Longhirst Hall Golf Club will celebrate its 25th birthday in 2022 with a series of special events.
Now a 36-hole complex with one of the largest memberships in the north of England, Longhirst’s journey began when North East-based businessman Tommy Dawson purchased the former open-cast mine near Morpeth in 1994. The first golf course opened in 1997 before being expanded into two golf courses, the Lakes and the Dawson, in 2010.
Director of golf Graham Chambers, who has been part of the Longhirst story since 1995, said: “Tommy’s vision to create Longhirst back in the early 90s was ambitious, but to see how much further we’ve been able to go in 25 years is truly remarkable.
“We’ve had some incredible events – from eight years of the EuroPro Tour with the likes of Tyrrell Hatton, Aaron Rai and Marcus Armitage taking part to England cricket and Newcastle United events.
“However, we’re most proud of the successful business we’ve been able to build and our longstanding relationships with our partners and members. We’ve always pushed ourselves to do more and offer more to golfers, and that passion is as strong today as it was when we opened in 1997.”
As well as creating two respected golf courses, both hosts of multiple EuroPro Tour events, the Longhirst team has helped drive innovation in the North East and the wider industry.
“Our goal was always to create a very modern golf club,” adds Graham. “Ideas like flexible, pay as you play memberships were very new in the early 90s. Tommy saw that opportunity and we’ve been at the forefront of offering diverse membership opportunities since. We continue to develop and learn from best practices across the UK and overseas so we can deliver a uniquely Longhirst experience to our members and guests.
“I always hoped this would be a life-long job and I’m very lucky to have had the opportunity to deliver Tommy’s ambitious plans. We’ve not stood still in 25 years, there’s always a project on the go, and we’ve got more exciting plans in the works… watch this space!”
The club will be hosting a number of events for members in 2022 as well as a special golf day to mark its 25th birthday on July 1.
