Simon Coultas has been appointed secretary of the Northumberland Union of Golf Clubs.
As the first point of contact for men’s golf in the county – which is made up of 39 clubs between the rivers Tweed and Tyne – Simon will steer the union’s delivery of annual tournaments and team matches for men and boys, and support clubs on a range of matters from course rating and handicapping to hosting championships.
“I’m delighted to have taken on the role of county secretary,” said Simon, a former chairman and captain of City of Newcastle Golf Club. “Having moved from the executive into the secretary’s job, I understood part of what went on, but I’ve learned a great deal already and I’m looking forward to an exciting year of golf across the county.”
Part of the team – alongside Phil Ridden, Mark Laverick and Graham Forrest – which has transformed the boys’ system in Northumberland and supported them in winning a national title in 2021 and back-to-back Northern Counties league titles, Simon is keen to continue developing talented youngsters.
“The success of the boys’ programme in recent years has been phenomenal,” he added. “One of our key priorities is identifying and nurturing the next generation of elite boys, moving them through our squads and ultimately into the men’s team and beyond.”
As well as elite golf, Simon will be working with clubs and golfers right across Northumberland. “Although we have a relatively small number of clubs, ours is an incredibly diverse county. One of the challenges will be ensuring every club is part of what we do – whether it’s reaching out for support, hosting an event or playing in our tournaments from the elite level to the County Salver and Forster Cup for mid and high handicap golfers.”
