We may have recently experienced the UK’s wettest day since records began in 1891, but our appetite for golf is still incredibly high.
Golf courses across the region remain busy as we all look to get more golf into 2020. Despite rain, waterlogging and fewer daylight hours, it has been amazing to see how much golf is still being played on our region’s courses – long may it continue!
We’ve squeezed a lot into this month’s Teeing Off pages. As well as all the regular club golf news, the last few weeks have brought us a packed schedule of top events. Leading amateurs Matty Lamb and James Glenn have won again, and the final club champions of 2020 have been crowned. Meanwhile, the North East & North West circuit has been incredibly busy and the 2020protour has reached its conclusion.
Also this month, Simon Olver has taken a look ahead to the winter season and Chris Paisley has pondered a challenge from the golfing gods (one he answered as we went to print – more on that in our next edition).
I’ve always had a lot of fun running the Northern Golfer Match Play Pairs and this year, despite everything that’s going on, it was no different. A huge thank you to Northumberland Golf Club for hosting the finals in early October and congratulations to Andrew Howard and Ashley Coveney from Brancepeth Castle on winning the event. You can read more about their victory on pages 24-26.
Alan Hedley stayed close to home this month to play Whitburn Golf Club in our Course Profile, while I enjoyed a Round With England Golf’s Mike Greener. We’ve also put together a Special Focus on driving ranges along with a 19th Hole column on dress codes, and a lot more.
As part of our drive to support clubs and retailers across the region in the coming months, we’re very pleased to welcome Gillian Corney back to the team. Gillian will be working with clubs and retailers in the north of the region, while Doug Brolls continues his work with clubs in Durham, Teesside and North Yorkshire. I’m sure all those working in the industry will be as happy as we are to see Gillian back with Northern Golfer.
A huge thank you to all those who got in touch following our comeback print edition in September. It was great to see it so warmly received by clubs and readers. Enjoy this edition and stay warm out there.
