Swedish title-holder heads international field in Sussex

Stefan Mörkholt, left, with the 2009 DBO champion, Duncan Hamilton-Martin 

The recently crowned Swedish Invitational champion, Denmark’s Stefan Mörkholt, will look to make it two wins in as many weeks when he lines up in the Disabled British Open (DBO) golf championship, which begins tomorrow (Saturday) at East Sussex National Golf Resort & Spa.

Mörkholt triumphed at the renowned Bokskogen GC, near Malmö, last weekend with the 2009 DBO champion, Duncan Hamilton-Martin, finishing third. Both golfers now head to Sussex where they will be among a capacity field for the third outing of the largest and most inclusive tournament in the country for disabled golfers.

Playing off 0.7, Mörkholt will have the lowest golf handicap in a field that will include players from as far afield as the USA – as 32-year-old Jason Faircloth becomes the first US player to compete in the event – and Pakistan. Other countries to be represented include South Africa, Spain, Ireland, Germany and Austria, in addition to a strong UK contingent.

The tournament is divided into three golfing handicap categories: up to 12, in category one; 13-20 in category two; and 21 to 28 in category three. Prizes are awarded in each category with an overall champion’s title up for grabs as well.

This year the DBO has received support from far and wide including the UK Government – both the Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport, Jeremy Hunt MP, and the Minister for Disabled People, Maria Miller MP, praised it for its inclusivity and legacy – the sport’s governing body, the R&A, the European Tour and Wealden District Council.

And, for the second successive year, the championship has received sponsorship support from IMSM, the leading ISO standard implementation consultant.

The Sky Sports-broadcast event is delivered through Tourism South East, and is part of Accentuate, a transformational programme of 15 projects, inspired by the Paralympic Movement, which seeks to change perceptions and offer opportunities to showcase the talents of deaf and disabled people. Accentuate is funded by Legacy Trust UK, creating a lasting legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games across the UK, SEEDA and the regional cultural agencies.

Friday also sees the first day of the inaugural Junior Disabled British Open for young golfers – with a few places still available in the field.

As always, spectators will be afforded free entry to the event where there will also be a huge army of volunteers participating as marshals, ball-spotters, buggy drivers and caddies.

The 2011 Disabled British Open takes place at East Sussex National on August 20-21, with the Junior Disabled British Open starting a day earlier. For further information contact championship organiser Andy Barwell on 07961 315520 or visit http://www.disabledbritishopen.org/.

'Coconut' not shy when it comes to his clothes

Thai teenager Panuphol ‘Coconut’ Pittayarat, above, is attracting a lot of attention on the Asian golf scene – and not just for his driving. For the bespectacled 18-year-old, from Bangkok – who was nicknamed Coconut by his parents – is also receiving plaudits for his sartorial elegance.

Pittayarat, ranked fourth on tour for his driving distance, has sprung from nowhere to become one of the hottest talents in Asia and cuts quite a dash in his golf gear, designed and supplied by UK-based Sub70 – and, like ‘Coconut’, it is much talked about on tour.

After three missed cuts and a tied-37th finish, last month Pittayarat claimed his biggest purse, finishing second in the Worldwide Holdings Selangor Masters, at Kota Permai Golf & Country Club, Shah Alam, while wowing onlookers with his classy appearance.

The victory shot him up to 32nd in the Asian order of merit and earmarked him as a star of the future.

Like most teenagers Pittayarat is very conscious of his appearance and likes the stylish look of the Sub70 apparel.

He said: “I love the way the shirts and trousers are designed for fashion. I am always confident that I will look smart on the course when I am wearing Sub70 clothes.”

Pittayarat started playing aged six and was winning junior events in Thailand two years later. He also competed in five World Junior Golf Championships, finishing runner-up in the nine to 10 age-group, before leaving school and turning professional at 14 – “I wasn’t a fan of studying and golf is the only job I can do” – and playing on the domestic Thai circuit.

He served notice of his potential by capturing the 12th card at qualifying school in Thailand earlier this year but failed to make an impact in his first five starts. However, a cheque for $41,690 will go a long way to securing his card for 2012.
http://www.subseventy.co.uk/

Owner of Lough Erne hits out at bank

The owner of the Lough Erne Golf Resort near Enniskillen has hit out at the bank which placed it into administration last week.

Jim Treacy owes the Bank of Scotland Ireland (BoSI) £25m. On Tuesday night Mr Treacy met the Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster to discuss the situation...

For full story see BBC website

Golf courses favour coastal regions in China - report

Development of golf industry is geographically unbalanced on the Chinese mainland, favoring China's coastal regions, according to a report by the Forward Group, one of China's largest golf management companies.

At the end of 2010, China had 490 18-hole golf courses, including 97 courses in Guangdong Province, 70 courses in Beijing and 51 in Shandong Province. In contrast, Sichuan Province and Chongqing had fewer than 1/7 the number of courses of Beijing...

For full story see Global Times

Killerig golf resort goes into receivership

The Killerig Resort, a high-end hotel and golf development near Tullow, in Co Carlow, Ireland, has gone into receivership with multimillion-euro debts.

Aiden Murphy, a partner in accountancy firm Horwath Bastow Charleton, was appointed receiver last week and has appointed a new operating company, Westpro Management Solutions, to run the 42-bedroom, four-star hotel. David Hennessy, founder of Westpro, said that the Killerig hotel was "a victim of circumstance", but had a strong pipeline of bookings...

For full story see Sunday Business Post

Cocktail relives moment the royal couple first met

The venue which acted as the starting point for Prince William and Kate Middleton's impending marriage is relaunching the cocktail the future king used to drink during his regular visits there.

In 2001 Fairmont St Andrews hosted the charity fashion show in which Miss Middleton appeared in a sheer black lace dress while the Prince watched from a front row seat – widely reported to be the first time his head was turned by his future fiancée.

Prince William was a regular visitor to Fairmont St Andrews during his time studying at St Andrews University, becoming an active member of the resort’s gym and spa and could be seen regularly enjoying a fruit cocktail in the Atrium and Kittocks Den at the resort.

His favoured drink comprised orange juice, grapefruit juice, passion-fruit juice, mango juice, pineapple juice, lime juice, and kiwi syrup.

The cocktail - now named the Royal Cocktail in commemoration of Friday's nuptials - can now be enjoyed again at the venue where the second-in-line to the throne sipped happily while (possibly) thinking of his future bride...

It costs just £5 - which is significantly cheaper than a Royal Wedding but just as refreshing.

Kingsbarns launches new website

Kingsbarns Golf Links launches a new website today which will enable golfers to make last-minute online bookings at the renowned Scottish links.

Fresh from celebrating its 10th anniversary season, Kingsbarns is aiming to improve the experience for visiting golfers with a new online presence which will offer an array of enhanced features...

Visit www.kingsbarns.com

Golfer launches iPhone app

Golfer Steve McGuinness is hoping to make players very “appy” after inventing an application to turn iPhones into golf clubs.

The 29-year-old former pro has made use of the gyroscope in the popular touchscreen mobile phone to help putters improve that vital final shot...

For full story see Oxford Mail

Clubstohire.com offers the drive of your life...

Golfers using the burgeoning ClubstoHire.com service at Dublin, Faro and Malaga airports are now able to try out golf’s most talked-about new driver: the TaylorMade R11, pictured above.

The R11 has been a major buzzword since it was launched in late 2010 with glowing praise from tour professionals and amateurs and strong recognition from the golf industry. There is plenty of substance and technology lurking beneath the driver’s stylish white crown with options for the player to adjust loft and face-angle for maximum flight control.

Accompanying the iconic driver, a full set of R11 Burner woods and irons – complete with pristine white R11 stand-bag – are available for hire at all locations for only €55 for a full week.

With ClubstoHire.com experiencing its busiest month to date in March, the opportunity to ‘try before you buy’ is sure to be a popular draw.

Irish Ryder Cup hero Paul McGinley is a partner in the company, which offers travelling golfers a massive saving on airline golf bag charges – and complete peace of mind.

In a further development, all stores will soon be stocking Wilson Golf equipment, giving consumers an increased choice of leading brands with Callaway and MD Golf sets also available. Rentals start from as little as €35 per set, per week.

Golfers are already voting with their feet with more than 7,000 hiring sets in the past six months at Dublin, Faro and Malaga – a combined saving of €200,000 – and the company is on course to be established in several more European golf destination hubs by the end of 2011.

■ Bookings for Dublin, Malaga and Faro can be made online at www.clubstohire.com.

Life goes full circle for golfer Graeme

Life has gone full circle for a Knaresborough golf professional who is now teaching youngsters the same coaching programme which developed his passion for the sport.

Graeme Steven, 21, an assistant pro at Knaresborough GC, joined the Young Masters Golf (YMG) programme at Knaresborough aged just 14. And last Saturday, almost seven years to the day that he joined, he relaunched YMG at the club in the hope of instilling the same passion for the game into today’s youngsters, that he discovered back in 2004.

Steven turned pro only in October last year, although he has worked in the club shop for some time and is already a familiar face to members and regular visitors.

He said: “I still have my original YMG folder. It was a good, enjoyable course and I did quite well in the national competitions. I really enjoyed my golf as a result of the programme and got into coaching through that.

“It’s a very good system for coaching youngsters, but what I also like about it is that it teaches you the rules, etiquette and golf knowledge – as well as the skills – which I believe is very important. And what’s more it’s fun – and that’s the main factor for the youngsters. It keeps them interested.”

Developed by a team of highly experienced PGA professionals, the YMG programme is the ultimate solution for boys and girls from the ages of six to 14-years-old who want to start playing golf or, if they already play, to improve.

The programme has recently been overhauled and improved to offer a focused approach to golf development, but its ethos is as it always was: to encourage youngsters to participate in golf and to teach them the basics, rules and etiquette of the sport, through the auspices of PGA-trained professionals.

Chris Smith PGA, sales director for YMG in the UK, said: “The YMG programme has been utilised at Knaresborough previously but, sadly, when the pro moved on it stopped. Many of the youngsters followed him to his new club which is one of the benefits of the YMG system as it is transferable.

“But that did not help the youngsters who remained. So we are delighted that one of our own students has progressed to the stage where he wants to impart the same knowledge on to another generation. We wish him well and look forward to hearing about the exploits of Knaresborough’s newest generation of golfers.”

Places are still available on Graeme Steven’s YMG courses at Knaresborough and anybody interested in learning more or signing up should contact him on 01423 864865 or by email at knaresboroughproshop@hotmail.co.uk.


■ To discover more about delivering the Young Masters Golf programme to juniors or for information on clubs providing the scheme in your area visit www.ymg-golf.com

Five-star resort planned for Romania

Austrian investor Kurt Neuschitzer plans to create a five-star resort in the mountain city of Busteni, in Romania.

The project, named Zamora Golf, Ski and Holiday Resort will include the Cantacuzino Castle that will be revamped and integrated in the luxury leisure resort...

For full story see Romania Business Insider

Action group investigates possible mis-selling

An action group has been set by property investors from the UK who believe they were mis-sold apartments and villas in and around the proposed Larnaca Golf course in Tersefanou, Cyprus.

The Larnaca Golf Property Action Group (LGPAG) is investigating whether its members have been victims of ‘overselling’...

For full story see fly-2let.co.uk

Take a picture, win an outfit ... with Sub70

Sub70, the UK-based funky golf clothing brand, is inviting customers to send in pictures of themselves wearing items from the range to stand a chance of winning a complete new outfit.

The designer range offers nearly 1,000 options for bespoke trousers alone ensuring style and individuality in equal measure. The competition runs throughout April and a spokesman for the company insisted creativity was actively encouraged.

He said: “The more entertaining the picture the better really. There are no rules as to where the picture must be taken so as long as the subject is wearing Sub70 gear, the pictures are only limited by the imagination of those involved.

“We’re really looking forward to judging this competition and the winner will receive a complete new Sub70 outfit – trousers, shirt, belt and cap – from the new 2011 range. We’re also going to give two runners-up the chance to choose a shirt of their choice from the same range.”

The company is also currently offering a special US Masters deal with 20 per cent of everything purchased through the website right up until the moment the final putt is holed in Augusta.

■ For further details on either the competition or the special Masters discount visit http://www.subseventy.co.uk/ or email your pictures to info@subseventy.co.uk.

Entry open for sixth annual Banks and Brokers Championship

Teams are now able to enter the sixth annual Banks and Brokers Golf Championship which will culminate in a grand final in Spain in October.

The event – sponsored by Extrabet, the sports betting specialist – provides golfers from the financial services sector with the chance to battle for golfing supremacy among their peers.

A maximum of 18 teams of four will scrap it out in two qualifying events – at Brocket Hall on June 6 and East Sussex National Golf Resort & Spa on July 1 – for the right to jet off to Antequera Golf, near Malaga, during October, for a two-day final.

Unlike similar events where only the winning teams make it to the final, in the Banks and Brokers Golf Championship the winning team and the runners-up from both regional events qualify for the final in Spain.

And the captain of the first winning team, in 2006, is determined to be there to once again to capture the title his colleagues fought so hard to secure in the inaugural event.

David Heffer, from Tradition UK, said: “It’s a brilliant event – well organised, with a good buzz about it, and a great atmosphere among the teams. And it’s getting better year on year. We’ve played in every one and we’ve certainly got an eye on being on that plane down to Spain.”

With a one-in-nine chance of being on the plane for the complimentary grand final, and with a number of other fantastic prizes on offer – including golf holidays and the latest equipment – tournament organisers are banking on entries filling up fast. Teams can even enter both events to increase their chances of success.

Those lucky enough to win through to the Spanish final on October 16/17 will enjoy free flights and transfers; two rounds of golf; five-star accommodation at the impressive Hotel La Magdelena, a former convent; tapas lunches on both days and a three-course gala dinner in the Hotel La Magdelena.

The event also helps to raise funds for STAR4Africa, a UK-based charity dedicated to providing opportunities and support for children in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Plus, title sponsor Extrabet will be running a number of exclusive spread-betting promotions for competitors starting with one for next week’s US Masters. A spokesman confirmed: “Sell a player on finishing position and if your player wins, we’ll double your profits!”

Event organiser Jim Nicholson said: “This is a unique opportunity for people working in a high-pressure sector to unwind and take on their contemporaries in a friendly, yet competitive environment, while helping to raise funds for a very worthwhile cause. And of course there’s a great break to be had if you qualify for the final.”

The Banks and Brokers Golf Championship is open to all companies and individuals but is aimed primarily at corporations, individuals and other bodies operating in financial services and other related sectors such as energy, commodities and precious metals.

■ To find out more about the Banks and Brokers Golf Championship, visit http://www.banksandbrokersgolf.com/

Teenager hailed as catalyst for inaugural Junior Disabled British Open

The first youngster to sign up for August’s inaugural Junior Disabled British Open will be a 16-year-old with cerebral palsy, for whom the event will be the culmination of a year’s lobbying.

Richard Warren, a 28-handicapper from, Ascot, in Berkshire, (pictured above) was so enthused with last year’s Disabled British Open golf championship that he immediately contacted organisers to enquire why there wasn’t a junior event.

And the event’s organisers were so impressed with the teenager’s enthusiasm and dynamism that they worked with him to launch this year’s inaugural Junior Disabled British Open.

Warren has been playing golf for eight years after his mother thought the game might prove physically beneficial.

He said: “I have a real passion for golf despite the cerebral palsy which affects all of my limbs. I first started playing at the age of eight when my mother thought it might be a good way of improving my hand-eye coordination.

“Although I was initially apprehensive when she took me to have an introductory lesson at the local driving range, from that moment on I was well and truly hooked on the sport.”

In 2005 Mill Ride GC, in Ascot, launched a competition among local schools to offer three junior golf scholarships. The determined Warren applied and, following an interview and golf assessment, proved successful in attaining one of the three places on offer.

He continued: “I am extremely grateful to Mill Ride GC as the scholarship not only improved my game but also boosted my confidence. I am now quite well known around the club and have been supported throughout by many members and, in particular, the staff.

“My only frustration with golf is that the nature of my disability is such that each golfing day is different. One day my game can be exceptionally good; on another extremely bad – however, this has never taken away from the enjoyment.

“What became apparent to me over a number of years was that there were seemingly very few junior disabled golfers, either male or female. And that motivated me to explore opportunities to bring young disabled golfers together so they can play and be inspired by their peer group.”

It was this determination – and a series of meetings with event organiser Andy Barwell – that led to the launch of the Junior Disabled British Open and, moreover, Warren’s participation in it.

“While taking part in various events I have met with some high-profile golfers, including Ian Poulter and Colin Montgomerie, who have expressed a keen interest in my endeavours,” added Warren.

“With the possibility of golf entering the Paralympics in the future I feel it is the right time to introduce disabled junior golf into the public domain and to encourage more disabled young people to enjoy the sport.

“Through the development of the first Junior Disabled British Open, I hope to inspire and encourage other young disabled juniors to pursue their passion and realise their potential.”

The event, for disabled youngsters aged between 12 and 18, will run alongside the third annual Disabled British Open at East Sussex National Golf Resort & Spa, from August 20-21 – the largest and most inclusive tournament in the country for disabled golfers. And Barwell, a director of organiser the Azalea Group, said enormous credit should go to the teenager for helping to get the event off the ground.

He said: “Richard is an inspirational young man. He’s very driven and determined and is destined for great things I’m sure. If at 16 he can persuade us that there is a need for a Junior Disabled British Open I’m sure he can be even more influential as he gets older.

“When we first met he stated his case convincingly and backed it up with facts and figures. I can’t imagine another occasion when a company would join with a 16-year-old to launch a new product. That’s testament to him as an individual and should prove a huge fillip to young people with disabilities.”

The senior event has received Government backing from both the Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport, Jeremy Hunt MP, and the Minister for Disabled People, Maria Miller MP, who praised it for its inclusivity and legacy.

Hunt said: “The Disabled British Open golf championship is a fantastic example of how Britain can stage a world-class event for disabled athletes competing at the highest level. As a nation we should be very proud of the awareness this event has created, and the legacy of opportunities within sport for disabled people.”

And his parliamentary colleague added: “To hear that the Disabled British Open golf championships has encouraged disabled people to start playing golf for the first time is a wonderful achievement – and testament to the spirit of the competitors and will of the organisers.”

The 2010 event – the first to be played at the current venue – attracted a full field of 72 disabled athletes, with ages ranging from 16-71, from as far afield as South Africa, Pakistan, Spain, Ireland and Germany, in addition to a strong UK contingent.

The Sky Sports-broadcast event is delivered through Tourism South East as one of the projects of the Accentuate programme, which is funded by SEEDA and Legacy Trust UK – an independent charity set up to create a cultural and sporting legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games – and set up as part of the south-east’s drive to create a cultural shift in the way disabled people are perceived by celebrating excellence and showcasing talent.

John Williams, chairman of Tourism South East, said: “The Disabled British Open is one of many excellent projects we have delivered over the past few years. It has a burgeoning reputation and seems likely to go from strength to strength. We wish it continued success.”

The 2011 Disabled British Open and Junior Disabled British Open take place on August 20-21. A range of bespoke sponsorship and partnership packages for both events can be made available including title and headline sponsorship.

Entries will open in April. For further information contact championship organiser Andy Barwell on 07961 315520 or visit http://www.disabledbritishopen.org/

Award-winning resort fined £120,000

An award-winning Scottish golf resort has been fined £120,000 after a guest died who contracted deadly Legionnaires’ disease during a stay there.

Piperdam Golf and Leisure Resort was found to have breached health and safety legislation, which led to the death of the guest after he caught the fatal infection which was present in a hot tub.

For full story see STV 

Irish golf club goes bust owing €2.5m

A company part-owned by the Shannon Airport Authority chairman has gone bust after running up debts of over €2.5m.

Accounts filed at the Companies Office show that Brian O'Connell, the authority's chairman, is a shareholder in Limerick County Golf & Country Club...

For full story see Belfast Telegraph

Irvine golf legend Jack Cannon dies

Jack Cannon, the oldest man to win the Scottish Amateur Golf Championship and the last surviving member of the legendary Bartonholm Trio, died on Tuesday, aged 94.
Jack, along with Jimmy Walker and Hammy McInally, was one of the three sons of the tiny miners’ row on the outskirts of Irvine who won Scottish amateur golf’s greatest crown, but although he was widely regarded as the quietest of the trio, he was not afraid to do his talking on the course...

For full story see the Irvine Herald

Three years with no new golf course approval in Andalucía

The new law which controls new golf courses in Andalucía has now been in operation in the region for three years, and over that time not a single new golf development has been authorised.

The so-called ‘Golf courses of tourist interest’ mix new sporting facilities with new residential developments...

For full story see TypicallySpanish.com

Emergency meeting will seek to reopen Letham Grange golf courses

An emergency general meeting will be held in Arbroath this month as the rescue bid to save famous fairways at a collapsed Angus resort hotel picks up pace.

The captain of Letham Grange Golf Club has revealed the club committee hope to gain acceptance for a plan that would see the two 18-hole courses — the 6632-yard par-73 Old and the par-65 Glens — quickly playing again...

For full story see The Courier