Amateur golfers from across the country have signed up for County Durham’s first mini-tour event.

The County Durham Golf Trail is a four-day event played over the fine golf courses of South Moor, Beamish Park, Brancepeth Castle and Barnard Castle.

There are still places available for event, the first of its kind to be held, at a cost of £150 a pair which the organisers said offers great value in a growing market for golf tourists.

The event has been backed by local hoteliers and the tourism board Visit County Durham who are keen to promote the area as a great golf destination.

The CDGT is open to men, women or mixed pairs and will be played in a four-ball better ball format, with daily prizes and an overall Order of Merit trophy.

Pairs have signed up from across the UK, with players from Devon, Kent, Lancashire, Surrey and Ayrshire joining more local competitors.

It starts on Sunday July 1 at Dr Alister MacKenzie’s handsome heathland course South Moor near Stanley, which is highly-rated by reviewers as a tight, firm but fair test with quick greens.

On Monday July 2 the event switches to Beamish Park, a Henry Cotton design situated in a beautiful and tranquil valley beside the famous Beamish heritage visitor attraction.

Tuesday’s challenge takes place at the Harry Colt classic Brancepeth Castle, four miles south of Durham, which boasts two of the country’s finest back-to-back par 3s. The course is a gem and always in tremendous condition.

The competition wraps up on July 4 at Barnard Castle’s attractive par 73 layout where golfers must take on streams, ponds and trees if they are to post a good score.

The event has teamed up with local hotels which are offering discounted rates for entrants.

County Durham Golf Trail organiser David Bryan said: “Multi-day tournaments have become increasingly popular across the UK.

“They offer golfers a wonderful opportunity to play great courses with tournament conditions whilst also offering the opportunity to meet new people and hopefully make long-standing friendships.

“We have some fantastic courses in our county, organising an event like this felt long overdue.”

For golfers who cannot make the July 1-4 dates, the organisers are offering a Passport to play the each of the four courses within a seven day period for the same price of £150-per-pair, but without the competition element.

Michelle Gorman, Managing Director at Visit County Durham said: “The spectacular heritage courses featured in this inaugural tournament exemplify why Durham is a must-play destination for golfers.

“From hidden gems to world-class courses and multiple stay and play opportunities at golf resort hotels across the county, we hope this contest and the addition of a pay-and-play Passport scheme for non-tournament players will stimulate greater participation in golf at the four courses and encourage staying visits.”

For more information visit the event website at www.cdgt.co.uk

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Like last year’s popular Masters winner Sergio Garcia, retired teacher Mike Dickson knows how it feels to finally don the winner’s green jacket at a Dr Alister MacKenzie course after years of trying.

Mike won South Moor Golf Club’s inaugural MacKenzie Masters, a new season-long competition for members and non-members of the Stanley golf course – his first trophy in more than 20 years.

It took Garcia 18 years of heartache and 73 attempts before he won his first major in thrilling fashion last year at Augusta.

The course architecture supremo MacKenzie, dubbed the Good Doctor by golf fans, helped shape the County Durham course which has historic links to the coal industry before he moved out to the US and designed the ultra-exclusive Augusta National.

Mike, 65, and originally from Musselburgh only began playing golf at 40 and last won a competition in 1995.

He beat 40 finalists to win the MacKenzie Masters in October after coming first in the last of the monthly qualifiers put on by South Moor where he is a member.

The delighted 21-handicapper said: “Winning the MacKenzie Masters was a complete surprise.

“I entered purely by chance.

“The trophy reminds me that golf is very unpredictable.”

Mike, like Garcia, is now looking forward to trying to retain his title this year.

The monthly qualifiers for the Heineken-sponsored competition begin the week after the US Masters, on Sunday April 15.

The top ten qualifiers from each monthly event will go head-to-head in the final on August 25.

Entry costs £5 for members and £12.50 for non-members to play the highly-rated course which winds its way through gorse and heather.

For entries ring the pro shop on 01207 283525.

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