Morecambe Golf Club receives their award for GolfMark (left to right) Stuart Buckley, General Manager, Adam McAlister, England Golf’s Club Support Officer (Lancashire), Keith Morley, Captain, and Simon Fletcher, Head Professional

MORECAMBE Golf Club in Lancashire has won a national award for its efforts to grow the game – and marked the achievement in typical style with a festival for local schools.

The seafront club – which can be found on Marine Drive – has been presented with the GolfMark award.

GolfMark is an official seal of approval for clubs which successfully work to develop the game in four ways:

• By attracting new members and encouraging existing members to play more
• Using practical business planning to develop the club
• Offering coaching and playing opportunities for all golfers
• Ensuring safeguarding policies are in place

The club celebrated its centenary in 2005 and prides itself on maintaining the traditions of the sport while offering the next generation of players a warm and friendly welcome.

It has been at its present home since 1923, with the Dr Alister MacKenzie designed course offering superb views over the Morecambe Bay and to the Lakeland fells beyond.

The award was presented to Morecambe Golf Club during a schools tri-golf festival event by England Golf’s Lancashire Golf Club Support officer Adam McAlister, who commented: “I’m delighted that Morecambe has achieved GolfMark and that its efforts to grow the game can be nationally recognised.”

Morecambe Golf Club’s General Manager Stuart Buckley said: “It is a fantastic achievement for Morecambe Golf Club to receive this award. We are one of only a select amount of golf clubs in Lancashire to have received this award and it is a testament to our team of PGA Professional coaches and volunteers at the club that put in hours of work to achieve what we have done.”

The schools event was overseen by a team including Mark Christie (University of Cumbria Course Leader), Adam McAlister (England Golf), Andy Leigh (Golf Foundation), Stuart Buckley (General Manager, Morecambe GC) and Simon Fletcher (PGA Pro, Morecambe GC).

Youngsters enjoying the schools tri golf festival at Morecambe Golf Club

It saw students at the university plan and deliver the competition as part of their final module with 150 children from a variety of local schools taking part on the day. It was supported by volunteers from Myerscough College Golf Studies students.

To signpost a pathway into golf, all those who took part left with a goodie bag offering further coaching at the club. Junior membership offers were also promoted. A total of £200 was also raised for the club’s charity Unique Kidz.

The GolfMark award was developed by England Golf and also integrates Sport England’s Clubmark award – a national standard for quality sports clubs recognised across the country.

GolfMark brings a number of benefits to clubs including raising awareness, access to funding, business and marketing support and training opportunities for staff and volunteers.

To find out more visit www.golfmark.org

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New Lancashire county golf champion Luke Kelly, from Ashton-under-Lyne Golf Club, receives the trophy from Mike Lay, Lancashire Union of Golf Clubs President. Picture: RAYMOND FARLEY

Luke Kelly delivered one of the rounds of his life on the way to becoming the 2018 Lancashire county golf champion.

The 19 year-old from Ashton-under-Lyne completed a superb two-shot victory over the testing links at West Lancashire Golf Club, a host club for Open championship qualifiers.

The Ashton-under-Lyne GC player was seven under par for the four rounds, with his second round 66 – six under par – proving the pivotal moment of the tournament.

The teenager had opened with a two over 74 which did not rule him out of the running but left him in need of making up some ground after Richie Blundell (Hillside GC) set the pace with a 68, one ahead of George Holland (Southport and Ainsdale GC).

However a stunning start to his second round sent him on his way to the halfway lead.

Kelly, a regular with the Lancashire county men’s team, rattled in five birdies on the front nine – and could have gone even lower after missing a four foot putt at the ninth where his approach rattled the flag.

Wright Trophy (best 36-hole nett) winner Jamie van Wyk (Royal Lytham and St Annes GC) receives the trophy from Mike Lay, Lancashire Union of Golf Clubs President. Picture: RAYMOND FARLEY

That set up a best of tournament return of 66, a score matched by Joseph Bannan (Manchester GC) in the third round on an action-packed final day which saw the remaining 36 holes played out.

Bannan’s heroics cut the gap at the top to just one shot, but Kelly held his nerve to deliver 70,71 over the last two rounds to keep Bannan and Jonathan Hurst (Pleasington GC) at bay.

A delighted Kelly, who started playing aged 11 at his local club and is now coached by Gareth Benson, said afterwards: “I hold the course record at Warrington, and that is the only round I can think betters the 66. I had played well on the first day but made a few mistakes, but second time round I started holing a few putts and cut out the errors.

“I felt I struck the ball well throughout the event, and it was a case of staying patient.

“This was one of the events I always wanted to win and it’s a great feeling to be county champion. It is a great championship and the 72-hole format sets you up nicely for the big national events.

“The weather was different every day so it tested all aspects of your game. The wind picked up on the last day, but conditions were not as brutal as they can be at West Lancashire. The course played hard but fair,” added Kelly, a former England U16 international who finished ninth in this event 12 months ago at Lancaster GC.

Pleasington Golf Club finished as Champion Club, with Michael Hunt, Jonathan Hurst, Lewis Boyle being presented with the trophy by Mike Lay, Lancashire Union of Golf Clubs President. Picture: RAYMOND FARLEY

Pleasington Golf Club will represent Lancashire in the national finals of the champion club competition after their trio of Lewis Boyle, Michael Hunt and Jonathan Hurst were ten over after the first two rounds, to hold off Southport & Ainsdale GC by two shots.

RESULTS

LANCASHIRE UNION OF GOLF CLUBS COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP (at West Lancashire GC):

Champion: Luke Kelly (Ashton-under-Lyne GC) 74,66,70,71=281

Runner-up: Jonathan Hurst (Pleasington GC) 70,72,70,71=283

3^rd, Joseph Bannan (Manchester GC) 73,72,66,72=283; 4^th, Richie Blundell (Hillside GC) 68,74,72,74=288; 5^th, Ian Kenwright (Haydock Park GC) 77,69,70,75=291; 6^th Daniel Creaney (Southport & Ainsdale GC) 72,75,73,72=292; 7^th, Ashley Siddle  (Rossendale GC) 71,73,75,74=293; 8^th, Matt Collinge (Walmersley GC) 76,75,71,72=294; 9^th, Greg Holmes (Royal Birkdale GC) 72,76,72,74=294; 10^th, Mark Ashworth (Clitheroe GC) 73,78,74,71=296

Batty Trophy (best 36-hole gross): Luke Kelly (Ashton-under-Lyne GC) 74,66=140

Wright Trophy (best 36-hole nett): Jamie van Wyk (Royal Lytham & St Annes GC) 146

Champion club: Pleasington 442 (Lewis Boyle 73,74=147; Michael Hunt 75,78=153; Jonathan Hurst 70,72=142)

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