Much is said and written about the need to involve more people in the game we love.
With that in mind, it is fantastic to be able to feature some of the region’s best young female golfers, who have won the opportunity to further their education in the United States, in this issue. The success of the Durham girls programme is highlighted in our centre spread, in which we meet the young women who have taken advantage of the great courses and coaching in our region to further their golfing ambitions.
They, along with their young male counterparts, are exactly the sort of role models we need to get more people into the game.
While they will inspire those of their generation, the success of the more senior members of the golfing fraternity should encourage those who are perhaps not so young – particularly the success of our July cover star Mark Ridley at the Senior Open.
I don’t think we have ever produced an edition of Northern Golfer featuring so many golfers of different ages, both male and female, picking up trophies and finding success on the fairways.
Perhaps it has been the magnificent summer, but optimism is so much higher now that our courses have welcomed members old and new, returners and beginners to the fairways.
Not all of us have the aspiration or the talent to turn a pastime we love into a career but it is great to see those who do have that ambition afforded the opportunity across the North East and Yorkshire.
We look forward to welcoming those who win their respective club championships to Ramside Hall in September, where we will once again host Champion of Champions events for men, women and juniors. Make sure your club is represented, see pages 6 and 7 for details, and to see who has already qualified.
As well as all the usual news, this month we also check out the latest gear, profile Centurion Park, spend some time on the course with Dr Rachel Scurfield, and reflect on golf’s greatest major.
Enjoy the rest of the summer and we will be back in September with more tales of joy and woe from the fairways. Happy golfing!
