Last updated at 13:54, Friday, 12 June 2009

ANOTHER prestige golfing event is coming to Tynedale this autumn

For the very first time in its six year history, Close House Golf Club at Heddon will host the finals of the European Long Drive Golf Championships.

The sport of long driving is all about power and control and has a huge following of spectators and players.

Players from around Europe will be competing including Joe 'The Total Package' Miller and Adam 'Stinger' Stacey from the UK.

Entrepreneur Graham Wylie is currently spending over £7 million on the golf facilities at the hotel, with a second championship golf course and cutting edge glass club house with panoramic views over the Tyne Valley.

The championships will be held from September 11-13, with all Europe's best long drivers expected to attend.

Players will include Europe's no 1 & 2 from Sweden Mikael Lindblom and Patrik Andersson, the World no 3 in 2005 Adam Stacey and Europe's no 1 lady Jessica Wallstrom, also from Sweden.

Also certain to attend will be the unofficial World longest drive record holder, Paul Slater, who smashed a golf ball over 884 yards in 2006!

John Glendinning who heads up the golfing facilities at Close House said: “It’s great the North East will play host to another major European golf event.

“We are working hard to put Close House on the map as a golfing destination.”

Winner of the May medal in Hexham Golf Club ladies’ section was Lucy Johnson on 85-15-70.

Mary Oliver was second on 95-21-74, with Pat Borthwick third on 103-28-75.

Sylvia Beattie won the June medal on 93-21-72, with Irene Hinds second on 110-35-75, over the back nine from Jan Rossiter on 92-17-75.

The Journal Trophy was won by Mary Oliver, with Jan Rossiter runner-up and Pat Borthwick third.

Jan Rossiter will represent Hexham in the next round of the competition.

Honours have been well distributed in recent weeks in Stocksfield Golf Club ladies’ section, with no-one winning more than once.

The most emphatic win came in the Brunstrum Vase, where Teresa Sharkey, on 41 , won by seven clear points from runner-up Raw Walker on 34.

Heather Stevenson was third on 33.

Things were closer in the Wildlife Trophy, where Doreen Hall won with 100-23-77 over the back nine from Ann Walker on 92-15-77. Rae Walker was third on 108-28-80.

Heather Stevenson won the fourth monthly medal on 96-25-71, over the back nine from Rae Walker on 100-29-71. Julie O’Malley was third on 97-24-73.

Julie O’Malley won the fifth medal with 99-24-75, with Liz Hartley second on 82-5-77, and Raw Walker third on 111-28-83.

The sixth medal went to Margaret Hutchinson on 102-31-71, five clear of runner-up Muriel Foster on 86-10-76. Doreen Hall was third on 103-23-80.

Stocksfield ladies have also had mixed fortunes on the team front, with the Nora Percy team beating Bedlingtonshire 5-0, before going out to Linden Hall in the second round.

The T.R. Percy team beat Alnmouth Foxton by 5.5-1.5, but lost to City of Newcastle on the first extra hole after the match had been halved.

The Shield team beat Seahouses 6-1, before going down 5-2 to Blyth.

Helen Ditchfield has been enjoying great success in Haltwhistle Golf Club ladies’ section.

She won the Stableford Singles with 34 points, the Millennium Cup on 106-35-71 and the June Medal on 105-35-70 .

Just for good measure, she was also runner up in the May Medal on 114-35-79, over the back nine to Dorothea Routledge on 113-34-79.

The Blenkinsopp Cup was won by Val Henderson on 103-32-71.

Chris Anson carded 78-13-65 to win the category one June medal at Haltwhistle Golf Club, as well as producing the best gross score.

Runner-up was Frank Moor on 83-14-69, with Paul Turner third on 83-13-70.

Jason Elliot won category two on 90-26-64, with Barry Coats second on 88-22-66, and Ged Peace third on 82-15-67.

Prudhoe’s 20-year-old scratch man, Danny Shevill has captured the Northumberland Junior Match Play Championship in gale force winds at Wallsend golf club.

Playing against 2 handicapper Richard Robson-Crosby from Ponteland, Shevill won the first hole & was never behind, eventually easing to the title 4/3.

Robson Crosby had the consolation of collecting the leading qualifier trophy for shooting a three over par 72 to lead the 16 qualifiers.

Shevill could have won both trophies but a quadruple bogey seven at the par three 16th when going well eventually led to a 75.

He said: “I played solidly all week and the wind suits my game. All credit to Richard for a close fought final until the last couple of holes where he didn't get the run of the green.

“I'm delighted to win a title early in the season and it's yet another bit of silverware for the "Home Of Champions"!

That’s the title Prudhoe Golf Club always tries to live up to, and they begun their defence of the Newcastle and District League title in champion style.

After just three matches, of the six a side league format, Prudhoe have already leapt into a six-point lead over nearest challengers Newcastle United.

With 14 wins, two draws & only two losses so far, Prudhoe’s early season form has sent out a clear message to the other 15 clubs in this high quality League.

Champions of 2006 Morpeth were the latest team to be on the receiving end when they lost 9 -3 to Prudhoe.

"There's still a long way to go but we're determined to defend our title," said Prudhoe captain, David Gilroy.

"The team is highly motivated and there is fierce competition for places in a squad full of county and International champions.

“In fact, we have a former county champion playing at number six!”

Prudhoe’s Hadrian League team is flying high too with a recent 8-4 win at Slaley Hall.

Ian Pauw, Prudhoe's secretary/manager for the last few years, retired at the end of April.

In an innovative move, long standing club professional, John Crawford, has been appointed golf club manager, a role which will integrate the role of secretary manager with his club professional duties.

The Prudhoe club has really embraced the need for change facing most UK clubs.

Recently, a new category of membership was introduced where golfers can join for an annual fee of £150 and then pay £7 a round on weekdays and £10 a round at the weekends.

Captain David Gilroy, has also been working on an affiliation of all clubs in the Tyne Valley.

He said: "Membership has been a problem waiting to happen for some years, not just in the current recession.

"According to EGU, membership is declining, and 75% of the four million or so golfers in the UK are not members of clubs."

De Vere Slaley Hall has joined forces with the Golf Foundation in search of young golfing stars to attend a special Golf Roots event which will take place during the 2009 De Vere Collection PGA Seniors Championship.

The magnificent Hunting course at De Vere’s resort will host some of golf’s great characters in June, who will be on hand during a special Tri-Golf event to offer tips and advice to some of the North-East’s youngest golfers.

The young golfers will be selected from a number of Golf Roots initiatives which will run in 12 schools across the region this month.

Director of golf and leisure at de Vere, said: “We are committed to inspiring young people in the North East to try the game of golf and are delighted to be able to support such a well established entry level junior initiative as Golf Roots, as well as the continued assistance we offer to elite amateur golfers in the region.

“It made perfect sense to create a unique Tri-Golf event alongside the PGA Seniors Championship with some of the stars of yesteryear to motivate school kids to give golf a go.”

A star studded field has once again been confirmed for the De Vere Collection PGA Seniors Championship, which was won by Gordon J. Brand last year, after he defeated his namesake Gordon Brand Jnr. in a sensational six hole play-off.

Ex-Ryder Cup stars like Sam Torrance, Ian Woosnam and Costantino Rocca will be looking to claim one of the most prestigious trophies on the European Seniors Tour.

Tynedale Golf Club ladies have played two medal competitions, the first of which was won by Nora Murgatroyd on 102-34-68.

Jayne Jones was second on 112-36-76.

The second medal went to Kate Holder on 112-36-76, two clear of the runner-up, captain Liz Hagger on 114-36-78.

Liz also recently won the Bellingham Cups with partner Ralph Wright.

The Ladies’ Open greensome was won by Edna Robson and Jenny Gibson with nett 74.5.

Jane Harrison and Anne Scott came second with nett 76, and third were Hexham pairing Fay Saunders and Joan Dinning with 76.5.

Hexham’s Angela Gilhespy produced the longest drive and Stocksfield’s Barbara Shaw win the nearest the pin prize.

Irene Noble took the honours in the monthly medal at Callers Trophy qualifier in Prudhoe Golf Club ladies’ section with 99-23-76.

Runner-up was newcomer Lynne McKillup on 113-36 -77.

Lynne has only started to play golf this season and has only just got her handicap.

Julie Tully was third on 101-24- 77

Neil Birkett finished three shots ahead of the field with 44 points to win the president’s Putter at Haltwhistle Golf Club.

Keith Kerrigan was second on 41, with Richard Byers third on 40.

Teaming up to win a Texas Scramble were Martin Crowe, Andrew Mason, Steven Gibson and Craig Smith, with a score of 63-4.9-58.1

Second were S. Whiteford, M. McManus, Dougie Graham and T. Weir on 66-7.4-58.6

Alan Shepherd, Neil Forsyth, Richie Rutherford, and David Shepherd were third on 63-4.4-58.6

Special mention goes to Gavin Mitchell, who on his 70th birthday recorded his first hole in one in competition on the 13th hole, played under horrendous weather conditions.

The BXL Trophy was won by Phillip Thompson on 40 points. Martin Crowe was second on 39, over the back nine from Kevin Lamb.

The Callers Trophy qualifier in Hexham Golf Club ladies’ section was won by Janet Purdy on 97-22-75

Evelyn Henderson was second on 106-30-76, on countback from Nora Mould on 104-28-76.

Hexham hosted the ladies’ open team event, on a bright but cold and blustery day.

All the visiting ladies were impressed with the beautiful condition of the course.

The winning team were Brid Keane, Shirley Blareau and Margaret Craggs, all from Woodham Golf Club.

Second were Evelyn Henderson, from Hexham, accompanied by Barbara Shaw and Lynn Heron, from Stocksfield Golf Club.

Third on the back nine were Joan Swan, from Hexham Sonia Kennedy from Stocksfield and Shirley Griffiths from Whitley Bay.

Ben Gibbard entered the list of winners at Allendale Golf Club with a convincing victory in the Bourke Trophy. He finished the bogey competition 5 up, followed by in-form Jim Hall, 3 up and club champion Richie Rutherford 2 up.

A charity which supports the region’s bravest youngsters has been chosen as the beneficiary of an annual golf tournament which takes place at Matfen Hall.

The Northumbria Police Pro-Am golf tournament, now in its 24th year, is one of the region's most established charity golf days, raising £400,000 for good causes since 1986.

This year’s chosen charity, Brave Hearts of the North East, honours children who have shown incredible courage battling to overcome illness, disabilities or other adversities.

Throughout the year, presentations are made across the region where the children chosen to receive awards along with their immediate families and friends are invited to attend.

Announcing the beneficiary, pro-am committee chairman, assistant chief officer Bernie McCardle said: “It is always difficult to select just one charity to support when there are so many carrying out extremely valuable work across the region.

“However, after much discussion Brave Hearts of the North East was chosen and we are looking forward to working together to raise as much money as possible for this excellent cause.”

Last year’s event, also at Matfen, raised £20,000 for the Grace House North East Children's Hospice Appeal, which will provide a home from home for very sick children from across the region, from the Borders to Teesside.

There are still limited vacancies left for businesses wanting to take part in this year’s event, which will take place on Thursday, June 25. Companies interested in entering a team or finding out more details can call 03456 043 043, ext 68014 during office hours.

Colin Pearson’s captain’s day at Hexham Golf Club was rather wet at first, and a sausage sandwich at the tenth tee was a welcome reviver – at least one early starter put in one of the best scores.

The course was in excellent condition, and once the rain ceased, everything was in place for a splendid day.

No fewer than 23 prizes were awarded, with the stableford competition being won by Steve Hayles with 40 points.

Phil Broadhurst was second on 39, with Ryan Young third on 37.

Sean Heads’s 70 was the best gross.

Murray Beattie was the best of the past captains with 35 points, while Bob Scott was pick of the seniors on 36.

An 11-ladies hole ladies’ competition was won by Paula Foster on 25 points, on countback from June Lomax.

Jack Shrimpton won the juniors’ event on 34 one ahead of runner-up Sam Storey. The best junior gross of 78 was carded by Michael Gardner.

Earlier, a Junior Stableford was won by Matthew Armstrong on 40 points.

Alex Dief was second on 38 after countback from third-placed Jenna Mills.

The Nelson Tankards greensome medal competition was won by Ian Wilson and John Davy on 80-15-65).

Second were Stuart Hall and Paul Clarke on 72-6.2-65.8), and third Ian and Jonathan Richardson on 73-7-66.

The June Medal produced a clear win in the first division for David Chapple on 75-9-66. Ken Richardson was second on 76-6-70 after countback,from Ken Bell on 78-8-70.

In Division Two, first was Peter Milestone on 82-13-69, with Anthony Bayliss second on 86-16-70, over the back nine from Damon Watts on 83-13-70.

Michael Gardner on 39 points was the Division One winner in the Thursday Stableford, on countback from Ian Beveridge. Martin Lowes was third on 38.

Steven Hall won Division Two on 41 points,with Alan Craig second on 39 over the back nine from John Davy.

First published at 09:41, Friday, 12 June 2009
Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk