Northern Golfer magazine #78 - October 2019

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OCTOBER 2019

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WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS Meet our 2019 Northern Golfer Champions of Champions

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EDITOR Dean Bailey 01661 844 115 dean@offstonepublishing.co.uk CONTRIBUTORS Alan Hedley 07570 797 566 ahedley@northerngolfer.co.uk John Harrison Matfen Hall 01661 886 146 EVENTS Dean Bailey 01661 844 115 dean@offstonepublishing.co.uk ADVERTISING MANAGER Doug Brolls 07721 031 482 doug@offstonepublishing.co.uk PHOTOGRAPHY Kevin Gibson & Nicky Rogerson info@kgphotography.co.uk

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WELCOME&CONTENTS It may feel autumnal with the rain and wind battering the windows of Northern Golfer HQ, but there’s still plenty of top quality golf making the headlines this month.

The highlight of our golfing year, the Northern Golfer Champion of Champions events in September, were our biggest events yet with 115 of the region’s best players taking part at Ramside Hall.

The two weekends perfectly summed up our golfing summer weather-wise with glorious sunshine over the first weekend followed by a morning of torrential rain just seven days later. A huge thank you to Roger Shaw and his team for getting the course open for the men’s event - all of the players complimented the presentation given the circumstances. A massive thank you also goes to our event partners this year, Brewin Dolphin, who made the three events possible.

It was a lot of fun for Doug and I to spend two days at Ramside, welcoming players and getting out to run an event. Thank you to everyone who took part and to all the caddies, parents and supporters who came along too.

This year we saw our lowest ever score in the junior event, which was won by James Wilson from Tyneside while Whickham’s Faye Wheatley claimed the ladies title. Seven days later, Josh Bassitt overcame the conditions and a couple of late visits to the water to win the men’s title.

You can read a full report from all three events on pages 24-26.

Meanwhile, City of Newcastle Golf Club has been named England’s Champion Club for a second time in three years. Good luck to the guys in the European finals later this month.

It was agonising to watch the final result come in from the County Finals, where Northumberland missed out on a first national title in more than 50 years with the final putt of the match. However, it was inspiring to hear how the team is looking to bounce back and go again in 2020. Read more from the event on page 8.

There’s also plenty more on-course success for our region’s golfers at home and further afield this month - plus some fantastic off-course achievements to celebrate.

There’s still plenty more golf to play - including the final of this year’s Match Play Pairs - see you out there.

04-07 TEEING OFF

England’s champion club, Matty helps England to a clean sweep, and more

08-13 TEEING OFF

Northumberland go close at County Finals, national call ups and the PGA Cup

14-20 TEEING OFF

Pros win major titles, order of merit winners, and more

23 TOUR LIFE

The latest from the European Tour with Chris Paisley

29 COLUMNIST

Why the European Tour needs to ignore Rory McIlroy’s calls to change its course setups

Dean Bailey, editor editor@northerngolfer.co.uk

FRONT COVER

30 A ROUND WITH

Meet our new Champions of Champions

Former England and Durham cricketer Geoff Cook

Pages 24-26

33 SPECIAL FOCUS Golf in Scotland

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41 MATCH PLAY PAIRS

36 BLACKWELL GRANGE PROFILE

38 THE LATEST GEAR NEWS

The final countdown

42 TIPS

With John Harrison

44 COMPETITIONS

Win golf for four at Chesterle-Street, Bellingham,and Longhirst Hall

46 FROM THE BUNKER Readers’ tales from around the region

NORTHERN GOLFER 03

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City are English champions

C

ity of Newcastle Golf Club is the England’s Champion Club for a second time in three years.

The City - represented by Alex Dixon, Phil Ridden and Andrew Minnikin - led the field at Romford Golf Club in Essex to capture the national title and book a return to the European Men’s Club Trophy at Golf du Medoc on October 24-26.

The victory follows success in 2017 and a runners-up finish in 2018 at the event.

The City team started the final round on two over-par, seven shots off the pace set by Royal Lytham & St Annes. They shaved nine shots off that score in the second round with Alex carding a four under-par 67, Phil shooting a round of 68 and Andrew contributing a level par 71.

That sensational scoring was

enough to see them claim a four shot victory over Chelmsford Golf Club in Essex with a five under-par total of 421.

“We’re really overjoyed,” said City captain Simon Coultas. “It didn’t look likely after day one, but we battled away and in the end it proved to be enough.

“This tournament has been very good to us over the last three years,” he added. “We’ve got three or four really good county players at the club and that’s held us in good stead.

“Alex and Phil were in the team that won in 2017 so they know what it’s like to represent England in Europe. We’re looking forward to it already.”

“I think playing early today probably helped us,” said Alex. “We were able to post a score, and then sit back and let the others try and

Wynyard Golf Club

l-r Phil Ridden, Alex Dixon and Andrew Minnikin catch us. I’d always rather do that than have to do the chasing.

“We finished third in the team event in France two years ago so it

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would be great if we could do better than that,” he added. “Phil and I know what it’s all about so we will be able to give Andrew some pointers.”

TEEINGOFF

Rosie Belsham

Rosie’s close call The England Seniors Team (© Leaderboard Photography)

England win at Alnmouth

E

ngland completed the third step of the Home Internationals clean sweep with victory in the seniors event at Alnmouth Golf Club.

Alnmouth, celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2019, hosted the Northern Counties Qualifying Championship – AKA The Big Six – earlier this year and welcomed the best senior men’s players from England, Scotland, Ireland and

Wales for three days of matches.

The England team, which was crowned European Men’s Senior champions earlier this summer, beat Wales and Ireland before tying the final match with 2018 winners Scotland to secure the trophy with more points earned over the first two days.

Scotland had led 2½–½ after the foursomes but England fought back to tie the match in the singles

– Yorkshiremen Richard Jones and Richard Norton both delivering vital points.

Peter Simpson, club manager at Alnmouth Golf Club, said: “It was great to host such a big event in our 150th year. The feedback from all the players was fantastic, everything went really well from our side and we couldn’t have asked for a better end to what’s been a brilliant year for our club.”

Whitley Bay Golf Club’s Rosie Belsham finished one shot behind the winning score at the English Women’s Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship.

Rosie posted a four round score of 287 at Ipswich (Purdis Heath) Golf Club to finish in a tie for second place as Rebecca Earl lifted the trophy.

Rosie posted rounds of 69, 70, 74 and 74 to tie with Lily May Humphreys, Shannon McWilliam and Sharna Dutrieux as Bishop Auckland Golf Club’s Jessica Hall finished in a tie for 17th place.

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Matty helps England complete clean sweep Tim Cockill (left) and Sally Hinton-Lewis (right) with Close House’s Girls Golf Rocks ambassadors

Top honour Close House-based PGA professionals Sally HintonLewis, Tim Cockill and Will Robson have received England Golf’s Laddie Lucas Award.

The award, presented as part of the 2018-19 Presidents’ Awards night at Wentworth during the BMW PGA Championship, recognised the work of the professionals and Close House’s Girls Golf Rocks ambassadors in creating more opportunities for girls to play golf.

E

ngland completed a clean sweep of Home Internationals titles as the Men’s team, featuring Hexham’s Matty Lamb, retained the trophy at Lahinch in Ireland.

England beat Scotland 9-6 in the deciding match to lead the four home nations as Matty picked up five points from a possible six, remaining undefeated in singles.

England beat Wales 12-3 on the opening day, Matty teaming up with Ben Hutchinson in the foursomes in his only loss of the week before beating Rhys Evans 3&2 in the singles.

Against Ireland on day two, Matty teamed up with Ben again, winning their foursomes match 3&2. In the afternoon, Matty beat Tom McKibbin 1up.

On the final day, the teams were tied 2.5-2.5 after the morning session, Matty and Ben winning their match 4&3 before England picked up 6.5 points in the singles, Matty beating Darren Howie 1up as England completed a clean sweep of the girls, women’s, boys, men’s and seniors home internationals titles.

“The win means everything to the team,” said England captain, Gareth Jenkins. “The strength we had in depth showed this week.

“They are great at playing for themselves, but even better playing for each other.

Unfortunately, we’re going to lose a lot of players to the paid ranks but they’ve finished off their amateur careers in style this week. They’ve played some outstanding golf on a beautiful golf course.”

Matty Lamb

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06 NORTHERN GOLFER

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A grand day out

T

eam Northumberland led teams from across the north at The Northern Junior Golf Tour Grand Final at Alnmouth Golf Club.

The 25-strong team of boys and girls playing in five handicap categories won the 10th anniversary of the event as youngsters from Northumberland, Cumbria, Co Durham and North Yorkshire also competed for individual titles.

The event brought together 100 of the best junior golfers in the north of England, all of whom had

finished in the top four of their area and category orders of merit, or had been selected as one of five wildcards available to each team.

In the individual events, 14-year old Callum Moncur from Rockliffe Hall led the field in the gross competition with a nine-hole score of 40. Theo Atkinson (Barrow) won the category one nett prize with a score of 32.5.

Meanwhile, Lewis Scholes (Ponteland) won the category two gross prize and Daniel Lockhart (Darlington) won the nett title. In

The 100 competitiors at this year’s Grand Final The Northumberland team category three, Thomas Whitehead (Windermere) won the gross prize and Tobias Slade (Darlington) claimed the nett title. Millie Hixon (Wearside) won the gross title in category four, while Amy Burton (Wynyard) won the nett title. In category five, Becca Hall (Whitley Bay) claimed the gross title and Erin Carnall (South Moor) won the nett title.

Jason Budd, tournament director and founder of the Northern Junior Golf Tour, said: “I’m immensely proud of what we’ve achieved over

the last 10 years with the Northern Junior Golf Tour. It’s great to see junior golf is thriving across the north region with more than 250 participants in this year’s tour, which is going from strength to strength.

“I’d like to thank everyone who has been part of the tour and we look forward to celebrating another 10 years. We have some huge plans for 2020, so we look forward to seeing you all again next year.”

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TEEINGOFF

The England team

Rachel and Zara star for England Northumberland’s Rachel Gourley and Zara Naughton starred for the England Schools team as they beat Scotland at Irvine Golf Club.

Rachel, from Arcot Hall Golf Club, and Zara, from Matfen Hall, swapped their school uniforms for their English Schools Golf Association jumpers as England won the match 5.5-3.5 to retain the trophy.

Zara and Rachel teamed up to win their foursomes match 2&1 in the morning before Rachel won her singles match 5&4 and Zara picked up a half in her singles match.

The Bishop Auckland team

Bishops win Dixon Cup Teesside league winners Bishop Auckland ended the season on a high with victory in the Dixon Cup at South Moor Golf Club.

Played for by the winners of the five North East leagues, Bishop’s Wayne Hewitt led the way with a round of 71 - the best score of the day.

With the best six out of seven scores to count, Bishop’s team of Wayne Melles, Steve Burns, Craig Wren, Paul King, Jamie Birkbeck and Steve Ridley finished with a total of 443, 17 shots ahead of Stocksfield.

08 NORTHERN GOLFER

Back row l-r Phil Ridden, Andrew Minnikin, Matty Lamb, Sean Heads & Mark Wharton Front row l-r Alex Dixon, David Gilroy (cpatain) and Gary Donnison

Northumberland beaten by final putt

N

orthumberland came within a single shot of winning the Men’s County Finals for the first time in more than 50 years at Huddersfield Golf Club.

The seven man team, who came through heavy downpours and a revised two day format for the event, were pipped by Kent on the final green of the third and final match of the event.

Northumberland finished in second place overall, one point behind Kent, who won their head-tohead match 4-3.

Northumberland county captain David Gilroy said: “The way things ended, being that close to the trophy we’ve been working towards for two years, was absolutely gutting for all of us. Each of the lads played exceptionally well and were a credit to the county.”

Playing against Kent, Somerset

and Nottinghamshire in a revised format – which saw the three foursomes and six singles format for each head-to-head match replaced with seven singles matches – Northumberland beat Somerset 4-3 on day one as Mark Wharton, Sean Heads, Alex Dixon and Gary Donnison won their matches.

They went on to earn a 5-2 win over Nottinghamshire on the morning of day two as Mark, Alex, Gary, Matty Lamb and Andrew Minnikin won their singles matches.

With Kent drawing against Somerset in the second round of matches, Northumberland knew at least a draw would give them a first title since 1965. For Kent, only a win would give them the title.

Saturday afternoon’s match looked to be going Kent’s way early with the first three matches going their way – Tom Sherreard beating Andrew 5&4, Liam Burns

beating Phil Ridden 3&2 and Joshua Bristow beating Mark 3&1. However, Northumberland’s Alex, Matty and Gary turned the tables with wins over Jacob Kelso (3&2), Jensen Hull (2&1) and Mason Essam (2&1).

That meant the result lay in the hands of Hexham-based Sean, who was one down with two to play before his opponent, Ben Quinney, three putted the 17th hole of the match to see the pair head down the final hole of the event all square.

At their final hole, Sean’s birdie putt from 25ft slipped past the hole before Ben holed a nerve-wracking 10-footer to seal the win and Kent’s second County Finals title.

David added: “The team has been a great credit to our county and we couldn’t be more proud of each of the players. We’re proud to be putting Northumberland back on the national stage and there’s a lot to look forward to for the county.”

Yorkshire topped the Northern Counties Golf Union League with a final day victory over Northumberland at Middlesbrough Golf Club. Cumbria claimed second spot after a 9-9 draw with Lancashire on the final day of matches as Northumberland took third spot. Durham won the final match of the year against Cheshire 10-8 at Wimslow Golf Club.

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TEEINGOFF

Heworth’s winning Clark Cup team, l-r Nigel Ralph, Mark McAllister, Will Marshall, Peter Cherry (captain) Jason McGuire, Aaron Scott (injured for final) and John Scott

Heworth hat-trick Heworth Golf Club’s season ended with a trio of trophies as the club’s men’s team retained the Clark Cup. On a cool and blustery afternoon at Houghton-le-Spring Golf Club, Heworth defeated Ineos 4-1 to lift the trophy.

The club also won this year’s Durham County Clubs Championship and the North Durham League Division Two.

Rachel Gourley and Libby Bell

Rachel Gourley

National call-up

L

ibby Bell and Rachel Gourley have been named in England’s six-strong team for the upcoming U16 girls’ international match against Ireland.

Libby (Gosforth Park Ladies) and Rachel (Arcot Hall) will team up with Rafiah Banday (Royal Mid Surrey GC, Surrey), Louise Burke (Broadstone GC, Dorset), Lydia Cryer (Nelson GC, Lancashire) and Lottie Woad (Farnham GC, Surrey)

for the match at Hunstanton Golf Club in Norfolk on October 12-13.

Chair of selectors and women’s performance manager Becca Hembrough said: “The girls all have some experience of international matches with Lydia, Louise, Lottie and Rachel representing England against Switzerland as recently as August.

“But for all the girls, the more times they are exposed to

international competition the better it will be for their development. As the girls build towards competing at European level and in Home Internationals, this is another important step on that pathway.”

The format for the match will be two rounds of foursomes on day one and singles on day two. Last year’s event took place at Limerick and ended with a 15.5-8.5 win for England.

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TEEINGOFF

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Alex Boyes and Nicky Lee-Shield

Nicky dominates juniors’ order of merit

B

arnard Castle’s Nicky Lee-Shield finished the Mizuno Durham County Golf Union Junior Order of Merit in fine style, winning the event’s Grand Final at Wynyard Golf Club by five shots to claim the overall title.

Nicky posted a round of 72 at Wynyard in the final event of the season-long points race to claim the gross title in the order of merit.

Meanwhile, Wynyard’s Alex Boyes became the boys nett champion and Sophie Murray from Consett was crowned girls nett winner.

The Wynyard event, the 17th of the order of merit season, completed Nicky’s sensational year

– one in which he never finished outside of the top eight.

During the season, he won junior opens at Barnard Castle and Consett, tied for top spot in Boldon’s junior open and won the DCGUJ George Crawford Cup at Hartlepool. He also finished second in junior opens at Blackwell Grange and Tyneside while picking up another eight top 10 finishes.

At the Grand Final, Consett’s Stephen Turnbull finished in second place as Alex won the nett prize.

For a full list of results from this season go to www. durhamcountygolfunion.co.uk/ mizuno_dcguj_order_of_merit NORTHERN GOLFER 11

TEEINGOFF

Wrigley rues GB’s PGA Cup defeat

Phil Ridden and N&D chairman Steve Thompson

Another win for Ridden Phil Ridden topped the Newcastle & District Golf League Players’ Championship leaderboard on a challenging day at Newbiggin Golf Club.

Phil, from City of Newcastle Golf Club, shot 71 to win the individual event as Northumberland Golf Club’s Duncan Ross, Seton Wakenshaw and Gary Owen won the team prize.

Alex Wrigley (left) with Robert Coles

A

dramatic final day at the 2019 PGA Cup saw the United States produce the greatest comeback in the competition’s history to win back the trophy.

The US team overcame a four point deficit going into the singles matches to beat the Great Britain & Ireland team, which featured Hartlepool’s Alex Wrigley, at Barton Creek Resort in Austin, Texas.

Having trailed 6-10 going in the singles, the Americans won eight of the 10 matches to lift the trophy for the first time since 2011.

Alex, competing in his second PGA Cup, picked up three points from three matches in the foursomes and fourballs before narrowly losing his singles match on Sunday. Those three points included an impressive 6&5 win alongside Matthew Cort in Friday’s foursomes and a 7&6

win alongside Robert Coles in Saturday’s fourballs.

Alex said: “Losing so narrowly was a real shame, especially after we’d played so well over the first two days.

“Apart from the result, my second PGA Cup in the US was a special week. It was great to have my family out there with me, including my granddad John who introduced me to the game. I’d love to play on home soil in two years time at Foxhills and will be making a big push to be there.”

A sensational Saturday session put Great Britain & Ireland on course to claim a record third consecutive victory in the competition. Trailing 5-3 after day one, the Europeans won Saturday’s fourballs 4-0 before winning the foursomes session 3-1 to take a four point lead into Sunday. In the singles matches, the Americans produced their finest golf of the week, winning eight matches to overturn the deficit and win the trophy outright for the first time since 2011.

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TEEINGOFF

Sudden death finish

L

yn Davison proved a spectacular substitute for Brancepeth Castle Golf Club in the Durham County Mixed Foursomes Final at Darlington Golf Club.

The former Durham Ladies Veterans Champion was called up to play on the final day alongside Alasdair Baird when Marianne Moore couldn’t make it.

The Brancepeth pair faced Durham’s City’s Jack and Louise Richardson in the final, and raced away into a four hole lead through seven holes.

But the final was all square after 18 following a major fightback by City’s mother and son pairing.

The quartet headed down the first

Alasdair Baird and Lyn Davison hole again in a sudden-death playoff and it proved exactly that when Lyn holed out from 80 yards for a spectacular eagle two.

It’s been another successful

season for Brancepeth after the club’s men’s team won 13-1 against Seaham in the final match of the North Durham League season to retain the title.

Boldon Golf Club’s Thomas Tomlinson has been awarded an ICL Continue to Learn Scholarship.

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TEEINGOFF

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14 NORTHERN GOLFER

James Maw

Simon Robinson

Rockliffe pair claim double success

T

he North East/North West PGA circuit has reached its busiest stretch of the season with eight pro ams in recent weeks along with the Assistants’ Championship and the Matchplay Championship final.

Rockliffe Hall secured double success as Simon Robinson won the matchplay event, beating Bishop Auckland’s Michael Pilgrim in the final at Ramside Hall, while James Maw won the assistants’ event with a round of 72 at the same venue.

Meanwhile, Morpeth’s David Clark picked up a pair of wins at the Crook and Goswick pro ams – sharing the titles with Bradley Rowntree (Houghton-le-Spring) and Darren Pearce (Barnard Castle) respectively.

Penrith-based Tim Dykes also picked up a pair of wins at the Middlesbrough Muni GC Pro Am and the Brampton GC Pro Am, the latter shared with James Wilkinson (Penrith Golf and Footgolf Centre).

At the Bellingham GC Pro Am, Ken Ferrie (Matfen Hall) posted a five under-par 65 to lead the field by two shots while Aaron Cox and Mark Ridley (South Moor) shared top spot at Bishop Auckland.

Andrew Scrimshaw (Close House) won the Hexham Pro Am with a four under-par round of 66, one shot clear of George Cowan (Westerhope) while George won the Bamburgh Castle GC Pro Am with a four under-par round of 64, four shots clear of John Harrison in second place.

Jason’s a BIGGA deal Rudding Park’s Jason Norwood has been named the UK’s top student greenkeeper at BIGGA’s 31st Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Awards.

The national contest hosted by the greenkeepers’ association and turfcare machinery manufacturer Toro recognises excellence annually.

Jason, 30, dedicated his victory

Jason Norwood (left) to his sons Max and Harvey and his wife Laura.

TEEINGOFF

Harrison celebrates pro order of merit title

J

John Harrison

ohn Harrison completed a sensational year of North East/North West PGA golf with victory in the Tour Championship at Brancepeth Castle Golf Club, securing the order of merit title in the process.

Matfen Hall-based John shot 66 at Brancepeth to beat Ross Crowe by one as Mark Watkins (Hobson) and George Cowan (Westerhope) finished in a tie for third. John topped the 10-event order of merit with 1075 points, 31 points ahead of Morpeth’s David Clark – last year’s order of merit winner.

John, 59, said: “It’s a great feeling to top the order of merit after a season of good golf. I’ve played well, won six times, and really enjoyed my golf this season.

“I’m 60 next birthday and will clock up 42 years as a pro, so it’s nice to still be competing.

The local circuit sets up nicely for the older guys, the courses aren’t too long and we can still compete with the young lads that crash it out there. Hopefully I can keep it going, it would be great to keep the run of winning at least once a year going for as long as possible.”

WINTER GREEN FEES

Jillian Hughes and Heather Milburn

Consett duo go close at St Andrews Consett captain Jillian Hughes and Heather Milburn finished runners up in one of the country’s biggest tournaments - the Coronation Foursomes at St Andrews.

The duo won their club qualifier in May before winning the area final at Durham City in August. Sixteen pairs from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland competed for the title at St Andrews’ Eden Course - where the Consett duo posted 41 points, just one point behind Bude and North Cornwall’s Colette Burgess and Hana Dabrowski.

With no winter greens or tees, Rockliffe Hall’s golf course remains in fantastic condition all year round - come rain or shine!

Winter Green Fees are available from 1st November to 31st March 2020. £30 per person - Monday to Sunday

To book please call the Pro Shop on 01325 7299980 or email golf@rockliffehall.com

www.rockliffehall.com Hurworth-on-Tees Darlington County Durham DL2 2DU +44 (0)1325 729999 enquiries@rockliffehall.com NORTHERN GOLFER 15

TEEINGOFF Close House’s Girls Golf Rocks programme

l-r Anne Dunn (county captain), Erin Carnall, Lilly Davis, Miley Lister and Lucy Nimmo

Record success

Girls mark new event Durham-based juniors Lucy Nimmo and Miley Lister teamed up to win the first Durham Junior Greensomes title at Darlington Golf Club.

Chester-le-Street Golf Club’s Lucy, 13, teamed up with 10-year-old Miley, from South Moor Golf Club, to win the event as 11-year-old Erin Carne from South Moor Golf Club and 11-year-old Lilly Davis from Durham City finished second.

T

he second Women and Girls’ Golf Week was an outstanding success according to England Golf.

The week, which coincided with the AIG Women’s British Open at Woburn, generated more than 12 million Twitter impressions through the #WhyIGolf hashtag, surpassing the number generated during the 2018 campaign.

Women and Girls’ Golf Week was again delivered by England Golf, Scottish Golf, Wales Golf and The Irish Ladies Golf Union to unite the industry and promote and grow women and girls’ golf. The R&A, the European Tour, the Ladies European Tour, The Professional Golfers’

Association and the Golf Foundation were among the bodies supporting the activity.

The campaign told stories of women and girls involved in different areas of the sport, celebrating their successes and challenging perceptions. Online content featured a theme for each day, including careers, volunteers, health, participation and performance.

More than 800 people contributed and were involved from across Great Britain and Ireland, as well as further afield. Campaign video content generated more than 274,000 views.

Clubs across the home nations were also involved, promoting participation activities they were running for women and girls.

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TEEINGOFF

Marshall tops order of merit

W

ill Marshall capped a stellar season by topping the Durham County Order of Merit.

Heworth-based Will clinched the title with seven top 10 finishes in the 11 events this season, amassing 700 points and holding off a late charge up the rankings by Seaton Carew’s Cameron Wallace.

Cameron’s late charge included a superb four under-par score in gale-force winds to win the Dinsdale Tankard along with a third place finish at the Northern Golf Masters at Rockliffe Hall, the final event of the season. Those results took his order of merit total to 575 – enough to edge out Brancepeth’s Richard Aisbitt, who’d won the Leonard Crawley Medal and Bishop Auckland Bowl earlier this season.

Tied with Aisbitt on 550 points was Chester-le-Street’s Kevin Suggest

Will Marshall while Eaglescliffe’s Tom Smith totalled 495 for fourth place and Martin McCririck (South Shields) finished on 455 points in fifth place.

In the Dinsdale Tankard, Cameron finished six shots clear of Darlington’s Adam Bates with Tom Smith (Eaglescliffe) third.

Meanwhile, Will’s consistency was not to be denied. He won the Keith Shivers Bowl in a playoff with Jason McGuire at Heworth and was rarely out of the points in this year’s events.

At Boldon’s re-arranged scratch open, sponsored by Euroserve, Stuart Brown’s rounds of 71 and 70 saw him win by five from James Gerencser (7274) with Alasdair Baird, Gavin Nesbit, Martin McCririck and Kevin Suggett all posting 36-hole totals of 148.

The Northern Golf Masters, played over one round at Rockliffe Hall, was won by Whitley Bay’s Daniel Beeson with 72. Richard Aisbitt and Cameron Wallace missed out on countback as John Kirkpatrick finished fourth on 73.

Have you played the region’s most improved course? www.blackwellgrangegolf.com

Eden Golf Club has been awarded the SafeGolf safeguarding standard by England Golf. To gain the standard, the club has implemented rigorous policies and procedures, and appointed a welfare officer, Erica Wellings, while PGA professional Thomas Hodgson has been accredited as a SafeGolf Coach.

• Three Par 3s remodelled • New swing studio coming soon • Brand new short game practice area opening Spring 2020 • Wide range of visitor packages and memberships available

Tel : 01325 464458 NORTHERN GOLFER 17

TEEINGOFF Shipley Golf Club’s Dan Thomas overcame George Robson to win the Yorkshire Matchplay Championship at Woodsome Hall.

Former EuroPro Tour player Dan made a miraculous birdie at the 18th hole of the match to force a suddendeath playoff before making a pair of pars to beat Fulford-based George and earn the title.

Open for business

B

lackwell Grange welcomed more than 150 people for the launch of the club’s new Junior Academy Course.

Cllr Nick Wallis, mayor of Darlington, officially opened the six hole course, which has holes ranging from 44 to 73 yards.

Following a putting competition, Nick opened the new course, which is sponsored by Liam McDermott from Darlington BM, and hit the first shot followed by the club’s vice-captain and ladies captain along with five of the club’s junior members. Youngsters then played the six holes with many of their parents and grandparents also taking part.

The course will be used for junior

great

Coun Nick Wallis, mayor of Darlington, opens the new course Nick Wallis with youngsters at Blackwell Grange’s Junior Academy Course competitions, Golf Sixes events and junior classes. It is also open to the public for a small green fee.

The club launched its Junior Academy in January 2019 with eight youngsters. That number has now grown to more than 60 taking part in weekly lessons.

The academy has also been running golf lessons at primary schools around Darlington, headed

up by assistant professional Aaron Cox. Aaron’s vision is to make the Blackwell Grange Junior Golf Academy the biggest in the North East with more than 100 juniors receiving weekly lessons.

For more information about the Junior Academy contact Aaron email blackwellgrangegolfacademy@ gmail.com or tel 01325 461 002.

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18 NORTHERN GOLFER

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All Day Monday £10 Tuesday to Friday £12.50 Saturday/Sunday/ Bank Hols £15 Twilight after 1pm £10

TEEINGOFF Hallowes Golf Club’s Sam Bairstow posted rounds of 69, 68 and 65 to win the North of England Open at Alwoodley.

The event was shortened to three rounds due to wet weather and Sam’s 11 underpar total, including a superb closing 65, gave him a seven shot win over James Bigg as Rotherham’s Ben Schmidt finished third.

Up to the Challenge

A

ndrew Scrimshaw has set his sights on a big finish to the season in a bid to qualify for next season’s Challenge Tour.

Close House-based Andrew finished in a tie for third place in the Cervino Open on the Alps Tour with rounds of 65, 65 and 64 to earn €2,340.

The finish was his third top 10 on the tour this season. He also has a second place finish at the Katameya Dunes Open Following the event, Andrew is in 13th place in the order of merit with one event to play - the Alps Tour Grand Final at Terre del Console.

The top five in the order of merit at the end of the season qualify for the Challenge Tour in 2020.

“I was delighted to grind out a tied third finish in the Cervino Open,” said Andrew. “It moved me up the rankings and keeps me in the hunt for a Challenge Tour card with the Grand Final remaining.”

Andrew Scrimshaw

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TOURLIFE

Chris Paisley

The power of proper practice

I

Chris Paisley on preparing for the final stretch of the European Tour season

t’s been a frustrating two weeks on the European Tour. After making the cut in the KLM Open and finishing 27th, I missed the cut at the BMW PGA Championship and the Alfred Dunhill Links.

For some reason, Wentworth has not been kind to me. I have played the event five times and missed the cut every time!

We all have courses that just don’t suit our eye, and unfortunately I think Wentworth is one of those for me. I have had some good rounds there, so I know I can do it, but so far I have struggled to string a couple of good rounds together. I’ll get it back next year!

As for the Dunhill Links, an event I have had some success at in the past, a poor round at Kingsbarns cost me. I shot 68 at the Old Course then 70 at Carnoustie. I

The Old Course at St Andrews

wasn’t at my best, but after two rounds I was on the cut mark knowing I could go low around Kingsbarns having shot a 62 there in 2013. It was fairly windy and I just didn’t have my usual game. I made bogies on the par five 12th and 16th holes on my front nine and shot 75. The cut went to nine under-par and I missed by quite a way.

I have a week off as I write this, followed by three weeks in a row to finish the regular season - the Italian Open, French Open and the Portugal Masters.

I’ve noticed a pattern recently in my game. I have been striking the ball extremely well on the range and in practice rounds, but then playing poorly in tournament rounds. I had a similar issue in my 2017 season and used my five weeks off before the 2018 South African Open to focus on adding pressure and consequence to my practice sessions.

I have talked about this in the past,

but basically my goal was to bridge the gap between my practice sessions and tournament rounds by adding punishments when I didn’t accomplish a certain task in practice. This obviously worked very well as I went on the best run of form of my life and broke into the top 80 in the world. For whatever reason, I haven’t placed as much emphasis on this type of practice recently and it has shown in my performances. My goal for the rest of the season - and my career really - is to get back to that form of training. It really does seem to bring out the best in me. My game is very close so I think a slight tweak in my training will really help my results in the short and long term.

If I can play fairly well in the remaining events then I should get into the Final Series events. My goal at the start of the season was to finish in the top 20 of the Race to Dubai and I believe that it is still within reach.

NORTHERN GOLFER 23

CHAMPIONOFCHAMPIONS

24 NORTHERN GOLFER

CHAMPIONOFCHAMPIONS

We are the champions This year’s Northern Golfer Champions of Champions crowned at Ramside Hall

T

hree of the North East’s most talented golfers have been crowned the region’s Champions of Champions

for 2019.

Tyneside Golf Club’s James Wilson became the first two-time Junior Champion of Champions with his victory over the Cathedral Course at Ramside Hall on the first weekend of events. His six under-par round of 66 from the yellow tees led the field by seven shots as last year’s winner, Whitley Bay’s Rosie Belsham, finished in second place. Seaton Carew’s Cameron Wallace completed the top three with his round of 74.

In the ladies event, held on the same day as the junior event, Whickham Golf Club’s Faye Wheatley led a talented field with a round of 77, one shot clear of Ramside’s Maggie Whitehead. Close House’s Claire Brown, who finished third in 2018, completed the top three.

Seven days later, following a week of torrential rain which saw the course playing incredibly long, Garforth Golf Club’s Josh Bassitt overcame the stern test of the Cathedral Course’s blue tees with a round of 72 – only the third time a player has shot par or better in three years of Northern Golfer hosting the event at Ramside. Josh led an elite field

featuring 57 of the north’s best male golfers as Hobson Golf Club’s Andrew Rafferty shot 73 to claim the runnerup spot and James took third place on countback following a round of 74.

James, 20, capped a stellar year of golf with victory in the junior event and a third place finish in the men’s event.

He said: “It’s a great felling to finish the year as the Junior Champion of Champions and finish in the top three of the men’s event.

“It was great to get the job done in the junior event . I knew I was one of the favourites coming in, but to go out there and shoot 66 was a nice way to get it done. A win is always going to be a solid finish to the year and being the champion of champions has a nice ring to it.

“I’ve got university golf coming up through the winter and into the start of 2020. From there we’ll see how next summer’s national events go – hopefully I’ll be back for the men’s Champion of Champion event at the end of next year too.”

Faye, 14, is part of the England North Region Squad coached by JJ Vallely and is looking to building on her victory as she steps up to U16 events next season.

She said: “It was a massive shock when the final scores came in and I found out

NORTHERN GOLFER 25

CHAMPIONOFCHAMPIONS

I’d won. I started with a birdie and made another one at the fourth, which was a nice start. From there I played really tidy golf on a tough course.

“The event has been a great experience and I’m proud to have my first win in a regional event. I’m looking forward to building on it next year with some good results in national events and it will be good to come back and defend my title.”

Josh, who returned to golf this season after a three year break from the game, paid tribute to Ramside’s green staff and all the caddies and supporters who had been part of the three events when collecting the trophy. He added: “It’s very special to be the champion of club champions from so many clubs around the region.

“I struggled at the start of the year having been inspired to get the clubs back out after watching the Ryder Cup. I bit the bullet and started working with James Whitaker at Garforth Golf Range, which allowed me to build some confidence coming into the final stretch of the season.

26 NORTHERN GOLFER

l-r James Wilson, Douglas Montgomerie (Brewin Dolphin), Faye Wheatley and Josh Bassitt

“I drove the ball really well today, which was always going to be the key to playing a 7000-yard course which had been soaked by rain.

“I also had some big moments down the stretch. Hitting it into the water at 16 and 17, and making two pars really kept things going. To get a win this season is a fantastic feeling and it has inspired me to work hard this winter and see what I can achieve in 2020.”

This year’s events, supported by partners Brewin Dolphin - one of the largest British investment management and financial planning firms - and hosted by Ramside Hall for a third consecutive year, welcomed more than 100 golfers from clubs in Northumberland, Durham, Teesside, North Yorkshire and Cumbria.

Douglas Montgomerie, consultant at Brewin Dolphin, presented the prizes to the winners and praised the talented golfers who’d been part of the events. He said: “The quality of the golf displayed over these three events has been remarkable. James, Faye and

Josh are supremely talented golfers and they are a real credit to golf in our region. Brewin is very proud to have been associated with these events for the first time. We have a rich history in the North East and in our associations with sport in the region, and partnerships like this one with Northern Golfer and Ramside are very important to us. Congratulations to everyone involved in the events.”

Helen Roseberry, Ramside’s director of golf, added: “It’s been another fantastic year of Champion of Champions events and we’ve really enjoyed welcoming so many of the North’s most talented golfers to our club over the two weekends.

We’re very proud to be part of these events with Northern Golfer, and now Brewin Dolphin, and look forward to welcoming the region’s best players to Ramside in the future.”

A full list of scores from each of this year’s events is available at www.northerngolfer.co.uk.

Details of the 2020 events will be announced in the new year.

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COLUMNIST

Dean Bailey

The spice of life The European Tour must keep its variety, even if Rory McIlroy doesn’t like it

R

ory McIlroy’s comments at the Dunhill Links press conference were, by his own later admission, a flawed argument, but the European Tour will still be looking at what its biggest star had to say – I just hope the tour doesn’t take his comments to heart.

Following a tied 26th finish in Scotland, McIlroy said: “I’m sort of honestly sick of coming back over to the European Tour and shooting 15 under-par and finishing 30th. I don’t think the courses are set up hard enough. There are no penalties for bad shots. It’s not a good test.”

While I understand why McIlroy would make the point – as one of the best players in the world he would want the courses setup tough to minimise the number of players capable of shooting low scores – there are a couple of reasons why the European Tour would be best advised to stick with its current setup.

Firstly, the European Tour is an entertainment product.

Birdies are more entertaining than pars, therefore more

birdies equals more entertainment. It was a bit of a cheap shot to make the argument on the week of a pro am event, played in the relatively benign conditions in Scotland. That 22 under-par won the event on one of the easiest setups of the year is hardly absurd. Perhaps his argument would have been better suited at Le Golf National or Royal Portrush?

Second, would you really prefer sitting down to watch the European Tour and seeing the same bomb and gouge golf we see on the PGA Tour? The European Tour’s greatest strength is its variety. The links swing – the Irish and Scottish opens followed by The Open Championship was one of the best golfing stretches of the year. Visits to Valderrama, Wentworth and Crans-sur-Sierre are infinitely more interesting than watching 156 players put on a chipping and putting contest at TPC something or other.

They say variety is the spice of life, and regardless of what Rory McIlroy prefers, the European Tour must provide that variety. It’s Europe’s unique selling point over the PGA Tour and without it, the tour risks losing what makes it special.

NORTHERN GOLFER 29

ROUNDWITH A ROUND WITH...

Geoff Cook The former England cricketer, Durham CCC director of cricket and Ramside Golf Club seniors captain on his passion for golf

G

eoff Cook has spent nearly 50 years in top-level sport. A county cricketer with Northamptonshire from 19711990, he played seven test matches and six one-day internationals for England in the early 1980s. He moved to Durham when the county gained first-class status in 1992 and captained the team. Following his playing career, he became a coach and ultimately the club’s director of cricket - a role he retired from in September 2018 after 27 years with Durham.

Geoff continues to be involved in cricket, coaching locally, supporting club cricket and working with the England U19 squad to spot talented young players for the national system.

Away from those roles and being a grandparent, he captained the Ramside seniors team in 2018 and remains part of the team. Here’s more from our round with Geoff...

1 How much golf do you play?

I play far more than I have done in the past, up to a couple of times a week in various things. I really enjoy the camaraderie and touch of competitiveness golf provides. I played sport professionally for 20 years and that gives me a great perspective when I’m out there trying to play to a handicap of 13.

2 How did you get into golf?

I dabbled a little bit when I was younger, as many cricketers did with varying degrees of success. We had some fantastic opportunities to play golf at brilliant courses but never took it particularly seriously. I was a country member at Goswick for a while then joined Ramside a few years ago.

3 Where do you like to play in the North East?

I’m very lucky to be a member of Ramside and enjoy both courses here. A little further afield, Goswick is a fantastic place to play and I have some special memories of playing at Slaley Hall.

4 And further afield?

I’ve been lucky to play some fabulous courses all across the UK and around the

30 NORTHERN GOLFER

world. I’ve always enjoyed golf in Scotland and the Ramside seniors’ trip to Turkey has taken us to some brilliant courses. For a stand out pick, it would have to be Turnberry or Wentworth.

5 What’s your best ever round?

I’ve shot 75 at Goswick once - it was rolling nicely that day.

6 Which is your favourite golfing memory?

There are so many, but a recent highlight was a golf day at the Westmoreland resort in Barbados to celebrate the retirement of West Indian legend Wes Hall from his post-cricket career as a politician.

7 What about embarrassing moments?

Playing at Woburn while trying to recover from the night before, I made a birdie at the first hole then failed to get my next 17 tee shots airborne.

8 Do you have any superstitions?

Not when playing golf - I’m far too relaxed for all that. As a cricketer, I had a few. When opening the batting with Wayne Larkins, I always stayed on his right side when walking out to open the batting.

9 What are your strengths on the course?

As every 13 handicapper does, I have good days and bad days. My pitching, from around 100 yards and in, is generally a strength.

10 And your weaknesses?

Putting has always been something I’d like to improve. I can be very inconsistent on the greens.

11 Which is your favourite club?

My seven iron.

12 Who are your best golfing friends?

I’m lucky to have many golfing friends and see lots of them regularly, but I always look forward to playing with Mike Candlish. He has the best outlook on golf I’ve ever come across. He’s supremely competitive but if he

fluffs a shot, he’s straight on to trying to hit the next one better. I always enjoy playing with him.

13 Has playing professional sport in the past helped your golf?

Hand eye co-ordination obviously helps in both sports. Having played other sports to a high level, I have a very relaxed outlook on golf, which can help when things aren’t quite going to plan.

14 Who is your favourite tour player?

I’ve always enjoyed watching Sergio Garcia.

He’s a fabulous golfer with a passion for what he’s doing. When he’s good, he’s sensational and when he’s not so good, we can all relate to the frustration he shows.

15 Which event do you enjoy following?

Sky has done a great job of moving golf broadcasting forward and I enjoy the coverage a lot. I’ve always enjoyed the week of The Open and this year’s event at Royal Portrush was a fantastic spectacle.

16 Who do you admire?

I worked with the Professional Cricketers’ Association during my career, including as its chairman and secretary, and was incredibly inspired by the work of John Arlott - the PCA’s president from its formation until 1991. It was an honour to hear him speak and learn from him - he had a great sense of fairness and social responsibility. It was a real privilege to work with him.

17 Which three people would join you in your dream fourball?

Peter Alliss for his abilities as a raconteur, my brother Dave, who sadly passed away, and AP McCoy as my brother would have loved to spend time with one of the great jockeys.

18 If I could offer you a lottery win or a scratch handicap, which would you choose?

It would have to be the lottery win, I’d be very content hacking my way around the world’s best courses.

ROUNDWITH

NORTHERN GOLFER 31

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Northern adventure

SCOTLANDFOCUS

This month we take a short journey north to Scotland to sample some of the gems just a short drive from our region…

LADYBANK GOLF CLUB Laid out by Tom Morris, the course at Ladybank Golf Club dates back to 1879. Set out over attractive heathland, the landscape features stunning gorse, broom, heather, scots pine and silver birch – creating a colourful palette and an excellent home for many red squirrels.

Driving into the club, through a long avenue of trees alongside the 16th, 17th and 18th holes, you catch a glimpse of what to expect from this classic layout.

The sandy soil creates tight turf while the gentle undulations to fairways and fast, firm greens make for a memorable occasion on every visit. Deep bunkering adds

a links-like feel when matched with the tight fairways.

The links resemblances end there however, for the many trees here demand far more accuracy from the tee than the traditional linksland of the coast. There are few straight holes and while just four of the par four holes stretch more than 400 yards, this is no pushover thanks to the doglegs and subtle curves. A challenging, yet peaceful golfing experience – what more could you ask for?

Ladybank Golf Club, Annsmuir, Ladybank, Fife KY15 7RA, www.ladybankgolf.co.uk

NORTHERN GOLFER 33

SCOTLANDFOCUS LOCKERBIE GOLF CLUB From its elevated setting, Lockerbie Golf Club affords stunning views over the Annandale Valley and the Lakeland hills while presenting a fine parkland test with tree-lined fairways and subtly contoured greens protecting the par 67 layout.

The original nine-hole course was designed by the legendary five-time Open Champion James Braid before a further nine holes were added in 1986.

Short by modern standards at 5,463 yards, the course is protected by trees, water and its small sloping greens.

Water comes into play on three holes while five par threes present tricky tests of 100-200 yards. With no par fives, the par fours at Lockerbie range from great birdie chances to stern holes protected by hazards and thick rough – driver is often a risky play and tactical play can be the best way to unlock good scores.

Situated on the east side of Lockerbie, just five minutes from the north and south exits of the M74, this is a great place to start your trip north.

Lockerbie Golf Club, Corrie Road Lockerbie, Dumfries & Galloway DG11 2ND, tel 01576 203 363 www.lockerbiegolf.co.uk

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NORTHERN

INSIGHT

The Business and Leisure Magazine for the North East Region

For advertising and editorial enquiries contact Michael Grahamslaw on mjgrahamslaw@outlook.com or visit the website www.northern-insight.co.uk

34 NORTHERN GOLFER

Traditional Country Inn ideally situated for playing MINTO, HAWICK, THE HIRSEL AND ROXBURGH plus many more. 12 en-suite bedrooms with tv, wi-fi, tea/coffee making facililties, Sky tv. Restaurant and bar serving cask ales (good pub guide)

STAY & PLAY - £85 pppn

(based on two people sharing) or single occupancy £95.00 per night. This will include Bed and Breakfast two course evening meal and a round of golf

Auld Cross Keys Inn Restaurant • Public bar • Lounge • Patio ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence

Tel: 01450 870305

bookings@crosskeysdenholm.co.uk www.crosskeysenholm.co.uk

The Green, Denholm, Scottish Borders, TD9 8NU

SCOTLANDFOCUS AULD CROSS KEYS INN The Auld Cross Keys Country Inn, Denholm has been at the heart of life in the town for more than 200 years. A popular choice with golfers visiting the Scottish Borders, the former bakehouse offers 12 bedrooms and can accommodate up to 26 people. Within a short drive of some of the best courses in the Scottish Borders, including Eyemouth, Torwoodlee, Minto, Jedburgh, Kelso and the Hirsel, the Auld Cross Keys serves as a perfect base for visiting golfers. www.crosskeysdenholm.co.uk

Lockerbie Golf Club

LOCKERBIE GOLF CLUB HAS FRIENDLY STAFF, EXCELLENT CATERING AND VISITORS MOST WELCOME. The course is 18 holes 5463 yds par 67 Green fees £22 – mid week. £27 – w/end. Group discounts available . Lockerbie is also a member of the James Braid association.

Catering and Buggy hire available.

Lockerbie Golf club. Corrie Road, Lockerbie DG112ND Tel: 01576203363 Email: enquiries@lockerbiegolf.com www.lockerbiegolf.co.uk NORTHERN GOLFER 35

COURSEPROFILE

Blackwell is at its best Alan Hedley takes in the latest changes to Blackwell Grange Golf Club

B

lackwell Grange has undergone a lot of changes in the last couple of years, which made a return visit before the autumn sets in a must.

The layout here has always been beautiful and challenging, but substantial work on the course over the last year has improved it a great deal - and there is more to come.

This is not just a golf course either. There are excellent practice facilities, including a 13-bay floodlit driving range, a swing studio and a new junior academy course along with an excellent pro shop and a modern, friendly clubhouse with top-notch food.

There’s also going to be a new short game practice area opening early next year (see sidebar).

That’s an impressive progression since the club’s move to the old Stressholme site in 2013.

Recently, attention has been focussed on the course with extensive remodelling of three par 36 NORTHERN GOLFER

threes - the ninth, 11th and 13th holes - and significant drainage work.

The par 71, 6,446-yard layout with the River Skerne looping through the 145 tree-lined acres is a fine test of golf.

The first is just under 400 yards and can be a daunting drive with trees flanking the fairway, but a steady drive leaves an approach to a green guarded by big bunkers.

The second is a difficult 449-yard downhill par four with a green nestling in the river’s loop while the third is a short uphill dog-leg par four with the river running all the way along its length. The 130-yard fourth hole is most definitely the signature hole here (see factfile).

The fifth and sixth holes are mid-range par fours at 369 and 365 yards. Both are fairly straightforward provided you can avoid the trees and strategically placed bunkers.

Both are considered reasonable birdie chances and you may need to take advantage

with what’s to follow. The 447-yard seventh is a tough par four with a fairway that flows to the right, bringing a fairway bunker into play. Two really good hits are needed here.

The 322-yard dog-leg eighth also has a well placed bunker and trees threatening any wayward drive, and there are two large bunkers guarding the green.

A recently remodelled 204-yard par three concludes the front nine - again the green is well guarded by bunkers.

The 10th is the first par five and it comes in at 526 yards. It’s straight and relatively trouble-free though the big hitters will fancy their chances.

Another 200-yard-plus remodelled par three follows with a concealed pond on the right and trees to the left, while the green is surrounded by bunkers... your club selection had better be right playing into the prevailing wind!

The run of holes that follows present you with narrow margins to negotiate. The drive at

COURSEPROFILE

FACT FILE CONTACT Blackwell Grange Golf Club Snipe Lane, Darlington, DL2 2SA Tel 01325 464 458 Professional 01325 461 002 www.blackwellgrangegolf.com Facebook @blackwellgolf GREEN FEES Weekdays £30 Weekends £40 Contact the club for special offers for groups TOTAL DISTANCE White tees 6,446 yards Yellow tees 6,273 yards Red tees 5,617 yards

the 347-yard 12th needs to be accurate while the green at the short 13th has a narrow entrance through a ring of trees and bunkers.

Meanwhile, the par five 14th also features a tight fairway with a deceptive fairway bunker 50 yards from the green.

The finishing four holes are excellent. The 386-yard 15th has a narrow fairway while the now familiar tree and bunker combination awaits anything offline. A road and hedge must also be avoided on the left until the hole turns sharply around the corner.

Birdie is definitely in play at the 479-yard par five 16th before you face two big par fours to finish.

The 430-yard 17th is regarded as the hardest hole on the course while the 18th measures 433 yards. Both have an abundance of trees and fairway bunkers to avoid before playing tough approaches to well guarded greens. Two pars will do nicely to finish!

FEATURES Pro shop Buggy, trolley and club hire Locker rooms with changing facilities Excellent clubhouse with lounge and restaurant Extensive floodlit practice area with 13 bays New swing studio Six hole Junior Academy Course New short game area opening soon

The members of Blackwell Grange Golf Club don’t believe in standing still.

A new short game area designed by Jonathan Gaunt - the second phase of his work at the club - will be opening in the spring. The first phase of work focused on the ninth, 11th and 13th holes - all par threes.

The short game practice area is part of the master plan that Gaunt prepared in 2014 and will include a 400sqm chipping green, two bunkers, four artificial turf teeing platforms and numerous hollows, swales, humps and mounds. The entire area is fully irrigated to ensure the playing surface remains in excellent condition, and the club will be continuing work to Gaunt’s master plan with phase three comprising bunker remodelling work on holes one, five, six and 18.

CADDY’S TIP Accuracy off the tee is essential, and a sure putting stroke will come in very handy.

SIGNATURE HOLE The 130-yard fourth hole will test the nerves of every player. It may only be 130 yards - shorter off the front tees - but the river runs along the right side and gets very close to the green. Your tee shot must carry the water! Good luck.

OUR VERDICT

Playing Blackwell Grange is a must. A good test of golf and extremely pleasing on the eye.

NORTHERN GOLFER 37

GOLFERGEAR

Winter is coming The end of the season is upon us, which means it’s time to wrap up warm and prepare for winter golf. Good news though, we’ve got all the gear you’ll need…

WINTER WARMERS

PING 2019 Autumn/Winter apparel RRP: Various www.ping.com

PING has unveiled details of its 2019 Autumn/Winter apparel ranges for men and women, which focus on fresh winter palettes and, for the first time, feature PrimaLoft Gold Insulation with Cross Core Technology.

The range is designed for year-round relevance with premium performance fabrics featuring across a full range of garments for everything the British weather could throw at you on and off the golf course.

Highlights from the range include the ladies Oslo PrimaLoft Vest III, which pushes the limits of lightweight warmth by utilising the latest in performance insulation technology PrimaLoft Gold Insulation with CrossCore Technology, a fusion of PrimaLoft microfibers with silica aerogel that delivers previously unattainable levels of warmth.

Acclaimed for its ultra-lightweight and insulative properties, aerogel was originally developed by NASA for aeronautical applications. It is composed of more than 95% air and is the lightest solid material known to man, forming a temperature barrier that delivers a higher warmth-to-weight ratio than any garment PING has ever engineered.

From the men’s range, highlights include the SensorDry 2.5 jacket and waterproof pant – PING’s most advanced waterproof suit to date.

38 NORTHERN GOLFER

ON A ROLL

TaylorMade TP Patina Putters RRP: £239 www.taylormadegolf.co.uk TaylorMade has unveiled the TP Patina Putter Collection, offering premium craftsmanship and a refined aesthetic – which includes a striking new finish.

The new line is made up of seven head shapes, each featuring a new 5mm thicker Pure Roll face insert and a naturally tarnishing patina finish produced through a combination of black nickel and copper coatings. The aluminium Pure Roll insert is engineered to bring the 45° grooves into direct contact with the ball to improve forward roll, helping the ball start and stay on its intended line. The lineup features three blade shapes – Soto, Juno and Del Monte – along with four mallet options Ardmore 1, Ardmore 2, Ardmore 3 and the new DuPage design.

EXTRA BITE

Callaway Jaws MD5 wedges RRP: £149 eu.callawaygolf.com

Callaway has launched the latest model of its Jaws wedge, promising new levels of spin and control.

Featuring a new Jaws Groove design, which includes a 37º wall angle rather than the 5º angle used in MD4, the new range offers a perfect combination of shapes, finishes, feel, versatility and spin. Improved from the MD4 wedge, the walls, edges and angles of the new groove design are precisely milled into the face to achieve the sharpest edges and tightest tolerances ever in a Callaway wedge. The wedge also features Groove-In-Groove Technology – micro-positive grooves on the flat sections of the face which improve spin. A huge range of loft and bounce options are available, including the new low bounce W Grind option, along with Callaway Customs personalisation.

GOLFERGEAR TO A T

Titleist T-Series irons RRP: From $125 per club www.titleist.co.uk

IN THE BAG

With BMW PGA champion Danny Willett

PUTTER PARTNERSHIP

Cleveland Frontline and Huntington Beach putter ranges RRP: Frontline £149, Huntington Beach £109 www.clevelandgolf.com

Cleveland Golf has revealed two new putter ranges Frontline and Huntington Beach.

The Frontline range of three head shapes features a new weighting concept, bringing the centre of gravity forward to promote direction and speed consistency. Tungsten is added to the face of the putter, which aims to counteract off centre strikes and produce consistently straighter putts. The range also features Cleveland’s Speed Optimized Face Technology (SOFT) to normalise ball speeds across the face for consistent distance performance.

Meanwhile, the Huntington Beach line of six head shapes features the same Speed Optimized Face Technology (SOFT) in a 304 Stainless Steel construction at a lower RRP of £109.

© Mitch Gunn / Shutterstock.com

The latest iron series from Titleist has been revealed. The T-Series designs look to build on Titleist’s position as the number one iron on the PGA Tour with the introduction of Max Impact technology along with a number of look and feel choices driven by feedback from tour staff.

The new T200 and T300 designs feature the new technology, which extends maximum speed across the entire face of the mid and long irons while preserving the quality of sound and feel. A super thin face is backed by a unique polymer core – developed in partnership with Titleist Golf Ball R&D – to provide consistently better distance.

Meanwhile, the T100 offers Tour-level looks and performance in a new forged cavity construction. Coforged dual-density tungsten (with an average of 66 grams placed in the heel and toe of the mid and long irons) delivers stability while a tour-refined sole shape features a thin topline, minimal offset and enhanced camber for improved turf interaction.

Danny Willett led the final round from start to finish on his way to his seventh European Tour title at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. His 20 under-par total gave him a three shot win after rounds of 68, 65, 68 and 67. During the final round he was first in Greens in Regulation, third in Putts per GIR, and sixth in Putts per Round.

In securing his second Rolex Series title, the former Masters champion used an Odyssey Stroke Lab Tuttle Putter, which has been a constant feature in his bag since winning the 2018 DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. Here’s what else was in his bag…

Driver: Callaway Rogue (9° Mitsubishi Tensei Diamana 60X shaft) Fairway Wood: Callaway Rogue (15° - Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana 70X shaft) Utility: Callaway X Forged UT (18° & 24° - True Temper Dynamic Gold Superlite X100 shafts) Irons: Callaway X Forged ‘18 (5-9 True Temper Dynamic Gold Superlite X100 shafts) Wedges: Callaway Mack Daddy Forged (46°); Callaway Mack Daddy 4 (50º, 56° & 60° - True Temper Dynamic Gold Superlite X100 shafts) Putter: Odyssey Stroke Lab Tuttle Ball: Callaway Chrome Soft X

NORTHERN GOLFER 39

END OF SEASON

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MATCHPLAYPAIRS

The final countdown We’ve reached the final stages of our Match Play Pairs tournament

T

he Northern Golfer Match Play Pairs 2019 tournament has reached its final stages with the semi-finals and final set to take place at Wynyard Golf Club this month.

A total of 72 teams started out this season and just four remain in the race for the trophy, a prize worth £600 and a place in the region’s golfing record books.

Played throughout the season, teams are drawn against one another in a knockout format, played with 90% handicap allowance.

You can see results from all of this year’s matches at

www.northerngolfer.co.uk/matchplay-pairs-2019-draw-info For more information contact Dean Bailey, dean@offstonepublishing.co.uk Match 57 Richard Woods & Peter Holland (Whitley Bay) LOST TO Vaughan Raine & Shaun Elliott (Crook) Score: 5&3

Match 59 Dean Findley & Mark Dobson (Durham City) LOST TO Mark Laverick & Jon Douglas (Stocksfield) Score: 1up

Match 58 Barry Cranston & David Hornsey (Consett) BEAT David Cameron & Rodney Martin (Beamish) Score: 7&5

Match 60 James Guy & James Melville (Crook) BEAT Johnny Harrison & Adam Reid (Bishop Auckland/ Wynyard) Score: 6&5

Semi-finals draw Match 61 James Guy & James Melville (Crook) VS Vaughan Raine & Shaun Elliott (Crook)

Match 62 Barry Cranston & David Hornsey (Consett) VS Mark Laverick & Jon Douglas (Stocksfield)

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NORTHERN GOLFER 41

GOLFERTIPS

J Haror hn is tel 0 www 1661 886 on .mat 400 fenh all.co m

TAKE IT AWAY

The takeaway, that moment between the setup and the club becoming parallel with the ground, is an essential part of every swing we make.

A common fault in the takeaway is to drag the club back with the hands, causing the club to swing too inside.

Alternatively, people can try and force the club out to create width, going too far outside the correct path and the losing connection between the body and arms.

A great drill to create a consistent takeaway, and get the club on the correct path, involves placing an alignment stick into the ground behind you at the same angle of the shaft in your setup. With the stick in place, begin your shoulder and arm rotation and keep the club as close to the stick as possible as it works back. A few practice swings should see you getting the club in the perfect position.

42 NORTHERN GOLFER

ADVERTORIAL

LEDA GOLF BUCKING THE TREND While many businesses are struggling, especially in the golf industry, Leda Golf is bucking the trend and expanding into Wearside Golf Club.

When Leda owner Marc Burgess was approached by the golf club,

he said: “Being part of a prestigious golf club like Wearside, with its history and strong membership complemented by its good competition section, was an opportunity not to be missed.”

LEDA GOLF LEDA WINTER WARMERS PUMA HATS HALF PRICE £7.50 EACH

POWAKADDY WINTER WHEELS £64.95 10% OFF ALL STOCK HARDWARE (INCLUDING CALLAWAY EPIC FLASH & COBRA F9) FREE SERVICE WITH ALL ELECTRIC GOLF TROLLIES

OPENING HOURS MON-SUN 9-4 www.ledagolf.com www.facebook.com/ledagolf 0191 3701757 Email: ledagolf@yahoo.com Roseberry Grange Golf Club, Chester-Le-Street, Durham DH2 3NF 0191 3701757 Wearside Golf Club, Cox Green, Sunderland, SR4 9JT 0191 5342518

GOLFERPROMOTIONS

win Northern Golfer competitions are also listed on our website www.northerngolfer.co.uk/ competitions Alternatively, you can post your entry to: Competitions, Northern Golfer, Unit One, Bearl Farm, Stocksfield, Northumberland, NE43 7AL Please include your contact details and telephone number. Closing date Thursday October 31, 2019. Usual competition rules apply – available on request. Winners will be published in our next edition.

WIN GOLF FOR FOUR AT CHESTER-LE-STREET GOLF CLUB Set in the shadow of Lumley Castle, the parkland layout at Chester-le-Street is a strategic test of golfing ability.

For your chance to win answer the following question: Who will defend the men’s Olympic gold medal for golf in 2020?

WIN GOLF FOR FOUR AT BELLINGHAM GOLF CLUB In the heart of the Northumberland National Park, between Hadrian’s Wall and the Scottish border, Bellingham offers fine views while the course is a favourite of many of the region’s top players.

For your chance to win answer the following question: Which course will host the 2020 Scottish Open?

WIN GOLF FOR FOUR AT LONGHIRST HALL GOLF CLUB Longhirst is home to two beautiful courses, The Lakes and The Dawson, offering the challenge of the American-style golf in the Northumberland countryside.

For your chance to win answer the following question: Who won the 2019 FedEx Cup title?

Congratulations to last month’s competition winners: Blackwell Grange - Suzanne Drummond of Co Durham Hexham - Malcolm Salters of Wallsend • Woodham - Peter Lee of Alnwick 44 NORTHERN GOLFER

ADVERTORIAL

EXCITING TIMES AT BOLDON The fantastic comments about the course from the top county players after the recent Order of Merit Scratch Open are credit for the hard work of our recently appointed Head Green keeper Jack Hetherington and his team. Jack has the course in pristine condition and the course and greens are some

of the best in the area. Now is a great time to be considering joining Boldon for the 2020 season.

This year has seen the car park area improved with a total resurfacing and marked bays.

Smaller projects have included the refurbishment of the men’s locker room/changing area, enhancing the

1st tee area with artificial grass, and members and guests have a new outside seating area to enjoy a drink after their game.

Stacy Smith has recently been appointed as Boldon’s Food & Beverage manger and has already prepared the Christmas Fayre and Xmas Afternoon tea menus. Visitors

are always welcome to call in to sample the delicious homemade food of ring to book for Sunday lunch at £6.95.

Club Manager Steve Watkin commented to Northern Golfer that these are “exciting times for the members of Boldon Golf Club as the Management Committee support the continuous improvement of the Course and Clubhouse facilities”.

“We are already looking forward to 2020 and hoping to attract not only men to join Boldon but with our Women in Golf and Junior Action plan to see membership increase over all the categories.

Book online via our web si

te www.boldo ngolfclub.c o.uk Winter 4 ball Offer - £80 including a bacon roll and coffee on arrival – Upgrade and add a one course meal after your round for £6 per person - Must be booked 24 hours in advance Winter Membership – Available Oct – 31st March 2020 - £240 – Includes a £50 voucher off Full Membership for the 2020 season 2020 Membership – Look out for our Membership Offers on the club website.

15 months for the price of 12 (from 1st January) Enquiries to Steve Watkin on 0191 536 5360 www.boldongolfclub.co.uk

Contact details Steve Watkin on

T: 0191 5365360 E: info@boldongolfclub.co.uk Boldon Golf Club, Dipe Lane, Boldon NE36 0PQ NORTHERN GOLFER 45

from the

bunker

Welcome to your reader feedback page. We want to hear your likes, dislikes and funny golfing stories, and if you’d like to make suggestions about Northern Golfer, let us know. We want to hear from you!

Newcastle United fan Paul Mcintyre captured a notable double while on holiday in Portugal.

The 65-year-old, who now lives Staines, scored his first hole-in-one and got the chance to meet his hero, Alan Shearer. On top of that, he secured a trip to either the 2020 Ryder Cup or 2021 Masters, where he could win $1m as part of the Million Dollar Hole in One Challenge. Paul aced the 165-yard 13th hole at Pestana Vila Sol - using a driver - while competing in the Million Dollar Hole in One Challenge. If the trip and chance to win a life-changing amount of money wasn’t enough, Paul also got to meet MDHIO ambassador Alan Shearer, who was out in Portugal at the time.

Congratulations Paul.

George Washington Golf Club has honoured former captain Kevin Lillie by building a bridge to his memory on the course he loved playing.

Kevin was captain of the George Washington when he contracted aplastic anaemia and died in hospital just a few months later at the age of 61.

The bridge has been built by his two sons, Gavin and Philip, and dedicated to his memory with a plaque. The first people to cross the bridge were Kevin’s grandchildren - nine-year-old Jasmine and five-year-old Paige.

Gavin and Philip said: “It was a very proud and emotional moment for us all. Our dad was passionate about his golf and a member of the club for more than 35 years.”

George Washington manager Bill Michie said: “It’s a fitting tribute to Kevin that he will be part of the course for good. A new bridge was something that had been on the club’s radar for a long time and it will always be associated with Kevin. He’ll be remembered as a real character with a great sense of humour - knowing that Former George Kevin Lillie’s this bridge was built in his memory would have Washington captain grandchildren, Paige Kevin Lillie and Jasmine (right) brought a big smile to his face.”

Well done to the Norton Ancients Golf Society for raising £1,400 through the society’s first charity event.

The group, established in 1993, brought together 18 teams - from as far afield as Doncaster - for the event at Dinsdale Spa Golf Club. Organised by captain Mick McLone (right in the black shirt), the event raised money for armed forces charity SSAFA and The Daisy Chain Norton.

46 NORTHERN GOLFER

Our congratulations also go to the Prudhoe Golf Club Vets team this month, following their victory in the annual Team Challenge day.

Featuring clubs from around the region, Prudhoe’s team came out on top with a total score of 273 points. The team included (from left to right below): S Briggs, D Kemp, M Robson, J Westgarth, P Whitlock, A Dunn, D France and J Brown.

Phil Scott (Pre-Fix Fixings & Fasteners) and event organiser Alastair Greenfield Tyneside Golf Club’s Peter Smith has been in touch this month to share the success of a recent charity golf day at the club. He wrote: “On Friday September 13, Tyneside Golf Club played host to its main sponsor Pre-Fix Fixings & Fasteners’ Charity Golf Day in aid of Prostate Cancer. On a beautiful sunny early autumn day, 36 teams enjoyed a competitive day of golf raising money and awareness of the most common form of cancer among British men. This year the total amount raised was £5,247.15, which brings the total raised in three years to £13,447.15. This will all go towards supporting more men and their families when they need it the most.”

Congratulations to everyone involved in the events over the last three years.

CLEARANCE SALE, BY POPULAR DEMAND SAVE £££S CALL IN AND SPEAK TO US BEFORE YOU BUY, WE GUARANTEE THE BEST POSSIBLE DEALS. TAYLOR MADE 2 FREE TPS DOZEN WORTH £79.98

ALL 2019 GOLF SHOES IN OUR CLEARANCE SAVE £££S PRICES (UNBEATABLE PRICES) (GREENJOYS) FROM ONLY £29.99 FROM ONLY £199.00 IN WATERPROOF GUARANTEE PREMIUM SHOES EG. FOOTJOY DNA HELIX £169 RRP NOW £89

WHEN YOU BUY M5 OR M6 DRIVER + ADDITIONAL 20% OFF ANY FAIRWAY OR HYBRID THIS MONTH

NOW £115.00

SPECIAL OFFERS THIS MONTH (HURRY)

BUSHNELL WATCHES

SPECIAL OFFERS THIS MONTH ON ALL WATCHES!

GET READY FOR WINTER

GREAT RANGE OF WATERPROOF CLOTHING GALVIN GREEN, PRO QUIP, STUBURT, MIZUNO, CROSS, FOOTJOY & OJ (PRICES FROM ONLY £49.99) MANY SUITS DISCOUNTED 25-50%

STUBURT MENS/ LADIES GOLF BOOTS

FOOTJOY MENS/ LADIES GOLF BOOTS GUARANTEED WATERPROOF,

FROM ONLY £59.99

TITLEIST T SERIES, STRIKINGLY NEW PURE TITLEIST SEE INSTORE FOR GUARANTEED BEST DEALS

NEW JAWS MD5

NEW MIZUNO MP-20 FAMILY BEST PRICES / PART EXCHANGES

ALL DEMONSTRATION CLUBS IN STORE FREE FITTING BY PGA PRO’S

(IN STOCK)

SPIN WITH TEETH NEW TITLEIST U500 / U510

IN STOCK NOW

NEW TAYLOR MADE P790

MANY SETS OF HARD TO BEAT / DEALS MENS / LADIES PRICES TOP PRICES GIVEN WHEN EX DISPLAY PART EXCHANGING YOUR EQUIPMENT SETS TO CLEAR PRE-OWNED WE HAVE ALL THE SAVE UP TO LEADING NAMES TO FROM WITH ALL 70% OFF RRP CHOOSE DEMONSTRATION SHAFTS / HURRY WOODS / IRONS TO TRY!!!

WE PRICE CHECK ALL OUR STOCK ONLINE TO MAKE SURE YOU GET THE LOWEST PRICE ALWAYS (PRICE PROMISE) How to find our superstore

Leave A1 (m) at junction 63 Chester-le-Street and follow B693 to Stanley, turn left onto B6532 (Asda roundabout), follow road to end and turn right, pass Blomfomtein School and follow sign to South Moor Golf Club

Your No 1 Discount Golf Store

Shaun Cowell PGA Golf Professional - Tel: 01207 283 525

South Moor Golf Club Superstore, Craghead, Stanley, DH9 6AG Crook Golf Club, Low jobs Hill, Crook, DL15 9AA, tel no 01388 762429

Open Mon - Sun 9am - 5pm Early opening at weekends All major credit cards accepted

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