouts, although only one is in play at a given time. The Old Course, played mainly in the winter, and the Micklem, used in the summer, each have differing WHS course and slope ratings, both making for an enjoyable test of golfing ability.
The Old Course is the creation of legendary golf architect, Dr Alister MacKenzie, whilst the Micklem includes three holes designed by Frank Pennink. The latter will be used as the venue for the English Amateur Championships. The club is very proud of its MacKenzie heritage and is currently working with MacKenzie & Ebert to restore many of the bunkers to the great doctor’s original designs.
The fast-draining soil means golf can be played almost 365 days a year at Seaton Carew making it a very attractive winter golf destination. Golfers often compliment the club on the tightly-mown fairways and fast running greens as they thread their way between almost one hundred deep-faced bunkers and contend with whatever the elements throw at them. One thing’s for sure, breaking par will be quite an achievement!
The superbly appointed clubhouse is home to relaxing bar and lounge areas, and the popular Bunting Lounge offers traditional home-cooked meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The club is renowned in the north-east for excellent dining options and fine hospitality, and visitors are welcome to relax in the historic Captains’ Corner surrounded by 150 years of past club dignitaries.
Whether an individual golfer or part of visiting group, Seaton Carew is the ideal place for a great day’s golf. Societies are welcomed from 11am onwards with a variety of golfing packages available.
For those new to the region, Hartlepool has a long fishing heritage, the nearby River Tees is still a major seaport and the town’s marina is home to a sizeable fleet of leisure craft. It’s also home to the sailing frigate HMS Trincomalee, now a floating museum, which is based next to the National Museum of the Royal Navy. The town also boasts miles of wonderful sandy beaches and there are plenty of seaside attractions in the village of Seaton Carew. From affordable B&B’s to luxury hotels the region offers a host of accommodation options for those wishing to spend a few days soaking up the north-east hospitality.
www.seatoncarewgolfclub.co.uk
The International Olympic Academy Golf Course welcomes the Olympic Flame – the first golf course in the Mediterranean to host the Olympic symbol
Α new sports camp launches this summer while the NBA Basketball School returns for its second year
Messinia, April 18, 2024: Costa Navarino, the sustainably driven destination in Greece’s southwest Peloponnese, is celebrating the Olympic Games 2024 with landmark events and enhances its sports offering, with a new summer camp and the return of the NBA Basketball School.
On April 17, Costa Navarino proudly welcomed the Olympic Flame at the world’s first International Olympic Academy Golf Course, as part of the flame’s journey from Greece to Paris. It is the first golf course in the Mediterranean to ever host the Olympic symbol. The 18hole signature golf course symbolises the links between golf and Olympism, as it is the nearest golf development to Ancient Olympia, birthplace of the Olympic Games. The naming of course also reflects the International Olympic Academy, Hellenic Olympic Committee and Costa Navarino’s shared values of sustainability, personal welfare, education, and growth. Two young athletes from the Navarino Junior Golf Academy acted as torchbearers.
To celebrate the spirit of the Olympics, Costa Navarino will introduce a new five-day sports camp for children and teenagers aged six to 15, from 15 July to 16 August. The camp will give them the chance to try their hand at ten different sports which feature in the Olympic
Games. The aspiring athletes will receive expert coaching in golf, tennis, basketball, football, archery, climbing, beach volleyball, gymnastics, swimming, and water polo. The basketball and football sessions will be led by coaches from the NBA Basketball School and Bayern FC respectively, while qualified coaches will oversee the other sports.
Sports enthusiasts can further develop their skills at the NBA Basketball School which returns at Costa Navarino for its second year of operation, with an engaging program for players of all ages. The NBA Basketball School will run from May 27 to September 15. Young players from six to 18 years old will live the NBA experience in three to seven-day camp programmes, while adults can participate in daily one-hour activities. All participants will receive an NBA branded T-shirt upon registration, and participants who attend the full program (six or seven days) will receive an NBA Basketball School certificate and NBA gift. For the period from June 30 to August 17, participants will have the exclusive opportunity to train with the NBA veteran and first-round draft pick, Michael Bradley, who will join as fulltime camp director.
Whilst children are training, adults can also participate in a range of sports including tennis, padel and pickleball at the Mouratoglou Tennis Center, wakeboard, SUP yoga, kitesurfing, sailing and diving in clear blue water, as well as enjoy the Messinian lush nature through hiking, cycling, climbing.
Costa Navarino is a 45 minute-drive from Kalamata International Airport. Easyjet flies direct to Kalamata from London Gatwick three times a week from April to November. British Airways has four direct flights a week from London Heathrow between May and October. Jet2 has twice-weekly direct flights from Birmingham, London Stansted and Manchester from May to November, while Ryanair flies weekly from London Stansted between June and September.
For more information or to book, visit www.costanavarino.com
London Golf Club has moved to strengthen and evolve its hospitality offering with the appointment of two industryleading talents.
The prestigious Kent club celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, having built a reputation in that time as one of the UK’s most welcoming clubs, mixing world-class golf with a friendly atmosphere and superb food.
The food and hospitality offering at the golf club has now been taken to a new level with the appointments of Ralph Jones and Beth McGuane.
Ralph Jones has been named as executive chef at the club after working at several Michelin star restaurants in his 20 years within the culinary industry. Jones will be responsible for leading the kitchen team and the venue’s food and drink offering.
Having previously held senior roles under chefs including Marco Pier White, Garry Hollihead and Éric Chavot, Jones is well-qualified to help London Golf Club significantly elevate its catering offering, including through the development of a new menu.
Jones, who has also worked in several two and three AA Rosette restaurants, said: “London Golf Club is an incredible place with a great history.
“The chance to come in with a fresh set of eyes, use my creativity and the freedom offered to me to put my own mark on the culinary offering was an exciting opportunity. We’ve worked hard on creating a new menu for the Spike Bar and have plenty more exciting plans in the pipeline.”
Meanwhile, Beth McGuane has taken on the role of director of hospitality at London Golf Club, bringing a wealth of experience and a real passion for hospitality with her.
Most recently working as head of hospitality for Rhubarb Hospitality – a London-based company that specialises in luxury event catering and iconic restaurant dining – McGuane has over a decade’s experience within the industry, which included employment at restaurants Balthazar, in Covent Garden, and Swan at The Globe.
McGuane said: “I’m delighted to be on board with London Golf Club and to be bringing my passion for hospitality here. Alongside the team, I’m hopeful we can deliver unforgettable experiences for members and guests.”
The double appointment comes with the club highlighting its position among the UK’s premier golf venues by striking gold at the prestigious annual 59club Golf Customer Service Excellence Awards.
It was a double success for London Golf Club’s team, with Simon Hilliard winning the Golf Retail Manager of the Year award for the relevant price category, while the prestigious club was one of just 19 from across the UK and Ireland to be named as a Gold Flag Members Club for 2024.
Stephen Follett, London Golf Club’s chief executive, said: “Here at London Golf Club we put a real emphasis on providing the best possible experience for members and visitors, from the moment they are first greeted at the top of the drive, to the minute they leave.
“I believe strongly that the appointments of both Ralph Jones and Beth McGuane will help us continue to elevate this experience even further and would like to welcome them both to London Golf Club.”
Monday, 29 April 2024: Young golfers from across the region enjoyed a great day of competition as Paultons Golf Centre hosted Hampshire Golf’s Mini and Ace Tours. The golf club, based near Romsey on the edge of the New Forest, welcomed golfers as young as 6 years old some of whom had never played golf on a full course before.
On the Future Champions Tour, there were some amazing scores with Joe Clothier topping the leaderboard in the Nett and Charlie Ship in the Gross playing on Paultons Championship course. The Mini Tour lowest score was made by 6 year old Rahim Kassim with an amazing 44 shots over the 9 hole layout.
“What a reception we received!” commented Richard Arnold, Hampshire Golf’s County Secretary “The team at Paulton’s were on hand all day and nothing was too much trouble to ensure all of our young golfers had an amazing experience. This was the first Mini Tour event of the year and some of our younger golfers were playing on the golf course for the very first time. This was the perfect place for them to get started.”
“We were delighted to welcome these young golfers to Paultons,” commented Director of Golf Michael Mulligan. “They really impressed us not only with their golf, but with the spirit in which they competed. I am really proud of the facilities and the team we have here. We cater for golfers of all ages and abilities and look forward to hosting more events like this in the future.”
These tournaments were the first of a number of events taking place at Paultons Golf Centre aimed at encouraging youngsters to play golf. In the May half-term holiday there will be Girls Golf Rocks and Golf Rookies holiday camps, and the centre will also be taking part in England Golf’s Golf Sixes League. To find out more information about the camps visit: https://www.paultonsgolf.co.uk/junior-golf/
Colin Montgomerie has signed up as host of the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship at Trump International Golf Links, Scotland.
The eight-time European Tour Order of Merit winner and Ryder Cup legend will proudly be putting his name to the Legends Tour’s flagship event at the end of July when it returns to the Aberdeenshire venue.
Peter Baker won the 2023 event, which drew in record crowds who saw the former Ryder Cup player claim victory by six shots after rounds of 69, 66, 69 and 72 in a season where he won four times and went on to take the season long MCB Road to Mauritius title as well.
Montgomerie won the John Jacob’s trophy awarded to the winner of the Legends Tour Order of Merit in 2014 and 2015.
Tickets for this year’s event are available now at legendstour.com/tickets with a saving for buying in advance online against the gate price on the day.
Speaking about his new role, Montgomerie said: “I am thrilled and honoured to have become a host on the Legends Tour. Over 50’s golf brings together some great friendships and great competitiveness too, it is something I am immensely proud to be a part of.
“The strength of the Legends Tour comes from the players, and it is great to see how it has grown as a Tour over recent years since Ryan Howsam got involved.
“To be hosting the oldest Senior championship in Europe is a distinct privilege. The Staysure PGA Seniors Championship promises to be a fantastic event again this year, with it returning to Trump International Golf Links. The facilities are superb, and the course is incredible. It will provide a great test for the players, while displaying a stunning spectacle for those watching on.
“I cannot wait for the tournament week, where I will be doing my best to be a good host, while also focussing on competing against a very strong field.”
Phil Harrison, CEO of the Legends Tour, said: “Colin Montgomerie is a name synonymous with European golf and the success it has enjoyed over the past forty years. We are delighted to have Colin on board as a host on the Legends Tour as we look to take it to the next level and continue our growth over the past four years.
Having a marquee name to host our flagship event makes things extra special. The Staysure PGA Senior Championship is a week which all our members want to be a part of. The return to Trump International Golf Links where we enjoyed such a great event in 2023 and now with Colin hosting makes it a week to savour this summer.”
Sarah Malone, Executive Vice President, Trump International, Scotland, said “We are truly honoured to welcome Colin back to Trump International Golf Links, Scotland where he helped launch our magnificent links with President Trump in 2012. We are thrilled to host The Staysure PGA Seniors Championship for a second year and can think of no better host for this fantastic tournament featuring so many great legends of the game.”
The Staysure PGA Seniors Championship will be staged at Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeenshire from July 31 to August 4 with Major champions among the names set to be confirmed over the coming days and weeks.
The par-72 championship course was designed by Dr Martin Hawtree and opened in 2012. It features two loops of nine holes nestled in amongst the Great Dunes of Scotland with views of the Aberdeenshire coastline and the North Sea. It is a truly stunning award-winning golf course, where each hole has its own distinct characteristics and unique features.
The Legends Tour 2024 schedule starts in May and features 20 tournaments across four continents with a prize fund of more than €18 million.
Tickets are on sale at www.legendstour.com/tickets with spectators saving against the gate entry prices by buying online now.
With pristine fairways, smooth-rolling greens and a spectacular location, there’s so much to recommend about a visit to Clube de Golf Santo da Serra in Madeira, and playing the course has never been easier thanks to a new partnership with leading online booking platform Zest.com.
The popular 27-hole venue is offering all its members and guests the opportunity to book realtime tee times from the comfort of their own homes or mobile devices using Zest’s innovative Channel Manager software, with all green-fee revenues paid directly to the club.
Providing a robust online solution that allows golfers to book tee times quickly and conveniently, the new collaboration not only caters to the needs of individual players but also opens up opportunities for golf tour operators to facilitate bookings on behalf of their clients.
“We are excited to bring this innovation to our golfers,” said Ricardo Abreu, general manager of Clube de Golf Santo da Serra.
“The new channel manager not only streamlines the booking process and payment for individual golfers but also provides an efficient platform for tour operators to manage bookings for their groups. This partnership with Zest.com marks a significant milestone in our journey to enhance the overall experience for our members and visitors.”
The partnership with Zest is the latest improvement to be made to its facilities by Santo da Serra as the club continues to upgrade the golf playing experience offered to members and guests.
The club the completed a major renovation programme of its three nine-hole courses 18 months ago – including the installation of a new state-of-the-art irrigation system – and the €2.5m course investment has paid immediate dividends, with Santo da Serra recently named as the best golf course in Portugal by users of Golfamore, Europe’s leading benefit card for golfers.
Clube de Golf Santo da Serra is one of three worldclass golf venues in the Portuguese archipelago of Madeira alongside Palheiro Golf and Porto Santo Golfe.
Located approximately 1,000km from the European mainland – and just 500km from the African continent – Madeira enjoys an amazingly mild climate, ranging from 25°c in the summer to 17°c in the winter, with very mild average temperatures and moderate humidity, making it the perfect yearround location for a golf break.
The best way to enjoy the island’s golf is with a Madeira Golf Passport which, providing holders with an unrivalled golf experience, is available to both individuals and groups and can be booked on a three or five-round basis.
The Club Company is excited to announce the expansion of its Strike Shack driving range portfolio this spring, powered by the latest Toptracer Range technology.
Following the launch of Strike Shack in 2022, eight sites have now opened across England to extremely positive feedback from members and guests, offering an engaging golf experience for beginners and experts alike.
Strike Shack combines a fun and interactive driving range experience, with many sites offering food and drink options for players within comfortable, heated bays. Using cutting-edge ball-tracking technology with dynamic graphics and data analysis, Toptracer Range enhances the practice experience for golfers of all levels. A range of refreshing beverages, quick snacks and light bites are all available to order to the bays at several locations, ensuring an enjoyable and relaxing driving range experience.
The latest range transformations include The Warwickshire, Devon-based Woodbury Park and the group’s newest acquisition, The Club at High Legh Park.
“We are thrilled to bring the excitement of
Strike Shack to even more of our clubs across England," commented Richard Calvert, CEO of The Club Company.
"As a collection of country clubs, part of our commitment is to provide exceptional golf experiences, and with projections of over 30 million shots across our collection of Strike Shack ranges over the next 12 months we’re delighted to see these ranges becoming go-to destinations for anyone looking to improve their golf game, have fun and socialise with friends and family."
Golfers at Verdura Resort, a Rocco Forte hotel, can enjoy an enhanced luxury experience from this spring with the acclaimed Sicilian venue having undertaken a further upgrade of its award-winning golf facilities, including a major new investment in its golf academy. A new fitting and coaching centre with advanced technology is at the forefront of an array of improvements that the Rocco Forte resort has made in 2024 as part of an overall investment of more than €1 million in its golf offering.
Having undertaken a major remodelling of its East and West courses and a significant investment in a course maintenance programme, which features a new sustainable irrigation system, Verdura Resort has carried out several additional new upgrades to the facilities and services it offers to all visiting golfers. As well as constructing a new cover at its double-ended driving range to allow for practice in all conditions, two studios have been built for clubfitting and swing analysis using the latest state-ofthe-art technology including Trackman, V1 Swing Analysis software, 3D Balance Force plates, 3D Biomechanical and Sam PuttLab analysis.
In addition, guests can enjoy access to a range of leading golf brands including Callaway, TaylorMade, Ping, Titleist and Wilson Staff at the academy’s fitting centre. The resort’s fleet of Club Car buggies has been upgraded with GPS, and a new online booking system has been installed to allow golfers to book tee times directly in a faster, more efficient
Concierge.verdura@roccoforthehotels.com
Donato Di Ponziano, Verdura Resort’s golf development manager, said: “Verdura’s golf courses are renowned across the world and the recent improvements that have been made have helped the resort to win a number of leading international accolades.
“It is of great importance to us that the high quality of the courses is matched by the other golf facilities that we offer, and the latest upgrades that have been made will ensure that all our golfers are offered an enhanced high and qualified level of service to guarantee comfort, relaxation and fun in one of Europe’s most idyllic golf locations.”
Home of the European Tour’s Rocco Forte Sicilian Open, Verdura Resort is nestled in 230 hectares of stunning Mediterranean landscape on Sicily’s southern coast and features two 18-hole links-style championship golf courses – the West Course and remodelled East Course – a nine-hole executive course also designed by acclaimed golf architect Kyle Phillips and outstanding practice facilities including Italy’s only European Tour-approved Performance Institute. The courses and facilities combined have established Verdura as one of the world’s elite golf and lifestyle destinations.
Verdura Resort, a Rocco Forte hotel, offers a choice of 203 elegant rooms and suites as well as 20 new Rocco Forte private villas, and is famous for offering members and guests an unforgettable five-star golf experience in one of the most beautiful settings in the world. In addition to golf, guests can enjoy an extensive range of luxury sports and facilities including the award-winning Irene Forte Spa, as well as the opportunity to sample the very best in gastronomy, wine, history and culture.
Members at The Manor House Golf Club will have a very special reason to raise money for the Wiltshire Air Ambulance this year as they commemorate the memory of longstanding former member Phil Mercer.
Club captain Simon Wright had no hesitation in naming the fundraising organisation as the official charity for his year in office after they attended to his friend at the Wiltshire course in September 2021.
Phil, co-founder of Bristol-based company PhilTone, was playing his usual Saturday morning round of golf on September 11, 2021, when he tragically collapsed and died. He was 69.
Simon and his fellow members at The Manor House already have a busy programme of fundraising activities planned over the next 12 months and Phil’s son, Neil, also a club member, joined Simon to help launch his captaincy year at his Captain’s Drive-In event on April 20.
Club captain Simon Wright
“Phil was a good friend of mine and I played golf with him many times. He had been a part of The Manor House family for more than 20 years and it was tragedy when he passed away just over two years ago.
“What happened to him affected everyone at the club. We were all very keen to do something to celebrate his memory and it was an easy decision to make selecting the Wiltshire Air Ambulance as my captain’s charity.
“The team that attended to Phil were fantastic and they did everything they could to save him. It is a wonderful organisation and I will be doing everything I can to raise as much money as possible during my year in office.”
A group of 88 members gathered around the first tee to watch Simon hit his tee shot down the middle of the fairway and Andy Ryan, club manager at The Manor House Golf Club, is anticipating a busy year of fundraising ahead.
He said: “Phil was a familiar face around the club who was liked by everyone and it was terrible what happened to him. Simon’s decision to select the Wiltshire Air Ambulance as his charity is a lovely way to celebrate Phil’s memory and I would urge everyone to dig deep and donate as much money as they can over the coming year.”
Set in 365 acres of rolling countryside, The Manor House’s acclaimed 18-hole championship course is immersed in the enchanting surroundings of the Cotswolds and is regarded as one of the best layouts in southwest of England.
Designed by Peter Alliss and Clive Clark, the mature oak and beech trees that line the beautifully manicured fairways, together with the immaculate greens and the River Bybrook meandering through the middle, bring both drama and beauty to the 6,500yard parkland course.
In addition to the golf club, The Manor House hotel provides an exceptional fivestar accommodation for golf breaks. The stately 14th-century country house is full of charm and traditional quirky features. Fifty comfortable, individually styled rooms and suites can be found across the estate, which also includes a picturesque row of cottages.
Father and son duo, Sten Haakan Aakerlund and Carl Aakerlund, have transformed a 27-year-old concept into the world's largest match play tournament, drawing participants from 24 countries across 6 continents. Their brainchild, the World Amateur Match Race, now boasts over 25,000 participants annually, a remarkable feat stemming from a simple idea and a vision for global connectivity in sports.
The journey began when Carl stumbled upon a photo of his father presenting a trophy in Spain four years ago and inquired about its significance. Sten Haakan reminisced about a golf tournament he organized 27 years ago, lamenting the lack of internet connectivity at the time. He recalled the cumbersome process of managing over 3,000 teams, relying on traditional methods of communication like mail and phone calls for results.
Carl, just 18 years old and fresh out of high school, saw an opportunity to modernize and expand the tournament's reach. He proposed the idea of developing software to streamline operations and take the tournament to a global scale. This marked the inception of the World Amateur Match Race as we know it today.
Sten Haakan, having recently sold his digital marketing company in 2020, was quick to embrace his son's vision. They raised $2 million USD by selling a 10% stake in the company and enlisted a developer from King, known for the popular game Candy Crush, to build the software. Despite launching amidst the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2021, the inaugural tournament saw an impressive turnout, with 3,166 teams from 8 countries participating.
By 2022, the tournament had expanded to 15,878 registered teams across 18 countries, further growing to over 25,000 teams from 24 countries by 2023. The USA leads with the most registered teams, closely followed by Canada, South Africa, and Australia, with Central Europe also emerging as a significant market.
Looking ahead, Sten Haakan envisions a partnership with Netflix to produce an annual series titled "Half Swing," featuring amateur players from around the world. This ambitious plan, dubbed "Half Swing," aims to showcase the tournament's global appeal and the passion of its participants. The upcoming season of the World Amateur Match Race is set to kick off on May 1st, running through September, culminating in the final in Dubai in November. The following season will start in October and conclude with the final in April, promising another exciting chapter in the tournament's remarkable journey.
Memberships, golf days, corporate packages and lots more are available from this premium venue located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire.
Harleyford Golf Club is the 7th best club in Buckinghamshire and is located in Marlow next to the river Thames. Harleyford prides itself on being open all year round without the need for temporaries or mats, whilst still providing some of the most incredible playing surfaces in Buckinghamshire.
Harleyford is a Donald Steele designed course and is proud to be home to one of the best golfers in the world, Tyrrell Hatton.
The beautifully crafted golf course in natural downland provides the perfect setting for this 6,903-yard golf course. The par sits at 72 and is both rewarding and challenging to all players of all levels.
Having been partnered with the British Golf Show now for over three years, we are pleased to be the local Club to the host venue and continue to support them with their ever-growing show.
Harleyford Golf Club provides a premium membership experience whereby members enjoy the ability to play as often as they like on the golf course alongside exclusivity and plenty more membership benefits.
Harleyford also offers great corporate packages for membership, conference room hire, corporate events and golf days.
