February 2012 / Issue 207
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Council rejects Moore Place tennis plan
Chart Hills
Mid Amateur Tour tees off at Chart Hills A new golf tour aimed at offering competitive events for low handicap golfers over the age of 35 has announced its schedule of tournaments for the 2012 season. The Mid Amateur Golf Tour, which was first launched last year, will be visiting a host of top quality venues throughout the UK, including Chart Hills, The Players Club, Old Fold Manor, Saunton, Hankley Common, Royal Cinque Ports, Sunningdale, Berkhamsted, Porters Park and and Liphook. The tour will run from the first event at Chart Hills at the end of March through to September, with most of the events being held over 36 holes. The tournaments, which offer prize funds of up to £1,000, are open to all male golfers over the age of 35 who are in possession of an active handicap of 12 or less. “Following on from the success of our first events in 2011, and the launch of the dedicated website, we felt it time to give the players something to aim for and add a bit of spice to all of the events throughout 2012.” said Jason Morris, Golf Director of Wyncanton Marketing Services, which organises the tour. “Mid-Amateur events are becoming increasingly popular, with some attracting in excess of 65 players, all with handicaps of two or less. We have also added some new events to the schedule that cater for the other golfers who get balloted out of some of the more established tournaments.” For a list of events and details of how to enter, visit www.midamgolf.co.uk.
A local authority in Surrey has sided with the members of an historic nine-hole golf club in a dispute with the club’s owner regarding the building of tennis courts. Elmbridge Borough Council has rejected an application from Moore Place Holdings, the owner of Moore Place Golf Club, on behalf of the trustees of Esher Lawn Tennis Club, to build 16 tennis courts and a pavilion on the golf course. Moore Place Golf Course was opened in 1926 by sixtime Open Champion Harry Vardon, and apart from some holes being lengthened, the
course has changed little over the last 85 years. The proposal would have seen four of the course’s holes – on what is only a par 33, 2,103-yard course – reconfigured and the clubhouse replaced. However, members of the 76-year-old club expressed opposition to the development, and the council has agreed with them. Club spokesman John Meade said that the proposal would have killed off the golf club and that the Lawn Tennis Association advises that a tennis club of Esher Lawn’s size only requires 12 courts. “The applicant has not demonstrated evidence
Moore Place has been an eyesore for several years
that the scale of the tennis facilities are essential and genuinely required,” he said. “If adopted, the consequences for our golf club would, quite frankly, be terminal.” He added that the golf club believes there is a compromise, and that both clubs can be accommodated on the site. The council’s planning officer recommended that planning permission be granted, and stated that the redeveloped golf course would still meet England Golf affiliation requirements, but councillors rejected the application. Moore Place Holdings was given planning permission in 2009 to knock down Moore Place, the building that has stood on the land since the 18th century, and develop a 50-bedroom hotel and spa in its place. However those plans have since fallen through, and there are new plans in place to build a 60-bedroom care home. Moore Place was once owned by Lady Byron, but has since been painted purple, and is widely described as an eyesore by local residents.
Trailblazing Junior Golf
Old Thorns to host Trilby qualifiers Golfers who failed to get a place on the 2012 Trilby Tour are being offered second bite of the cherry following the launch of a series of qualifying events at one of the host venues for the coming season. Old Thorns Hotel, Golf and
Country Estate in Hampshire, which is staging a Trilby Tour event in May, has announced that it is to stage three qualifying rounds – March 4, April 9 and April 13, with the winner from each event earning a start in the tournament proper, plus
£250 worth of William Hunt clothing and a Callaway golf bag. Entry to the qualifiers costs £40, to include entry fee, green fee and a light lunch. To enter call 01428 725874 or email golfcoordinator@ oldthorns.com.
The dates and venues for the 2012 Trailblazers Tour have been announced, with a host of new venues joining the tour that is aimed at creating a professional, yet friendly competitive environment for youngsters – including boys and girls – aged between six and 12. Entering its third season of events, following an extremely successful 2011, the tour kicks off its winter series at Sedlescombe in Sussex on March 4, followed by a tournament at Lullingstone Park in Kent on March 24. The Order of Merit schedule begins at Hever Castle on April 22, which will also host the Trailblazers Tour Championship in September. The tour, which is once again being sponsored by Titleist and FootJoy, will hold seven Order of Merit events this year, all of which count towards the tour’s order of merit, with the top 12 players from each event qualifying for the end-of-season Tour Championship. The Power of Golf, an innovative Surrey-based golf training aid company, will also be working alongside the tour this year. Scott Stevens PGA Professional and Founder of the Tour reports: “I am delighted with how the Tour has evolved over the last two seasons. My vision has been to create a Junior Golf Tour that provides young golfers with a truly professional golf tour experience similar to what they see on the European and US Tours. The feedback we have received to date has been fantastic and it proves the tour is heading in a positive direction.” For a full list of venues and details of how to take part in a tournament visit www.trailblazerstour.com, email info@trailblazerstour.com or call 0771 6360995.
COULD YOUR GOLF SOCIETY GO ALL THE WAY?
News in Brief OLDEST WINNER Andrew Stracey braved 40mph winds and biting temperatures to become the oldest ever winner of the Presidents Putter in the final held at Rye on January 8. The former Cambridge graduate had reached the final on three previous occasions over the last 25 years (including losing to Ted Dexter in 1983), but had to wait until he was 58 before eventually claiming the annual knockout matchplay tournament, which has been competed for by members of the Oxford and Cambridge Golfing Society since 1920. Stracey has enjoyed a rich vein of form since qualifying to play seniors golf three years ago. The English international won the Irish Seniors in 2009 and was runner-up in the Welsh Seniors in 2010 and 2011.
Ambridge WINS Moor Park Golf Club’s John Ambridge won the Spanish Senior Mens’ Amateur Championship played at Las Colinas Golf Country Club in Alicante. The 55-year-old fired rounds of 72, 68 and 70 in the rain-shortened event to win by an impressive nine shots.
NEW MOVEs John Hemphrey has been appointed Golf Manager at Park Wood Golf Club in Kent, with James Hobby replacing him in the same role at Sene Valley Golf Club.
GO FOR BROKE Broke Hill Golf Club in Kent has recently received a record influx of members for a single month, Sales Manager Gary Blunden said: “It’s been a great time for the club, we had 22 new golfers sign up with us in January.” If you would like to find out more about the membership packages at Broke Hill contact Gary on 01959 533225 or e-mail him at brokehill-events@ crown-golf.co.uk
Could your society go all the way to the finals, or even, be the first to have it’s name engraved on the Society Championship Cup? The new Golf Society Championship will be played at Tenterden Golf Club, where the course is challenging, but great fun. There are lots of prizes to be won – but you can’t win if you don’t enter!
2012
GOLF SOCIETY CHAMPIONSHIP
LAST DATE FOR ENTRIES 1ST MARCH
www.GolfSocietyChampionship.co.uk