He was the official starter at The Open for 41 years and his passing has been met with an outpouring of affection from players and golf administrators alike.

 Ivor Robson, pictured at the 144th Open at St Andrews in 2015, has died ages 83. Image credit The R&A.

He also acted for over 40 years as the DP World Tour’s official starter with his ‘on the tee’ message delivered in his cultured brogue at famous golf venues around the globe.

Ivor sent the world’s best players on their way in a wonderful career – from Jack Nicklaus to Tiger Woods, from Arnold Palmer to Seve Ballesteros, from Tom Watson to Rory McIlroy.

Martin Slumbers, CEO of The R&A, said, “We are deeply saddened to hear of Ivor’s passing. As official starter at The Open for over 40 years, his voice was instantly recognisable and synonymous with the Championship for players and millions of golf fans worldwide.

“He was popular and well respected among all golfers who played in The Open and I know that they will share in our sadness at this news. On behalf of all of us at The R&A, I would like to convey our heartfelt condolences to his wife of 61 years, Lesley, and the Robson family.”

It was in 2015 when he announced his retirement, working at The Open at St Andrews for the final time, before making his emotional final announcements when the curtain came down on the DP World Tour season in Dubai in November 2015.

Ivor said at the time, “It has been a wonderful career. It’s been a great honour. The way I have been treated by players, officials, sponsors… thank you all very much.”

A much-loved resident of Moffat in Dumfries and Galloway, Ivor was born in England in 1940 and began his remarkable career at The Open in 1975 at Carnoustie. He went on to earn the admiration of the best players in the world, sending players off from the 1^st tee with his famous words and a hearty grin.

“To the professionals, it has been great fun being here with you,” he added in 2015. “We have had lots of banter and it has been wonderful. You are a credit to the professional game. And to the spectators, thank you for your wonderful support over the years.”

For 41 stagings of The Open, it was one voice, Ivor’s voice, that marked the time.

He didn’t miss a championship or a tee time going back to 1975 and was also well known for avoiding a toilet break as much as he could between matches teeing off.

Having worked at his 40^th Open at Royal Liverpool in 2014, The 144^th Open the following year was Ivor’s last.

When he took to the tee at 6.32am on the opening Thursday over the Old Course it marked the beginning of a final championship for the iconic 1^st tee announcer.

“I feel you can’t go on forever and if you’re going to step off there’s no better place to do it than here,” he said. “I’ve had some nice ones but this is special, St Andrews. It is just magnificent.”

Ivor said he would miss many things about working at The Open but mostly it was the people. “Being involved, being a part of a team,” he said. “I’ll miss that a lot but it’s time to go.”

A fiercely private man who enjoyed playing when he could at his beloved Moffat Golf Club, he was also a proud Rolex Ambassador.

Looking back to his Open career, he added, “It is a great honour to be the official starter for the greatest championship in the world. I’m privileged and immensely proud. They were all very special.”

 For more information, please visit www.randa.org.

The post Ivor Robson Passes Away Aged 83 appeared first on Golf North.

The Championship, staged from 13–18 June, attracted 585 entries with players hailing from 43 different countries. This is an increase of 32 per cent on the previous entries record which was set in 2017 at The 122nd Amateur Championship played at Royal St George’s and Princes.

This year, for the first time, a pre-qualifying competition has been introduced for the Championship. A maximum of 72 entrants will compete over 18 holes of stroke play at St Annes Old Links tomorrow, Friday 10 June, to qualify for a minimum of 10 places into the Championship.

Pre-Qualifying provides a route into the Championship for those players who do not have the pre-requisite World Amateur Golf Ranking® (WAGR®)

The 288-man field will then play 36 holes of stroke play on Monday 13 and Tuesday 14 June to determine the top-64 players and ties who make it through to the match play rounds.

The 36-hole Final will be played on Saturday 18 June with the Champion earning a place in The 150th Open at St Andrews next month.

The field will feature three players from the top ten of the World Amateur Golf Ranking, including number three Ludvig Aberg of Sweden, number eight David Puig of Spain and number nine Ratchanon Chantananuwat of Thailand. The highest-ranked Great Britain and Ireland player is Sam Bairstow of England at number 22.

The local favourites in the field will include Royal Lytham & St Annes member Callan Barrow and John Gough, who won the Lytham Trophy last month.

Gough is hoping to follow in the footsteps of one of golf’s greatest amateurs, Sir Michael Bonallack, by winning The Amateur and Lytham Trophy in the same year. Only Bonallack has achieved that feat.

Gough, number 50 in the WAGR, should also be a factor in this year’s Amateur Championship because of another impressive record,

“I’m currently 21 matches unbeaten going back to last year’s English Amateur, going through the Home Internationals, a France match and the Spanish Amateur. I hope to keep the streak going,” said the Beaconsfield Golf Club member, who won the Spanish Amateur in March. He is also reigning English Amateur champion and won the Palmetto Amateur last year after graduating from the University of South Carolina.

“With a win comes a lot of confidence and expectations and I just have the right mind set before every tournament. I’m ready to go out to win every tournament I play, but I fully expect Lytham to play totally different in The Amateur.

“The Amateur will be a fresh start, a stronger field, but I have the same chance as everyone else. I know the key to playing well around there. Every tee shot is important because you have to be in play and avoid the bunkers. There are plenty of them and they are very penal. I managed to do that well in the Lytham Trophy and that was one of the keys to my win.”

Other players to watch in The 127th Amateur Championship include last year’s runner-up Monty Scowsill, 2021 Walker Cup player Barclay Brown and Australian Amateur Champion Connor McKinney, with the Fife-born Australian also winning the St Andrews Links Trophy at the weekend.

The R&A will provide live broadcast coverage of the quarter-finals and semi-finals on Friday 17 June and the 36-hole Final on Saturday 18 June.

This can be watched on The R&A’s website randa.org as well as its YouTube channel. This will also be available on the Sky Sports red button.

This will be a seven camera production following the golf action across two days with the commentary team being led by Dougie Donnelly, with Beth Allen and Kit Alexander joining him in the booth throughout the two days and an onsite presenter team of Iona Stephen and George Harper Jnr.

The 127th Amateur Championship is open to spectators with tickets available here.

For more information about The 127th Amateur Championship please visit The R&A website and sign-up for access to The R&A’s Virtual Media Centre.

The post THE 127TH AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP ATTRACTS INTERNATIONAL FIELD appeared first on Golf North.

Barry had been a Director of the Huxley family business Huxley (UK) Ltd for over 50 years, before its transfer to an Employee Owned Trust in 2020. The business was started in 1946 by Barry’s and Paul’s father Ted Huxley, who began selling Allen Motor Scythe grasscutters in London and the home counties when he was demobbed after war service in the RAF and Fleet Air Arm flying Spitfires and Seafires. Until 2000, The Huxley Grass Machinery business manufactured and supplied commercial grass cutting and turf maintenance machinery to golf courses and sports grounds throughout the UK and overseas as far away as Japan.

Barry Huxley joined the family business in 1970, after an apprenticeship at Ransomes in Ipswich, to learn about the manufacture, servicing and sales of mowing machinery. The firm continued to prosper, introduced the Cushman Turf Care System to this country in 1975 and began to develop and manufacture its own range of Huxley mowers, turf care implements and trucks. When the Huxley Grass Machinery business was sold in 2000, Barry and his brother Paul started the Huxley Golf business, having spotted the need for low maintenance, realistic and innovative all-weather golf surfaces.

It was clear from the start that high quality installation was key to the new business and Barry led from the front, supervising the installation of all-weather practice greens and tees for Nick Faldo and Ian Woosnam as well as many other world-famous tour professionals and championship courses. As Huxley Golf’s reputation grew, the firm carried out installations in many countries and now have appointed Distributors as far away as China.

From an early age, Barry excelled at every sport he took up. At Bradfield College, he captained the school cricket team, scoring several hundreds, was chosen to captain the ESCA southern schools against the north and then played for Berkshire. He played golf at Sunningdale and New Zealand, where he had many friends and, over the years, he achieved high standards at croquet, tennis, gliding, riding, ballroom dancing and clay-pigeon shooting.

The Huxley family are grateful to the many friends from all over the world who have shared their memories of Barry and expressed their sympathy and sadness about Barry’s sudden death.

Huxley Golf extends heartfelt condolences to Barry’s family and his many friends.

The post HUXLEY GOLF FOUNDER, BARRY HUXLEY OBITUARY appeared first on Golf North.

Prince Harry got into the swing of things at the Invictus Games last week showing off his golfing prowess using Awesome Golf alongside #1 disability golfer in the world Brendan Lawlor.  The pair went head to head at a simulator ‘Golf Clinic’ at the Invictus games in the Netherlands hosted by the Dutch Golf Company.

Prince Harry founded the Invictus Games back in 2014 to help with the rehabilitation of injured servicemen and women giving them the chance to participate in sporting events.

“The Awesome Golf software allows golfers of all ages and abilities to have fun together, which was clearly demonstrated by Prince Harry and Brendan.” Explains Steven van Daal from The Dutch Golf Company “We are really proud to support this event and have thoroughly enjoyed seeing the competitions here in The Hague.”

Awesome Golf continues to grow from strength to strength, being used at events, in driving ranges, and thousands of simulators worldwide.  Its fun and interactive experiences inspire golfers and non-golfers to pick up a club and get involved.

“It came as a great surprise to see Prince Harry using the software last week,” comments Founder Gavin Hamer. “When I launched the software I would never have imagined how far we’d come in such a short space of time.”

For more information about Awesome golf please visit www.awesome-golf.com.

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Hay fever is one of the most common allergies for golfers, with debilitating symptoms such as streaming eyes, sneezing, a runny, stuffed up nose and itching around the face. Thankfully, there are many ways golfers can reduce, prevent or combat the effects and symptoms of hay fever. As with many allergies, prevention can be better than cure. If pollen doesn’t get into your system, it can’t cause a reaction.

Try to time your round so it’s not when pollen counts are highest during the peak morning and evening periods. Pollen is released early in the morning then travels upwards as the air warms up. In the evening, as the air cools, it moves back down again and the pollen grains reach nose height. Symptoms are usually worst at these times, so avoid going outdoors then.

Try to keep in the middle of the fairway so you are as far away from any trees as possible!

Apply an organic drug-free allergen barrier balm, such as HayMax (www.haymax.biz), around the rim of the nostrils and bones of the eyes before you start your round. Independent studies have shown that HayMax traps over a third of the pollen before it gets into the body. As HayMax is drug-free with no drowsy side-effects, it won’t adversely affect your performance.

Wear a cap or hat and tie up long hair to prevent pollen being trapped in it. Wraparound sunglasses will help protect your eyes from pollen.

Change your clothes when you return home and wash your face or take a shower to wash away allergens so that they can’t cause a reaction.

Dry your clothes indoors rather than on an outdoor clothes line to stop pollen being blown onto them by the outside wind.

A healthy diet can also help with hay fever. Eating healthily helps to keep our respiratory system strong. Some foods such as ginger or fresh basil, ease blocked nasal passages, helping us to breathe more easily, whilst others such as spinach and almonds contain nutrients that can help boost our immune systems and help our bodies fight sinus and respiratory infections, which are linked to allergies and hay fever.

The post How to Enjoy Golf Despite Spring Hay Fever appeared first on Golf North.

The number of total golfers globally has increased from 61 million to 66.6 million in a five-year growth period, surpassing the previous high mark of 61.6 million set in 2012. The measure includes club members and non-member independent golfers playing nine or 18 holes and users of driving ranges in markets where course availability is limited.

The new figure reflects a positive trend in golf in which participation levels are now rising worldwide after a period of decline. This was recently highlighted in the 2021 European Golf Participation Report, which highlighted that over 10.6 million golfers now enjoy playing full-length courses on the continent – a healthy increase from the 7.9 million last monitored in 2016.

Phil Anderton, Chief Development Officer at The R&A, said, “Golf is enjoying a real boom in popularity at the moment and we are seeing substantial increases in participation in many parts of the world, particularly in the last two years when the sport could be played safely outdoors during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The new figures are very encouraging but we need to work together as a sport to make the most of this opportunity by retaining those people who have returned to golf or tried it for the first time. We can achieve this by offering a variety of attractive and flexible options that encourage golfers to play more regularly and enjoy its many health and wellbeing benefits with family and friends.”

SMS collected participation data reported by national federations in different regions around the world, using nationally representative studies and expert estimates to calculate the global number of total golfers.

Regions experiencing the largest rises include Asia (20.9 million to 23.3 million); Europe (7.9 million to 10.6 million – driven largely by Great Britain and Ireland 3.6 million to 5.7 million); and North America (29.9 million to 30.6 million).

The research figures indicate the growth trend began before Covid-19 and then accelerated during the pandemic as the popularity of golf grew due to golfers being able to socially distance in a safe outdoor setting and stay active to boost their physical and mental health.

In Great Britain, the number of adults playing a nine or 18-hole course began to gradually increase before the onset of Covid-19, rising from 2.5 million in 2017 to 2.8 million in 2018, then to 3 million in 2019, before surging to 5.2 million in 2020.

Following the easing of lockdown restrictions, The R&A sought to carry out additional research into this rise in demand and how different types of golfers were engaging with the sport.

The Post Covid Opportunity Research, along with findings from Bayfirth Research, details experiences of golfers during the pandemic, motivations for playing and long-term plans for the future. Among new golfers, 98% of those interviewed identified they are enjoying playing golf and 95% see themselves playing golf for many years to come.

The research also outlined recommendations clubs can take to retain new players, including feeling welcome and valued; a friendly culture and relaxed atmosphere; participation options based on ability and experience; good customer service; having an efficient booking system; the quality and maintenance of the course; and, importantly, playing in an encouraging environment.

The R&A also launched a Covid-19 Support Fund to help golf deal with the impact of the pandemic, with the £7 million funding package largely aimed at national federations and other affiliated bodies in Great Britain and Ireland.

Further support for national federations is set to come in 2022. The R&A is creating a series of new assets to help market and promote the sport so that more people are encouraged to take up golf and existing golfers are retained.

www.randa.org

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The Portuguese islands will be more accessible than ever to players from next spring following Ryanair’s announcement that they will be operating new flights to Madeira’s capital Funchal from five airports: Dublin, Paris Beauvais and Marseille in France, Brussels Charleroi and Milan-Bergamo.

The twice-weekly services are part of a new schedule revealed by the low-cost airline which will launch from March. Adding capacity to already serviced cities such as Manchester, London Stansted and Nuremberg, Ryanair’s introduction of 10 routes will connect Madeira with mainland Portugal and six other European countries, helping to strengthen the archipelago’s position as one of the continent’s leading tourism destinations.

Named as Europe’s leading island destination at the 2021 World Travel Awards for the eighth year in a row, Madeira boasts three first-class golf courses – Palheiro Golf, Clube de Golfe Santo da Serra and Porto Santo Golf as well as an array of outstanding historic, cultural and lifestyle experiences.

The best way to enjoy the golf courses is with a Madeira Golf Passport which, providing holders with an unrivalled golf experience, is available to both individuals and groups and can be booked on a three or five-round basis.

Offering a one-stop shop for visitors eager to experience the finest things that the islands have to offer on and off the course, the portal features the chance for golfers to review and book their golf and accommodation, with a selection of quality hotel, self-catering and all-inclusive options all available. Three-round packages cost €225 per person while five-round passports are priced at €360 per person.

Madeira has enjoyed a steady increase in overseas bookings in the last 12 months with growing numbers of European golfers eager to experience the many benefits of playing first-class golf in a safe and secure environment.

Latest figures revealed recently by the Regional Directorate of Statistics of Madeira showed that more travelling golfers visited the Portuguese islands this summer than pre-pandemic two years ago, with the number of guests visiting in August 1.7 per cent more than the corresponding period in August 2019.

Located approximately 1,000km from the European mainland – and just 500km from the African continent – Madeira enjoys an amazingly mild climate, ranging from 25°c in the summer to 17°c in the winter, with very mild average temperatures and moderate humidity, making it the perfect year-round location for a golf break.

And visiting from the UK and Europe has never been easier with Madeira. Belongs to all – the consumer-facing brand of the Madeira Promotion Bureau – taking every step to ensure the safety of every resident and visitor.

Since the start of the pandemic, the archipelago has been considered one of the safest destinations in Europe and has been widely praised for its handling of the Covid-19 crisis. Earlier this year, Madeira was named as one of the safest destinations for 2021 by European Best Destinations and has worked closely with SGS, the world’s leading certification company, to ensure safe practice across the destination and minimise risk in regard to Covid-19.

Under the umbrella brand “Madeira Safe to Discover”, Madeira. Belongs to all has published updated guidelines for all incoming visitors, including for people who have been vaccinated or have recovered from Covid-19.

All adults and children aged 11 and above travelling to Madeira must register on the Madeira Safe site and complete an epidemiological survey between 48 and 12 hours prior to departure.

The green corridor already exists at Madeira airport for those who arrive with a vaccination certificate or with proof of a rapid negative antigen test done within 48 hours of travelling. Alternatively, visitors can take a free test at the airport on arrival and having entered Madeira, visitors are free to travel anywhere in the islands. People who did not test for free on arrival at the airport can still have a free test before travelling back to their country of origin if needed, while discounts are also available on any further tests that are required for visitors returning to their country of origin, with PCR tests from €90 and antigen tests from €18.

In addition, only an antigen test is required within 48 hours of arrival for travellers who have not been vaccinated or have recovered from Covid for more than 90 days.

For more information on Madeira, please visit: www.madeiraallyear.com

The post MADEIRA ON RUNWAY TO FURTHER GOLFING SUCCESS IN 2022 appeared first on Golf North.

In addition to the course’s recent on-site installation of Toptracer Range into its practice facility, The Belfry’s famous Brabazon course has also been mapped for use in the Toptracer Range ‘virtual golf’ mode, meaning it is now available to play at more than 500 Toptracer Range locations worldwide.

The Brabazon course, host to a record four Ryder Cups, recently added to its critical acclaim at the World Golf Awards, where it won the title of Europe’s Best Golf Course.

The mapping of the award-winning course is the next step in the multi-year business partnership between The Belfry Hotel & Resort and Toptracer, after the brands joined forces earlier in 2021 to enhance the club’s technological offering and global appeal.

As part of the integration, The Brabazon will play host to Toptracer’s next global tournament. Toptracer’s most recent global challenge attracted almost 100,000 entrants across more than 180 countries worldwide, making it an all-time record breaker for cross platform golf events.

“We are delighted to have The Brabazon course mapped for Toptracer’s virtual golf,” commented Chris Reeve, Director of Golf at The Belfry. “It’s a great opportunity for golfers around the world to get a taste of our brilliant golf course, and we can’t wait to see it as the host of Toptracer’s upcoming global tournament.”

David Cederholm, EMEA Sales Director for Toptracer, said: “Everyone at Toptracer is excited to add The Brabazon course at The Belfry to our range offering. It’s a world-renowned course and with such an esteemed history, especially in the Ryder Cup. We are thrilled to be able to make this iconic course available to a global golf community.”

For more information on Toptracer, head to www.toptracer.com.

The post Belfry Brabazon course added to Toptracer Range virtual offering appeared first on Golf North.

The work is the latest step by the governing bodies to make the Rules easier to understand and apply and follows the modernisation process of the Rules of Golf in 2019.  The new Rules were informed by golfer and golf industry feedback as part of a comprehensive review, to ensure they continue to reflect how the modern game is played by millions of golfers around the world.

This review, along with global feedback received when the proposals were publicly shared earlier this year, reaffirmed amateur golf’s important position in the game and the value in maintaining amateur status Rules.

The result is a set of Rules that removes many of the restrictions that previously applied to amateur golfers, while ensuring that the integrity of the game is protected by limiting the form and value of the prizes an amateur golfer can accept.

As part of the modernisation effort, the new Rules identify only the following acts that will result in a golfer losing their amateur status:

• Accepting a prize with a value exceeding the prize limit (£700/$1000) or accepting prize money in a handicap competition.
• Playing as a professional.
• Accepting payment for giving instruction (although all current exceptions still apply, such as coaching at educational institutions and assisting with approved programmes).
• Accepting employment as a golf club professional or membership of an association of professional golfers.

To achieve this simplified approach, the following key changes have been introduced:

• Distinguishing between scratch and handicap competitions in terms of the prizes that may be accepted.
• The prize rule applies only to tee-to-hole competitions played on a golf course or a simulator but no longer apply to long-drive, putting and skills competitions that are not played as part of a tee-to-hole competition.
• Eliminating all advertising, expense-related and sponsorship restrictions.

The new opportunities provided by lifting sponsorship restrictions and the ability to accept prize money up to the increased limit of £700 or $1000 in scratch-only competitions will be of significant benefit to elite amateur golfers looking for ways to fund golf-related expenses.

Grant Moir, Director of Rules at The R&A, said, “We are delighted to be rolling out the modernised Rules of Amateur Status today. These Rules play an important role in protecting the integrity of our self-regulating sport but the code must evolve to meet the needs of the modern game. This is particularly important for modern elite amateur golf, where many of the players need financial support to compete and develop to their full potential. The new Rules give them this opportunity and will help to make the game even more inclusive.”

“Golf is unique in its broad appeal to both recreational and competitive golfers,” said Craig Winter, USGA Senior Director, Rules of Golf and Amateur Status. “This was emphasised in the feedback we received earlier this year and we believe these updates will help simplify these Rules and ensure the long-term health of the amateur game not only to those who compete at the highest level of amateur golf but for the millions of golfers at every age and skill level who enjoy competitive events at their home courses.”

The new Rules are accompanied by guidance notes, an overview document and explanations that detail the rationale for why changes have been made and, in some instances, why they have stayed the same. These materials can be found at www.RandA.org and www.usga.org.

The post Golf’s Modernised Rules Of Amateur Status Published appeared first on Golf North.

 It has been designed and built in as sustainable a manner as possible, using materials already available within the Park and locally. This facility will help open up the game of golf to people of all ages and backgrounds, introducing a whole new generation to the sport, and above all, making it a fun and entertaining experience for families and friends.

Speaking of the announcement Padraig commented:

“I have always been in awe of the popularity of the Himalayas Putting Course in St. Andrews and wanted to be involved in providing something similar for the people of Ireland to allow them to experience golf in a fun and family focused setting.

 With this in mind, the Padraig Harrington Charitable Foundation, with the assistance of a golf development grant from The R&A to contribute towards the construction of the facility and also a grant from Golf Ireland, supported by Sport Ireland’s special projects scheme, will fund the design and construction of  a state of the art, undulating and unique putting course covering 3,000 square metres at Marlay Park, working in partnership with Turfgrass® and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.

 My sincere thanks go to John Clarkin and his team at Turfgrass®, Anthony Bennett at Atlantic Golf Construction, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and it’s Parks team, all the contractors who have also offered their time and services for free or at preferential rates, as well as both The R&A and Golf Ireland for their generous grants.”

 An Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Cllr Lettie McCarthy said:

 “Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council is dedicated to maintaining and developing the very best in publicly accessible sports and leisure facilities to the citizens of the county and is very proud of this new partnership with one of Irelands greatest sports stars. We very much look forward to its official opening in Spring 2022!”

The design and construction began in recent months, with the next step being to seed the putting green with a blend of grasses which are both indigenous and sustainable. The intention is to have an official opening in Spring of next year, depending on the growing conditions over the winter. Harrington, the Council and everyone involved in the inception and delivery of what will be a world class local facility very much look forward to bringing the game of golf in an accessible way to a new generation and a new audience.

For more information, please visit www.padraigharrington.com

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