Golf Empire Blog

Opens & Membership at Meltham Golf Club

2012-05-25T15:11:00.002+01:00

Meltham Golf Club have limited availability in five of their open competitions this summer.

You can also find out more about their limited time membership offer where the joining fee is currently suspended saving prospective members over £650.

The Rabbits Open on Sunday 1st July has some tee-times available from mid-morning. This Betterball Stableford competition is open to golfers with a handicap between 16 and 28 and costs just £25 per pair to enter. Prizes will be awarded to 6th place with additional prizes for longest drive, straightest drive and nearest-the-pin. Anyone who hits the par 3 17th green with their tee-shot will also enjoy a complimentary beer!!

The following Sunday a Mixed Pairs Open will be held. Remaining tee-times are from 1.30pm and are expected to go quickly. The format is 4BBB and the entry-fee is £25 per couple. Handicap limits are 24 (men) and 36 (ladies).

The first of two Senior Opens takes place on Tuesday 10th July. Only morning tee-times are available now and once again they won't last long! The event is open to male golfers aged 55+ years with a maximum handicap of 24. Entry is £25 per pair.

For those who miss out on that competition a second Seniors Open will be staged on Tuesday 18th September. The format and price is the same as the July tournament with early booking strongly recommended.

Finally, the annual Gents Pairs Open will be played on Sunday 15th July. Presently times are available between 9.30am and 10.15am plus from 2.30pm onwards. At £25 per pair for this 4BBB it offers excellent value and is open to golfers with a handicap of 24 or less.

Bookings for any of the above events will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis. Entry-forms can be found here whilst entry and more information can also be obtained from the Club Professional Simon Race, or Gill in the office, by calling 01484 851521.

About Meltham

Meltham Golf Club was founded in 1908 and is based at Thick Hollins Hall near Huddersfield.

The beautiful 18 hole course sits in the foothills of the Pennines and enjoys a parkland setting with moorland views.

There are relatively few sand bunkers at Meltham, but this should not be taken as meaning the course is easy. The greens are quite narrow and the lie of the land means that the penalty for missing a green on the 'wrong' side can be far worse than going into sand. Similarly, whilst the fairways may appear generous, the natural slopes mean they are much tighter than they look. The trees that line the fairways look very attractive - until your ball finishes beneath one!

Meltham prides itself on the condition of the course and during the season the greens run fast and true. The 'jewel in the crown' is the condition of the fairways. The turf comprises strong, wiry, Pennine grasses which give a lie appreciated by high and low handicappers alike.

Holes of particular note include the 530 yard par 5 eleventh and the scenic but challenging par 4 thirteenth, which has water and out of bounds running along the left hand side. The final eighteenth hole requires a courageous drive across the valley, especially if a good score beckons.

Seniors Open at Chorlton-cum-Hardy

2012-05-25T14:09:00.001+01:00

A Senior Pairs Open will be held on Thursday 6th September at Chorlton-cum-Hardy Golf Club near Manchester.

Early entries are invited for this 4BBB Stableford competition (3/4 handicap) that is open to male golfers aged 55+ years.

The cost of entry is just £26 per pair, which includes a 2's sweep.

Interested players are advised to send their entry-form off asap to secure a place.

About Chorlton-cum-Hardy

Chorlton-cum-Hardy Golf Club is a challenging 18-hole parkland course, set in the grounds of historic Barlow Hall.

This splendid course winds its way down narrow fairways and around the banks of the river Mersey. Located in such tranquil surroundings, it is difficult to believe that you are just 4 miles from Manchester city centre and in close proximity to the M60 motorway network.

With four par 3's and two par 5's that stretch the course to just below 6,000 yards, this course is a great test for any golfer.

Manley leads at Bovey Castle

2012-05-24T21:24:00.001+01:00

Welshman holds one-shot lead over Martin LeMesurier in Your Golf Travel Classic!

Stuart Manley leads by a shot going into the Final Round of the 888poker.com PGA EuroPro Tour’s Your Golf Travel Classic at Bovey Castle.

Manley (Machynys Peninsula) shared the lead with Martin LeMesurier (South Winchester Golf Club) at the start of play on Thursday (May 24) but a second consecutive 64 saw him take the outright lead by the end of the day.

It is set up for a thrilling final day in the Dartmoor sun with Tyrrell Hatton (Harleyford Golf Club) tied for third with Michael McGeady (McCambridge Duffy) on -9.

A bogey at six didn’t prevent Manley shooting a Second Round of 64, six under par at Bovey Castle. Having seen the Welshman put in another impressive performance LeMesurier, teeing off almost seven hours later, started his second round in superb style. After making par at the first he hit six consecutive birdies to return to tied first.

A double bogey at 10 set LeMesurier back and though he responded immediately with a birdie at 11 and another at 14, he dropped another shot at 16 to fall behind Manley.

McGeady is three shots behind the leader after signing for 63, the day’s best round. The Irishman is nine under par for the tournament following a second round which included seven birdies. Level with him in third is Hatton who shot 64 to ensure he is in contention ahead of the final day’s play.

Tom Haylock (Red Golf Management) completed a round of 66 with a birdie at the last and sits fifth on eight under. Three players are tied for sixth, two shots behind Haylock. Mark Kerr (Marriot Dalmahoy Hotel), Mark Laskey (Brocket Hall) and Stuart Archibald (media-tactics) are all six under par going into the final day.

The cut of the top 50 players plus ties has now been made with all those who have a total score one over par or better proceeding to Friday’s Final Round.

Among those who missed the cut were Wensum Valley winner Dan Seymour (Newbury Golf Centre, 74, 72) and last year’s Order of Merit winner Chris Hanson (Woodsome Hall Golf Club, 75, 70)

The Final Round begins at 7am on Friday (May 25). Live scoring from the event will be available at www.europrotour.com and regular updates will also be posted on the Tour’s official Twitter feed, @PGAEuroProTour.

Sawbridge homes in on trophy success

2012-05-24T20:33:00.002+01:00

JOE Sawbridge capitalised on local knowledge to win the Lancashire County Members’ Collinge Trophy second qualifying round at his home course Hurlston Hall.

The six handicapper returned nett 71 to prevail by a shot from Grange Park’s Alan Burns, playing off 17, who beat nine ranked Peter White, from Lee Park, on a card play-off.

Sherdley Park’s Paul Fairhurst signed for best gross 76.

Meanwhile, qualifying for the Bell Trophy is at Lytham Green Drive on June 12 and Heysham on June 29.

The Collinge and Bell finals are at Hesketh on September 13.

LEADING SCORES: 71 - Joe Sawbridge (6, Hurlston Hall); 72 - Alan Burns (17, Grange Park), Peter White (9, Lee Park); 73 - Samuel Dring (14, Grange Park), Paul Fairhurst (3, Sherdley Park), Bob Snellgrove (11, Hurlston Hall). Gross: 76 - Paul Fairhurst (Sherdley Park).

St. Mellons offers

2012-05-23T22:58:00.001+01:00

To Celebrate the Olympic 2012 games in London St Mellons have a couple of special offers.

If you book a group of 12 people or more during August the green-fee price works out at just £20 each.

Meanwhile in June they have a 4-Ball for £90 special deal which also includes a bar meal after your midweek round. This runs from 1st to 30th June.

The offers are subject to availability and can be booked by calling Roger Haggerty 01633 680408 option 2.

Manley & LeMesurier lead at Bovey Castle

2012-05-23T22:52:00.000+01:00

Stuart Manley and Martin LeMesurier share a two-shot lead at the end of the opening day of the Your Golf Travel Classic at Bovey Castle in Devon.

The event is the third of the 888poker.com PGA EuroPro Tour season and the leaders both shot six-under-par 64s in the opening round on Wednesday (May 23).

LeMesurier (South Winchester Golf Club), winner of the last Tour event at Lingfield Park three weeks ago, hit seven birdies to make up for the bogeys he carded on holes six and eight and leave him level at the top of the pile.

Manley (Machynys Peninsula) finished third in the BGC British Masters at Lingfield and 26th at the Allianz Open Cotes d’Armor Bretagne in France two weeks ago and has laid the groundwork for another impressive result in Dartmoor.

The Welsh golfer made birdie four times on the front nine and carefully negotiated the challenging back nine, breaking par at 10 and 12 before signing for a 64.

Tom Haylock (Red Golf Management) sits level third with Mark Kerr (Marriott Dalmahoy Hotel) on four under, two shots behind the leaders. Haylock achieved birdies on each of the last three holes to help him to a score of 66 for the day while Kerr jumped up the leader board after he broke par at 15, 17 and 18.

Five golfers completed Round One three shots under par. Martin Sell (Wrag Barn Golf Club), Craig Housden (Channels), Stuart Archibald (media-tactics), Tyrrell Hatton (Harleyford Golf Club) and Graham Benson (Leighton Buzzard Golf Club) all shot 67 on the opening day and are tied for fifth.

Christopher Evans (Edwards Plumbing and Heating) hit an eagle at four and six consecutive birdies through holes seven to 12 but his round also included three double bogeys, leaving him to sign for a 68, tied tenth alongside five other golfers.

Round Two begins at 6:30am on Thursday (May 24). Live scoring from the event will be available at www.europrotour.com and regular updates will also be posted on the Tour’s official Twitter feed, @PGAEuroProTour.

The tournament is a 54-hole strokeplay event with a field of 154 players playing 18 holes on both Wednesday and Thursday. There will then be a cut to the leading 50 players and ties who will play a final 18 holes on Friday.

Big names gunning for Welsh Mid-Amateur event

2012-05-23T15:24:00.003+01:00

Three-time English Mid-Amateur Champion Stephen East is just one of many top names in the Welsh Mid-Amateur Stroke Play Championship at Royal St Davids.

The Welsh Mid-Amateur Stroke Play Championship will take place at Royal St David’s Golf Club in Harlech, Gwynedd on Thursday 7th and Friday 8th June 2012 and has attracted a top class field from all over the UK with handicaps as low as plus 3 and includes 3 time English Mid Amateur champion Stephen East and other notable players such as Nigel Sweet and Paul Moultrie of Scotland.

The tournament will be held over 54 holes, 36 on day 1 after which there will be a cut to the top 32 players who will play 18 holes on day 2 with the winner being the player who returns the lowest gross score for the 54 holes. There is also a prize fund of £1,500 and the event is also part of the R&A World Amateur Golf Ranking series.

“The decision to host a Mid Amateur Championship in Wales has proven to be a very popular one with golfers coming from all over England, Scotland and Wales and despite warnings from some quarters that the event would not be supported we are delighted with the turn out for this new tournament that if full with 90 competitors.” commented Jason Morris, Director of Golf at Mid-Amateur Golf.

“Royal St Davids will provide an excellent test for the players and we are delighted that we are holding the event at one of the most prestigious courses in Wales. Our events are showing that there is a definite need for more mid-amateur events in the UK. Only recently a report in the US golf press suggested that our mid amateur game is way behind the American scene. We hope to put this right.”

This is the 5th event on the newly formed Mid Amateur Golf Tour with events already completed at Chart Hills, Dundonald Links and the Players Club and there are plans to venture overseas in 2013 with events in Ireland and America.

Anyone who would like to register their interest to play in the events are asked to visit www.midamgolf.co.uk and email their details to the Tournament Secretary.

Barnes stormer – and he owes it to ‘retro’ golf

2012-05-22T16:52:00.002+01:00

WILL Barnes went back to the future to secure his first victory of the season.

The 35-year-old Garstang professional wiped out a three shot overnight deficit to clinch the Bathgate Cheshire & North Wales PGA Open at Mobberley after a closing 63.

Attached to his first round 67, it gave the former Europro Tour and PGA Cup player a four-under-par total, one stroke better than runner-up Barry Taylor, from Houghwood, who signed off with a best-of-tournament 62.

Barnes attributed his success to “retro” golf, explaining: “My distance measuring device was broken so I reverted to the previous method of referring to course markers. And it worked just as well.

“In fact, when I play in next week’s Cumbria Classic at Carlisle and Silloth-on-Solway I’ll carry on with the old school system.”

Barnes arrived at the superbly-appointed Cheshire venue full of negative vibes after failing to qualify for this weekend’s £22,500 Renewable Service Pro-am at East Yorkshire club Cottingham.

“I was so disappointed I was ready to give up the game,” he admitted. “The problem is I teach four days a week and spend the rest of the time with my family.

“I did not expect to win but I struck the ball well and picked up five birdies and a lone bogey.”

LEADING SCORES (Par 67); 130 Will Barnes (Garstang) 67 63; 131 Barry Taylor (Houghwood) 69 62; 132 Mark Sheppard (Darland) 68 64, Jonathan Cheetham (1836tour.com) 66 66; 133 Gary Donnison (Mobberley) 69 64, Rory Walsh (Ashton-on-Mersey) 69 64; 134 Tim Maxwell (Knutsford) 69 65, Chris Crowder (Lee Park) 69 65, Mark Hancock (Bolton Old Links) 67 67.

Faldo Series continues to support golf in Holland

2012-05-22T11:57:00.001+01:00

Dutch golfers will once again have the opportunity to benefit from Sir Nick Faldo’s global golf development programme when the third Faldo Series Netherlands Championship returns to Goyer Golf and Country Club in Eemnes on July 25-27.

“We have welcomed large numbers of participants to each of our previous two Netherlands Championships so we expect another really strong field in 2012,” commented Faldo. “Our partners at Support2Sports do a great job not just in running the tournament but also in creating a platform for grass-roots activities. We hope the local children who are introduced to golf will be inspired to pursue the game and return one day as competitors themselves.”

“We look forward to another successful year in partnership with Sir Nick as we strive to benefit our young golfers,” said Fred Bootsma of Support2Sports. “The added support of our local partners, including Athlon, is extremely important to the success of the tournament and our ability to contribute to golf development in The Netherlands.”

With World Amateur Golf Ranking points available, more than 130 golfers aged 12 to 21 will compete over three rounds at Goyer near Amsterdam on July 25-27. The winner of each age-group – three boys and two girls – will qualify for the sixteenth Faldo Series Europe Grand Final, hosted by the six-time Major Champion at Northern Ireland’s Lough Erne Resort in September.

Supported by The R&A, the European Tour and Lough Erne Resort, the 2012 Faldo Series Europe schedule features a record 20 tournaments in 14 countries including six in England plus others in Bahrain, Ireland, Chile, the Czech Republic, Greece, Wales, Austria, Brazil, Germany, The Netherlands, Scotland, Slovakia and Russia.

Established in 1996, 38 Faldo Series tournaments now take place in 28 countries worldwide with more than 7,000 golfers participating each year. Past winners include Major Champions Rory McIlroy and Yani Tseng.

Golfers of any nationality born in 1991 or later who wish to enter the Faldo Series Netherlands Championship at Goyer Golf and Country Club on July 25-27 should visit http://www.faldoseries-netherlands.nl/.

Jack’s the lad at Mobberley

2012-05-22T07:53:00.001+01:00

JACK Carter gave himself a perfect platform from which to launch his Europro campaign when he set the first round pace in the Bathgate Cheshire and North Wales PGA Open at Mobberley.

The 25-year-old, attached to Harrogate club Pannal, whose most recent success was winning a North East-North West county event at Darlington resort Rockliffe Hall last season, rolled in six birdies in his three-under-par 64.

“I double bogeyed the eighth but apart from that I had a steady round,” he said.

Carter led by a shot from Hesketh assistant Martin Edge who is seeing some reward for the hard work he’s put into his game over the last few months.

“I’ve been concentrating on my fitness and putting,” he said, five threes in a row from the fifth which included a hat-trick of birdies, the highlight of his day.

Rochdale-based Jonathan Cheetham returned a 66 in his title defence then headed for the practice ground.

“I’ve played so little that I can’t trust my swing. My confidence is low but I was pro here for three years and knowing the course has helped,” he said.

His score was matched by Selby’s Marcus Maith while happy to survive the cut was host club pro and North East exile Gary Donnison, who was among 10 players on the qualifying mark 69 .

LEADING SCORES (Par 67); 64 Jack Carter (Pannal); 65 Martin Edge (Hesketh); 66 Jonathan Cheetham (1836tour,com); Marcus Maith (Selby); 67 Will Barnes (Garstang), Mark Hancock (Bolton Old Links), Matthew Davies (Royal Liverpool), David Brunton (Ringway), Mark Sheppard (Darland); 68 Kris Andrews (Ashton-on-Mersey), James Cunliffe (Ormskirk), Steve Parry (NW Golf Academy).

Triple success for Carroll

2012-05-21T08:48:00.001+01:00

JOHN Carroll completed a memorable weekend when he added the Southport & Ainsdale Bowl to the Formby Hare which collectively earned him the Lancashire Links Trophy he also claimed last year when it was inaugurated.

And victory for the painter and decorator from Huyton & Prescot shoud serve as a perfect incentive as he defends is Lancashire County Championship title at Preston at the end of the month.

Carroll set the pace in the first round with a four-under-par 68 containing five birdies. He lost his momentum, albeit for a few holes, in the afternoon when he returned a 72 which included a bogey on the home green.

But despite picking up a birdie in the same hole, host club player Daniel Creaney pulled up a shot short and had to settle for second place.

Carroll, meanwhile, increased his lead in the Cleveland Srixon Northern Order of Merit to 145 points over county team-mate, Southport & Ainsdale’s Paul Howard.

DETAILS (Par 72): 140 John Carroll (Huyton & Prescot) 68 72; 141 Daniel Creaney (S&A) 70 71; 143 Henry Tomlinson (Royal Lytham) 72 71, Graham Roberts (Eaton) 70 73; 136 Ciaran Doherty (Bury) 77 69, Adam Andrews (Ashton-in-Makerfield) 74 72; 147 Mark Rabone (S&A) 73 74, Paul Howard (S&A) 70 77; 149 Jonathan Hurst (Pleasington) 77 72, Sean Towndrow (S&A) 76 73, James McCormick (Styal) 76 73, Alex Croston (Fleetwood) 73 76.

FULL STANDINGS:
John Carroll , Huyton & Prescot = 435
Paul Howard , Southport & Ainsdale = 280
Mark Young , Longridge = 225
Greg McIllroy , Southport & Ainsdale = 120
Paul Kinnear , Formby = 100
Steve McGlynn , Blackburn = 100
Daniel Creaney , Southport & Ainsdale = 100
Ben Sardo , Otley = 95
Jon Hurst , Pleasington = 95
Graham Roberts , Eaton = 85
Sean Towndrow , Southport & Ainsdale = 80
James McCormick , Styal = 75
Henry Tomlinson , Royal Lytham = 75
Glen Furnival , Fleetwood = 55
William Shucksmith , Moortown = 50
Ian Meeds , Harwood = 50
Ciaran Doherty , Bury = 50
Reece Cranfield , Haigh Hall = 45
Adam Andrews , Ashton-in-Makerfield = 45
Simon Robinson , Heysham = 40
Rhodri Fieldhouse , Wrexham = 40
Mark Rabone , Southport & Ainsdale = 40
Jack Shelley , Formby = 30
Paul Lowey , Peel = 30
Anthony Williams , Prenton = 25
Carl Johnstone , Carlisle = 20
Thomas Gandy , Rowany = 20
Matthew Ford , High Legh Park = 15
Alex Pritchard , Frodsham = 15
Kiston Taylor , Formby = 15
James Bolton , Formby = 10
Wayne McIvor , Kirkby = 10
Alex Croston , Fleetwood = 10

Carroll on song again at Formby

2012-05-21T08:47:00.001+01:00

JOHN Carroll won the Formby Hare for the second year running to move into pole position in the Cleveland Srixon Northern Order of Merit after three events.

The Huyton & Prescot man displaced Paul Howard at the top of the table, the Southport & Ainsdale player finishing second five shots behind his Lancashire team-mate.

Carroll, who defends his County Championship title at Preston at the end of the month, led from the outset with a 71 then pulled away from the rest of the field with a closing 68 for a five-under-par total.

Three-time merit winner Mark Young, from Longridge, seven strokes off the pace, finished third – a position he occupies in the standings.

DETAILS (Par 72): 139 John Carroll (Huyton & Prescot) 71 68; 144 Paul Howard (S&A) 71 73; 146 Mark Young (Longridge) 75 71; 148 James McCormick (Styal) 75 73, Ben Sardo (Otley) 74 74, Greg McIlroy (S&A) 72 76; 150 Rhodri Fieldhouse (Wrexham) 75 75, Paul Lowey (Peel) 75 75, Graham Roberts (Eaton) 75 75; 151 Thomas Gandy (Rowany) 79 72, Kiston Taylor (Formby) 77 74, Jon Hurst (Pleasington) 77 74.

STANDINGS: 285 John Carroll (Huyton & Prescot); 250 Paul Howard (S&A); 225 Mark Young Longridge); 120 Greg McIllroy (S&A); 100 Paul Kinnear (Formby), Steve McGlynn (Blackburn); 95 Ben Sardo (Otley); 70 Jon Hurst (Pleasington); 60 Sean Towndrow (S&A), James McCormick (Styal).

Blinkhorn called up for Lancashire

2012-05-21T08:45:00.002+01:00

LANCASHIRE have drafted 17-year-old Sean Blinkhorn into the side to face Cumbria at Carlisle on Saturday as they bid to consolidate their position as Daily Telegraph Northern Counties League leaders.

He replaces Royal Lytham’s Henry Tomlinson, who is playing in the Welsh Amateur Championship, and will make his debut alongside Southport & Ainsdale clubmates Sean Towndrow and Paul Howard.

Blinkhorn hails from a talented Leigh golfing family and was considered for the opening match at Northumberland earlier this month but he asked to be excused so he could compete in the 36-hole Lancashire Boys’ Championship at Fishwick Hall the following day.

“Unfortunately he pulled out with a shoulder injury but happily he’s made a full recovery,” explained captain Bill Bromilow, who has also brought in Gareth Clark at the expense of Bury’s Ciaran Doherty.

He’s produced some impressive form lately and was beaten by Huyton & Prescot’s John Carroll in a play-off in the County Championship over his home course Manchester last year.

It’s a sensible choice because he’s played regularly with Blinkhorn and, unsurprisingly, will partner the youngster in the foursomes.

The Red Rose men got off to a flying start with a comfortable 12-6 victory over Northumberland but Cumbria, league winners in 2009, will be a tougher proposition following their defeat of Durham at Seaton Carew.

“It will be a tester but if we can take both points it will lift our title hopes after finishing second in the last two seasons,” added Chorley’s Bromilow.

Meanwhile, captain-elect Paul Williams, who took charge of the team at Northumberland while England selector Bromilow was on international duty, has damaged his Achilles tendon and could be on crutches for at least a couple of months.

The Hillside and Denton stalwart is certain to miss the Lancashire Championship at Preston on June 1-3 and the EGU Northern qualifying round, known as the Big Six, at Ponteland on June 6.

LANCASHIRE: John Carroll (Huyton & Prescot), Mark Young (Longridge), Paul Howard (S&A), Richie Blundell (Hillside), Adam Andrews (Ashton-in-Makerfield), Ian Kenwright (Haydock Park), Steve McGlynn (Blackburn), Jonathan Hurst (Pleasington), Sean Towndrow (S&A), Michael Hunt (Pleasington), Sean Blinkhorn (Southport & Ainsdale), Gareth Clark (Manchester).

Shacklady targets Cottingham glory

2012-05-21T08:44:00.000+01:00

PGA Cup player David Shacklady begins the defence his North Region Order of Merit crown in the first ranking event of the season at East Yorkshire club Cottingham Park this week.

But the Lancashire hot-shot from at Mossock Hall faces tough competition in the 36-hole Renewable Service Group pro-am which starts on Friday.

Most of the region’s leading professional safely negotiated last week’s qualifying round to join the exempt players in the 44-strong field chasing a share of the £21,500 prize-fund.

Expected to be in contention is Ben Mason, from Waterfront Golf in Rotherham, who is embarking on his second season with the North Region after a decade on the European Tour.

Last years he was beaten in a play-off for the De Vere Leeds Cup at Oulton Hall by then Swinton Park assistant David Smith, who has since moved the nearby Marriott Worsley Park and is playing in this week’s BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

Other players expected to be in the frame are reigning Spirotech Open champion Aran Wainwright, from East Yorks; Windermere’s Simon Edwards, and fellow PGA Cup player John Wells, from Cherry Burton.

Arriving at Cottingham in fine form will be 50-year-old North East exile Jeff Mathews, professional at Chorley club Oak Royal, who tied seventh and was the region’s highest finisher in last week’s Senior PGA Championship at Northants County.

And don’t rule out Hallowes teaching professional Mathew Marsh retaining his title which carries a £4,000 first prize.

Local interest is provided by host club professional Chris Gray, a former Leeds Cup winner, and his assistant Cobie Atkin.

Silloth going from strength-to-strength

2012-05-17T11:59:00.002+01:00

In 2012 Silloth on Solway Golf Club will host the English Amateur Championship. It enhances the already extremely strong reputation of this fine championship course, rated by many as amongst the best in the world, even further.

A good opening drive is required to avoid the heather

Last month we decided to pay a visit to Cumbria and return to this highly regarded links course. En-route we stopped off at a Kirkby Lonsdale, a secret jewel of the North West, and the following day also took in the delights of Seascale, co-hosts to the English Amateur this summer with Silloth.

Silloth is one of those courses that scores very highly in every department and one you will never tire of playing. It has a splendid combination and variety of holes that require all aspects of your game to be in tip-top condition in order to score well. Needless to say our game wasn't up to scratch!

With a tail wind down the first few holes, apparently opposite to the prevailing wind but the same as all our previous visits, you can be lulled into a false sense of security and perhaps be unfazed, or at least unaware, of the daunting yet magnificent challenges that lie in wait.

The fourth hole is a personal favourite. Only a slither of fairway is visible from the back tee and must be found in order to give yourself the best chance of hitting the long, narrow green that punishes even a slightly off-line approach.

The next hole hugs the Solway and is a fine par five, more so now with a new green located close to the shoreline. Across the Solway on the Scottish side it's possible to just make out another splendid links course, Southerness.

Well bunkered greens are a feature at Silloth

The sixth requires a well struck iron to find the heart of the green which is protected by a fierce looking bunker whilst seven and eight head towards the far reaches of the course. The approach to the seventh is reminiscent of the opening hole with the green sunk into a dell whilst the eighth is a good birdie opportunity once the solitary fairway bunker has been negotiated. The front-nine concludes with a cute par three that is only 130 yards but has seven bunkers surrounding it and must be given the utmost respect.

The 10th has plenty of options off the tee. For big hitters the green is just about reachable on a good day but this requires flirting with danger on both sides so the wise option is to play to the corner and leave yourself a short iron into the green.

The next eight holes are as good a sequence of holes as you will find anywhere. A wind out of the North makes them a true test of your golfing ability and a wonderful finish to a brilliant course. The 11th, 15th and 18th are all 400-plus yard par fours flanked by gorse. They require long and straight drives but it is the approach into the greens that set them a cut above the rest. Similarly with the 12th and 16th, long par threes to well-guarded greens, it is a pleasure to play shots into these holes.

Gorse frames many of the holes at Silloth

You will also find three par fives on the homeward stretch. The 13th and 14th run side-by-side but are very different in nature whilst the 17th is a great driving hole and is perhaps the best chance of a birdie if you can find the sunken green with your second or third. The final hole is befitting of any championship venue.

Silloth is a course that boast fine links turf and can therefore be enjoyed all year round but when we visited in late-April the gorse was in full bloom which framed many of the holes beautifully.

Silloth run several open golf competitions during the season. All offer tremendous value for money and as a result become fully subscribed very quickly. If you manage to secure a place in one of them it's a great way to play this memorable course.

It's not the most accessible place to get to but one that is well worth making the effort to do so. The location is probably the reason it hasn't staged more major national championships but we suspect that it won't be long before England Golf return or other governing bodies come calling.

Seascale oozes quality, class and character

2012-05-17T10:50:00.003+01:00

Seascale Golf Club is a true links course located on the coast of Cumbria just south of Whitehaven. In 2012 it has the the great honour of co-hosting the prestigious English Amateur Championship.

We visited it in late-April and weren't disappointed. The course oozes quality, class and character in abundance with just the right amount of quirkiness thrown in to make this one of the best and most enjoyable seaside golf courses we've ever played.

John Moore - longest serving member

It's remote location adds to the aura of visiting this sleepy coastal village and the rugged terrain the course winds through certainly makes this one for the purest. We were greeted by the Competition Secretary, 84-year old John Moore, who joined the club in 1949, has been Captain twice and is by far their longest serving member. It was a pleasure to be in John's company for our round as he verbally adorned us with the fine history and stories of this 119-year-old club.

The course itself starts inland with a couple of shortish par fours before the dog-leg par four 3rd raises the challenge a gear. The front nine continues between the dunes and a sequence of four holes, containing back-to-back par fives and two par threes, provide a true test for all parts of your game. The second of the short holes, the 200-yard 8th, is where the course really starts to come into its own though. It's followed by the only hole that plays towards the sea, a par four that tumbles down the fairway, with a significant change in elevation, to an inviting green protected by a stream that runs along the right-hand side.

The 10th is a delightful short hole

That same brook comes into play on the next, a delicious par three, played over a stone wall to a small well-guarded green. Speaking from experience the stream is also present on the longer par three 13th! Another fine hole. Before that holes 11 and 12 play out towards the Sellafield Power Station and back towards the South.

The finishing holes are majestic. The fairway on the long 14th follows the line of the Barrow-to-Carlisle railway and has a fairway that ducks one way and then dives the other. It is framed by the clubhouse in the distance as you realise that you are now on the homeward stretch.

Unusually the drive on the 15th hits over the 14th and then plays to a tight green at the foot of two large dunes whilst the 16th is a formidable hole requiring two mighty blows to reach the hidden green, set in a slight dell beyond the crest of the rising fairway. The penultimate 17th is a real risk and reward hole with a drive over a cliff for the brave leaving a short approach to the green. The last is not a long hole but requires the utmost respect with a green that slopes away from you and is protected by a large bunker that needs to be avoided at all costs.

The homeward stretch

Green-fees are more than reasonable for anybody planning to play here whilst the open competitions at Seascale provide an even better way to play this course. A number of tournaments are run throughout the year whilst their Winter Texas Scramble Series proves very popular during the off-season when many other courses in the county are closed.

A visit to Seascale is often combined with a trip to the more northerly Silloth on Solway, a duo of courses that we would highly recommend and one that England Golf obviously thought worthy of staging their flagship event.

Kirkby Lonsdale - the gateway to golf in Cumbria

2012-05-17T09:48:00.001+01:00

Natural contours make Kirkby Lonsdale a great layout

Kirkby Lonsdale Golf Club really is the gateway to golf in Cumbria.

It sits close to the tripoint of where Cumbria, Lancashire and Yorkshire meet making it one of the most accessible courses in the North of England and a must if planning a trip to the Lake District or Yorkshire Dales.

And with the vibrant village of Kirkby Lonsdale only a couple of minutes away it also makes a great stop-off location for anyone travelling up or down the M6 before or after a golf break in Scotland.

Founded over 100 years ago, and relocated to its current site in 1991, the course meanders through the natural contours of the Lune Valley. It has matured well with each hole having a distinct character including a number of well placed natural hazards that provide a new, different but above all else fair and enjoyable challenge. Here you will also enjoy dramatic views, lush fairways and a warm welcome.

The daunting par three 17th

The layout itself builds to a crescendo with the last three holes providing a great finish. The tee-shot on the par four 16th offers up a number of options and once safely negotiated you are faced with an appealing approach into a green with a magnificent backdrop of pine woodland and various flowering shrubbery. The 17th is perhaps the signature hole and, although it plays only 150 yards from the back tee, correct club selection and a perfect strike are required to negotiate the angled river that runs in front of the green. The uphill 390 yard finishing hole provides a stern test with more water waiting for those who stray left with their approach.

The Club also benefits from a modern clubhouse which makes this venue perfect for visiting parties or larger groups looking for both golf, food and accommodation, which can be arranged through the club.

In terms of open events the club run around twenty competitions each year. Return visitors make up a large number of the fields but there is always room for new players. The highlight of the year is their very own Festival Week that runs from the 18th June until the 23rd June this year. There are a variety of tournaments of differing formats with prices starting from just £12.50 per person - entry-forms can be found here.

Their 36 hole scratch tournament, The Underley Salver, also attracts a strong field. In 2012 it will take place on Sunday 12th August and has an entry-fee of £25 which includes lunch. The event, open to golfers with a maximum handicap of 7, also forms part of the Cumbria Master Golfer Green Jacket Series.

There are plenty of other open competitions through the year too including their annual Pro-Am on Saturday 21st July. This offers the chance to play with a PGA professional and includes a two-course meal within the price of £250 per team.

All in all Kirkby Lonsdale is a course that is well worth a visit, whether it be in an open event or otherwise, and really is a secret jewel of the North West. We stopped off here on our way up to play the two courses that are hosting the English Amateur Championship in 2012; the classy Seascale and memorable Silloth.

Senior Opens at The Craythorne

2012-05-17T08:19:00.000+01:00

Two superb open events for senior golfers will be held at The Craythorne later this year.

Early booking is required for each competition as they usually become fully subscribed well in advance.

The first event is the Gents Senior Pairs Open on Friday 3rd August. This Betterball Stableford has an entry-fee of just £20 per pair and is open to golfers aged 50+ years with a maximum handicap of 28.

Play will be from the white tees with start times between 9am and noon. Quality prizes will be on offer as will snack meals throughout the day.

The second tournament is the annual Christmas Cracker Seniors Open. This 4-Ball Texas Scramble will be held on Wednesday 12th December and is one of the most popular events in Staffordshire. It's open to male golfers aged 50+ with a handicap of 28 or less.

Entry is only £16 per person (playing partners will be drawn) and this includes coffee on arrival and a 4-course Christmas meal after your round which starts with a shotgun start at 9.30am. Early booking essential.

About The Craythorne

What The Craythorne provides is a challenging parkland course which is easy walking with a selection of tight holes and well protected greens.

The Craythorne is maturing quickly and by subtly marrying in the “old and the new” the course manages to have given an impression of being older than it is.

There are five par threes and only one par five but this relatively short course is well guarded by a variety of obstacles to challenge both the advanced and starting golfer.

Rooke swoops to win Cottingham qualifier

2012-05-17T03:00:00.000+01:00

LEE Rooke led the 37 qualifiers for the £22,000 Renewable Service Group Pro-am which is being staged at East Yorkshire club Cottingham on the May 26-27 weekend.

The Vale of Llangollen assistant racked up two eagles and four birdies in a seven-under-par 65, a bogey at the fourth hole spoiling an otherwise perfect set of figures.

Rooke, among the late starters, displaced Bolton-based Steve Parry, the 2010 PGA North Region Order of Merit winner, who had topped the leaderboard for most of the day after a 66.

A shot back was Yorkshireman Adrian Ambler, from Low Laithes, while safely through the qualifier was Cobie Atkin from the host club who was among five players on 70.

Unluckiest man in the 73-strong field was Didsbury assistant Tom Murray, son of former European Tour winner Andy, who dropped five strokes on the last hole for a 74.

After losing a ball from his tee shot, he then fired his next attempt into a pond and now faces an anxious wait as the second alternative of the five who missed out in a play-off won by Alexander Heler, from Cheshire club Malkins Bank.

LEADING SCORES: 65 Lee Rooke (Vale of Llangollen); 66 Steve Parry (North West Golf Academy); Adrian Ambler (Low Laithes); 69 Craig Corrigan (Haigh Hall), Aran Wainwright (Mid Yorks); 70 Mike Ramsden (Bondhay), Cobie Atkin (Cottingham), Simon Edwards (Windermere), Graham Cox (Davenport).

Are you up for the challenge at the home of Yorkshire golf?

2012-05-16T14:23:00.000+01:00

The Fixby Challenge is a winner takes all individual strokeplay competition where the player returning the lowest nett score wins a trip to Spain.

Huddersfield Golf Club is rightly known as ‘the home of Yorkshire golf’ for it was back in the early summer of 1894 when one of the Club’s earliest Captains, Dr. F L Mackenzie, called a meeting to form the Yorkshire Union of Golf Clubs.

Mackenzie became the first President of the newly founded Union and to this day all of the County honours boards are displayed inside the magnificent Grade II listed clubhouse building hanging on the walls of the Centenary Hall.

Fixby, as it is fondly referred to, remains one of the oldest and finest championship courses in the North of England and is a regular venue for leading amateur and professional tournaments.

In recent times it has staged regional qualifying for one of England Golf’s flagship events, The Brabazon Trophy, is chosen regularly to host the Yorkshire Amateur Championship and was the venue for The British Ladies Amateur Strokeplay Championship in 1999. The course was also home to The Lawrence Batley PGA European Seniors Tour tournament for many years.

The popular West Yorkshire course does not hold an annual individual open competition, however, this summer amateur golfers will have a unique chance to compete in an 18 hole strokeplay event over the springy, fast running fairways of Fixby – fairways once described by Gary Player as ones that he would like to take around the world with him.

The Fixby Challenge takes place on Friday 27th July and has an entry-fee of £30 per person, which includes a soup & sandwich lunch. Golfers can also book in a group of four for just £100.

The player who records the lowest nett score on the day – level par won last year - will win an expenses paid, four-night trip to the stunning Arcos Gardens Golf Resort on the Costa de la Luz in Spain. The prize forms part of the grand final for the Golfdelaluz.com Northern Matchplay Golf Championship and includes flights with villa accommodation on a dinner, bed & breakfast basis and gala presentation meal.

Those interested in playing can find more information and enter online at www.northernmatchplay.com

Play golf with Helen Alfredsson at the Evian Masters in France

2012-05-16T10:55:00.000+01:00

Spending a day golfing with one of the leading lights of European women’s golf after one of the most prestigious events on the Ladies’ European Tour might sound like the stuff that dreams are made of.

But it will become reality for six lucky golfers who will join Helen Alfredsson at the Evian Masters in France in July as part of the latest money-can’t-buy tour run by Swiss luxury travel specialists Le Bureau.

The group will play golf with the former Solheim Cup Captain and three-time Evian Masters champion and take part in a full day coaching session with her at the renowned Evian Masters Training Centre. The trip includes a two-night stay at the five star Hotel Royal at Evian, VIP passes for final round of the tournament itself and one round of golf on the championship course.

The Evian Masters is one of the highest profile events on the Ladies’ European Tour and next year will become the fifth major championship on the LPGA Tour schedule. As well as attracting leading players such as Yani Tseng, Paula Creamer, Catriona Matthew, Suzann Pettersen and Michelle Wie, the tournament is often attended by a glittering array of celebrities from sport and film.

The tour will be one of the last chances to play the stunning Evian Masters Golf Course before it closes down on September 18, 2012 for an upgrade ahead of the tournament changeover to become the Evian Championship in 2013.

Dominique Rey, Managing Partner of Le Bureau International, said, “This is the second tour of the Le Bureau International Golf Series 2012 and we are delighted to be able to offer such an exciting trip to our clients. They will experience the tournament in a manner that the golfers themselves are accustomed to and get a real feel for what goes on behind the scenes at prestigious events.”

“The tour will offer them a unique opportunity to enjoy the excitement of the final round of the tournament as VIP guests as well as take on the challenge of the course themselves. Spending a day with Helen Alfredsson, who has won the event more times than any other player, in the intimacy of a small group will be a fantastic experience. They will work with her on coaching drills and tips and receive advice for their round on the Evian Masters course to help them enjoy the experience to the full.”

The Evian Masters Golf Club is located in a beautiful 60 ha wooded park and the par 72 championship course is renowned as one of the best on the tour. Following in the footsteps of the best women golfers in the world, Le Bureau´s clients will enjoy the outstanding facilities of the resort along with the 5* services provided by Le Bureau.

Only two places remain on this year’s Evian Masters Tour. For booking information on the Le Bureau International Golf Series including the details of each of the six individual tours please visit www.lebureau.ch.

The future’s bright for Cheshire event

2012-05-15T13:25:00.000+01:00

THE Bathgate Cheshire & North Wales Open could evolve into a fully-fledged PGA North Region Order of Merit tournament.

More than 80 professionals from as far afield as Westerhope, Wakefield and Kirkby Lonsdale will peg up in the 36-hole event which at starts at Cheshire club Mobberley next Monday (May 21).

Regional secretary Graham Maly said: “It was upgraded to an open competition last year and judging by the entries this time I can see it becoming more and more established as word gets around, especially about the venue which is superb.

“Hopefully it will become a permanent fixture and feature in our Order of Merit.”

Mobberley professional Gary Donnison agrees. “We set the standard last year and we intend to raise it even higher this time. A lot of professionals praised the condition of the course, in particular the greens, and we’re confident we can present it in a similar condition again.”

Donnison will renew acquaintances with some of his friends in his native North East including Westerhope’s Michael Nesbit, a double Order of Merit winner.

The line-up contains former PGA Cup players Will Barnes, from Garstang; Houghwood’s Barry Taylor; and Andrew Barnett from North Wales Driving Range.

Meanwhile, Rochdale-based Jon Cheetham defends the title he won after a three-man play off last summer.

Sandbach-based Bathgate supply sand to some of the world’s top courses and this is their second year sponsoring the tournament.

Opens at Northenden Golf Club

2012-05-15T11:13:00.000+01:00

Northenden Golf Club has been known for many years as the 'Jewel in the Crown of the South Manchester courses'. In 2012 it will host a number of open competitions with early booking essential to secure a tee-time.

The first event is a Seniors Mixed Team Open on Tuesday 12th June and has an entry-fee of £50 per team. This is a Team of 4 Stableford for men and women aged 55+ years. The best gent and lady scores on each hole. Handicap limits are 24 (men) and 30 (ladies).

The annual Ladies Team Open will be held on Thursday 12th July. The format is a Team of 4 Stableford where the best two scores count on each hole. Entry is £50 per team and has a maximum handicap limit of 36.

A Gents Pairs Open takes place on Sunday 2nd September and is expected to fill up very quickly. Entry is just £25 per pair for this 4BBB Stableford open to men aged 18+ years with a handicap of 24 or less (3/4 allowance).

The final competition is a 'Mini' Ladies Pairs Open on Thursday 11th October. Although it is several months away there are only limited places so early entry is required. The cost is £12 per pair for this 12 Hole 4BBB Stableford. Maximum handicap is 36.

About Northenden

Next year, 2013, will see the Northenden Golf Club celebrate its centenary and many golf and social events are planned to take place during the year. Keep an eye on the Golf Empire website for details.

Northenden is an 18 hole parkland course dating back to 1913, many improvements have taken place over the years. Most notably some seven years ago the Club invested almost £600,000 to reconstruct all 18 greens to USGA standards and install extensive new drainage to the fairways.

This investment, together with the hard work of an excellent greens staff under new Head Green Keeper Robert Cleisham, have made the course at Northenden one of the finest in the area.

Throughout the recent months of bad weather the course has been closed on only one day and is now playing beautifully.

In May this year Northenden will host the Cheshire County Match Play Championship and the course will be presented at its best.

Set in the Mersey Valley and protected by the River Mersey, Northenden provides an enjoyable test of golf in tranquil and picturesque surroundings. You will be made very welcome.

Ladies Open at Channels

2012-05-15T10:27:00.002+01:00

The annual Ladies Charity Team Open at Channels Golf Club will be held on Monday 3rd September.

This Team of Three Stableford event has an entry-fee of £105 per team which includes tea or coffee on arrival, homemade refreshments at the Halfway Hut and a 2-course buffet lunch after your round!

The best two scores count on each hole with the winning team receiving the Channels Charity Cup to retain for one year. In addition to this prizes will be awarded to 3rd place and for the best front and back nine scores. Full handicap allowance will be applied.

Those interested in competing should complete and return the entry-form asap. Tee times are available from 9am.

About Channels

The Channels Golf Complex is set in 300 acres of beautiful mature Essex parkland.

The course has a variety of holes that boast some of the finest greens in the county, which are superbly managed and kept in peak condition. It is also renowned for its numerous lakes and undulating fairways.

There are places where the lower handicapper may wish to test their prowess and 'go for the carry' over the lakes, or you can take the safe route down the fairway. Watch out for the 17th, it's a real card wrecker!

Seniors Open at Comrie

2012-05-15T09:51:00.004+01:00

The annual Seniors Open at Comrie Golf Club will be held on Thursday 24th May.

This Individual Strokeplay is open to male golfers aged 55+ years. A maximum handicap allowance of 24 will be applied.

The cost of entry is just £12 per person with entrants advised to send their entry-form off asap to secure a place.

About Comrie

Comrie Golf Club is one of the finest and most picturesque nine hole courses in Scotland.

The course always receives superlative comments and has a welcoming culture in the clubhouse that is appreciated by visitors. The Club also has an excellent catering facility.

The Club embodies the best aspects of traditional Scottish golf. You will receive a warm welcome to Comrie Golf Club – and you are certain to love the course, the scenery, and the ambience.