Clevedon Golf Club Open Competitions

Amongst many events just listed on Golf Empire are some very popular competitions at Clevedon Golf Club.

EARLY BOOKING IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO SECURE A PLACE IN THESE COMPETITIONS.

The first tournament is a Ladies Team Bowmaker on Wednesday 1st June 2011. This event always fills up very quickly and has an entry-fee of £45 per team of three. The best two scores count on each hole and golfers must have a handicap of 36 or less.

A Mixed Pairs Open will take place on Sunday 17th July. This Greensomes competition (Gross & Stableford) has an entry-fee of £27 per couple and maximum handicap limits of 28 (men) and 36 (ladies).

Another mixed event is scheduled for Monday 8th August. This time it is a 4-Person Team Bowmaker costing £80 per team, which includes a £5 catering voucher per person. Played off 3/4 handicap the tournament has limits of 28 (men) and 36 (ladies).

A Ladies Pairs Open will be played on Wednesday 10th August. Entry is £30 per pair for this Betterball Stableford competition. The maximum handicap limit is 36 with a 3/4 allowance in operation on the day.

On Saturday 13th August 2011 a Team Bowmaker (any combination) will be held. Entry is £85 per team of four (includes £5 catering voucher) with the best three scores to count. Played off 3/4 handicap the tournament has limits of 28 (men) and 36 (ladies).

A Senior Pairs Open (Betterball Stableford) will take place on Thursday 1st September with an entry-fee of £40 per pair whilst a Seniors Mixed Pairs Open (Greensome Stableford) concludes events on Monday 5th September. The latter tournament, priced at £27 per pair, is for mixed couples aged over 55 years.

About the course:

Clevedon is the course to play in Somerset and is located just 2.5 miles from Junction 20 of the M5 motorway, and always offers a warm welcome to visiting golfers.

It is one of the most picturesque courses in the South West, with outstanding views over the Severn estuary to the coastlines of Somerset, Devon and Wales.

The par 72, 6,500 yard course offers an exciting challenge to golfers of all abilities.

Skidby Lakes 2011 Opens

Amongst the recently listed competitions we are delighted to inform you that entries are now being accepted for three open events at Skidby Lakes Golf Club, near Beverley in East Yorkshire.

Opened in 2000, Skidby Lakes is situated just a short distance from the A164, close to the historic town of Beverley. This 18 hole championship parkland course has scenic views and a challenging variety of watery holes!

The first event is for Senior golfers (Gentlemen 55+) which will take place on Thursday 19th May 2011. It is a Betterball Stableford competition played off ¾ handicap with a truly great entry value of only £20 per pair.

The second tournament is a Ladies Open AM-AM Stableford played off ¾ handicap which will take place on Tuesday 28th June 2011 - £44 per team of 4 including a 2’s club.

Finally, a Mixed Pairs Open will be played on Thursday 21st July 2011. This is a Betterball Stableford (for mixed pairs) to be played off ¾ handicap. Great value again at just £20 per pair!

Gorstyhill 2011 Opens

Last year Gorstyhill Golf Club had an overwhelming response to their open competitions and once again events are expected to be booked up very quickly as their reputation grows.

We are therefore delighted to bring you advance notice and priority entry-forms for three of their tournaments!

The first competition will be held on Tuesday 6th September and is a Ladies Team Open with the best 2 scores to count. The maximum handicap limit is 36 and entry is £50 per team of 4. Tee times are available between 9am & 2.30pm with food available from 8am.

The second event is a Mixed Greensome Stableford for couples with maximum handicaps of 28 (men) and 36 (ladies). It will take place on Thursday 15th September with times once again available between 9am & 2.30pm with food from 8am. Entry is £25 per pair.

Finally a Senior Pairs Open is scheduled for Monday 26th September. This competition is a Betterball Stableford open to men and ladies aged 55 and over on the 1st January 2011. Handicap limits are 28 (men) and 36 (ladies) with entry costing just £26 per pair. Tee-times and catering as above.

About the course:

Gorstyhill is a spacious Hawtree designed 18 hole golf course in Cheshire at Wychwood Village, Weston, near Crewe.

It's over 6,400 yards off the competition tees with a combination of beautifully contoured USGA greens, tricky manicured bunkers and a variety of ponds providing a superb test for all levels of golfer.

The lovely undulating landscape ensures that golfers will enjoy rather than endure their golf at Gorstyhill! There is a wonderful blend of attractive and interesting terrain that has matured rapidly with the greens earning the club a great reputation over the last 18 months.

The Architect has clearly managed to achieve the elusive golfing balance between a challenge and an ordeal at Gorstyhill.

Big prize on offer at Fixby

Huddersfield Golf Club to host new strokeplay competition.

The Fixby Challenge, a new individual strokeplay tournament for amateur golfers, will be held at Huddersfield Golf Club on Friday 17th June 2011. And the event will have one of the biggest prizes on offer in the country – a place in the all-expenses paid two-day grand final of the Northern Matchplay Golf Championship at Alwoodley Golf Club.

The Northern Matchplay is a season-long knockout competition for amateur golfers across the North of England. The winners of each county – Cheshire, Cumbria, Durham, Lancashire, Northumberland and Yorkshire – will progress to the 72-hole climax at Alwoodley next September.

The winners of two stand-alone tournaments, one of which is the Fixby event, will also join them. The other competition is to be held at Pleasington Golf Club, near Blackburn in Lancashire, next August.

Organiser of the championship, Edward Battye, explained, “The main route to the grand final is by entering the matchplay section and becoming the champion of your county. However, I also wanted to add an extra dimension and provide another way for golfers to qualify. A stand-alone tournament, where effectively the winner takes all, should add for some great excitement and tension.”

Battye, a former member at Huddersfield added, “When the opportunity arose to bring the event to Fixby it was an easy decision. The course speaks for itself and it’s perfectly located for golfers across the North. It’s a true test of golf and whoever comes out on top will be a worthy winner.”

Huddersfield Golf Club, one of the finest championship courses in the North of England, has famously staged European Tour Seniors events in the past and is a regular venue for the Yorkshire Amateur County Championship. In 2009 it was a qualifying course for the prestigious Brabazon Trophy and since work was carried out on the greens about a decade ago, bringing them up to USGA standard, it has received many plaudits nationwide.

Whilst the player returning the best nett score on the day lines up at Alwoodley a prize voucher of £200 will also be awarded to the player returning the lowest gross score over the 18 holes. That’s sure to tempt many of the regions better players who are familiar with the course.

Entry is £40 and includes soup and sandwiches although anybody entering before January 31st can do so at a reduce price of just £30. More details and an entry-form can be found on www.northernmatchplay.com

Big prize on offer at Fixby

Huddersfield Golf Club to host new strokeplay competition.

The Fixby Challenge, a new individual strokeplay tournament for amateur golfers, will be held at Huddersfield Golf Club on Friday 17th June 2011. And the event will have one of the biggest prizes on offer in the country – a place in the all-expenses paid two-day grand final of the Northern Matchplay Golf Championship at Alwoodley Golf Club.

The Northern Matchplay is a season-long knockout competition for amateur golfers across the North of England. The winners of each county – Cheshire, Cumbria, Durham, Lancashire, Northumberland and Yorkshire – will progress to the 72-hole climax at Alwoodley next September.

The winners of two stand-alone tournaments, one of which is the Fixby event, will also join them. The other competition is to be held at Pleasington Golf Club, near Blackburn in Lancashire, next August.

Organiser of the championship, Edward Battye, explained, “The main route to the grand final is by entering the matchplay section and becoming the champion of your county. However, I also wanted to add an extra dimension and provide another way for golfers to qualify. A stand-alone tournament, where effectively the winner takes all, should add for some great excitement and tension.”

Battye, a former member at Huddersfield added, “When the opportunity arose to bring the event to Fixby it was an easy decision. The course speaks for itself and it’s perfectly located for golfers across the North. It’s a true test of golf and whoever comes out on top will be a worthy winner.”

Huddersfield Golf Club, one of the finest championship courses in the North of England, has famously staged European Tour Seniors events in the past and is a regular venue for the Yorkshire Amateur County Championship. In 2009 it was a qualifying course for the prestigious Brabazon Trophy and since work was carried out on the greens about a decade ago, bringing them up to USGA standard, it has received many plaudits nationwide.

Whilst the player returning the best nett score on the day lines up at Alwoodley a prize voucher of £200 will also be awarded to the player returning the lowest gross score over the 18 holes. That’s sure to tempt many of the regions better players who are familiar with the course.

Entry is £40 and includes soup and sandwiches although anybody entering before January 31st can do so at a reduce price of just £30. More details and an entry-form can be found on www.northernmatchplay.com

De Vere Membership at Mottram Hall for just £295

We have teamed up with De Vere Mottram Hall to bring Golf Empire visitors a special offer when they join the De Vere Club membership at Mottram Hall.

Annual membership is just £295 which allows you to play any of the 11 courses owned by De Vere.

And if you join Mottram Hall as your 'home' club you will receive a FREE 4-Ball (worth 40 points of golf) if you quote 'GOLF EMPIRE MOTTRAM'.

Find out more.

KP Club 2011 Opens

Entries are now open for the 2011 open competition to be played at one of the country's top tournament venues, The KP Club, East Yorkshire.

The KP Club is rapidly progressing as a top tournament venue after signing a contract to host The William Hunt Trilby Tour as seen by millions of viewers on SKY SPORTS this year.

The course is known for its tricky greens and breathtaking panoramic views over the beautiful Yorkshire Wolds. A tournament at KP club promises to be a truly memorable occasion with it’s iconic Glasshouse building ‘Winner of best new building in the East Riding 2010’ proving to be a luxurious start and finish to your day overlooking the 18th hole and one of the most beautiful vistas for miles around.

Each event at KP club promises to be different to the norm, be it with a large ‘Tour Style’ scoreboard, microphone tee announcements and little surprises along the way!

More details about some of the events can be seen below. Enter now and guarantee your place in an exclusive field!

The events

Open events at KP Club next year run from March through to December. There are a wide variety of formats including a Par 3 tournament, a Family Team open and even a Hickory event!

The par 3 competition is sure to test your short game and at just £12 it promises to be a great value and fun day out. The Family event is open to all family members and takes the format of a Texas Scramble costing £50 to enter a team. Meanwhile the Hickory open is sure to be a huge success with golfers expected to attire themselves in 19th Century dress with hickory equipment provided.

More conventional competitions include Ladies, Mixed and Seniors Team opens, an Individual, Junior and Pairs open plus a Senior Pairs open.

To see a full list of events and download entry-forms click here.

World first for order of merit – and a new sponsor

TWO Northern Order of Merit fixtures will count for World Amateur Ranking points for the first time next season.

And the scratch series, instigated in 1988, has a new sponsor in Cleveland Srixon.

An indication of how the 36-hole tournaments have grown in prestige is confirmation that the Southport & Ainsdale Bowl and Formby Hare have won international status.

Approval was given by the R&A for the fixtures which will run on the weekend of May 21 and are certain to attract big entries.

Ian Sawyer, assistant secretary at Southport & Ainsdale, said: “The suggestion was made by Formby. Each event is run independently but only competitors who play in both will qualify for world ranking points.

“Potentially, the standard and size of the fields will increase although that could be to the detriment of local golfers. Last season we balloted out players with 0.4 handicaps.”

Meanwhile, the new sponsorship was initiated by former Lancashire player Jonathan Gallagher who is Cleveland Srixon North West sales agent.

The Mere member won four Order of Merit events in his younger days and he reflected: “They were important in planning my golf diary and encouraged me to get organised, which is something I was later to benefit from in my work.”

Srixon is a part of the huge Japanese conglomerate Sumitomo Rubber Industries and recently acquired Cleveland Golf, the leading wedge brand.

Vouchers for the top three players at the end of the season have also been increased to £500, £300 and £200 respectively.

The first of 30 fixtures tee off with the Crosby Challenge Plate at West Lancs on April 3 and run until September 25 with the Pendle Witch at Clitheroe.

World first for order of merit – and a new sponsor

TWO Northern Order of Merit fixtures will count for World Amateur Ranking points for the first time next season.

And the scratch series, instigated in 1988, has a new sponsor in Cleveland Srixon.

An indication of how the 36-hole tournaments have grown in prestige is confirmation that the Southport & Ainsdale Bowl and Formby Hare have won international status.

Approval was given by the R&A for the fixtures which will run on the weekend of May 21 and are certain to attract big entries.

Ian Sawyer, assistant secretary at Southport & Ainsdale, said: “The suggestion was made by Formby. Each event is run independently but only competitors who play in both will qualify for world ranking points.

“Potentially, the standard and size of the fields will increase although that could be to the detriment of local golfers. Last season we balloted out players with 0.4 handicaps.”

Meanwhile, the new sponsorship was initiated by former Lancashire player Jonathan Gallagher who is Cleveland Srixon North West sales agent.

The Mere member won four Order of Merit events in his younger days and he reflected: “They were important in planning my golf diary and encouraged me to get organised, which is something I was later to benefit from in my work.”

Srixon is a part of the huge Japanese conglomerate Sumitomo Rubber Industries and recently acquired Cleveland Golf, the leading wedge brand.

Vouchers for the top three players at the end of the season have also been increased to £500, £300 and £200 respectively.

The first of 30 fixtures tee off with the Crosby Challenge Plate at West Lancs on April 3 and run until September 25 with the Pendle Witch at Clitheroe.

Rabbits Open at Easingwold

A Rabbits Open Pairs competition will take place at Easingwold Golf Club on Friday 2nd September 2011.

It is expected to be booked up quickly so if you want to enter this Betterball Stableford competition for golfers with a handicap of 16-28 then you must hurry!

Entry is just £25 per pair and those who enter before 31st December 2010 will go into a draw to win two £50 vouchers. Enter now.

Easingwold is an attractive and hugely enjoyable par 73 18-hole golf course which offers a mixture of mature parkland with an element of heathland, heather and some strategically placed water.

Charnock Richard 2011 Opens

We're delighted to inform you that entries are now being accepted for two open events at Charnock Richard Golf Club, near Chorley in Lancashire.

The first event is their ever-popular Charnock Open, a 4BBB Stableford for men and ladies to be held on Sunday 19th June 2011. Maximum handicap limits are 24 (men) and 30 (ladies) with entry great value at only £24 per pair. Early booking is recommended to secure a tee-time as places are limited.

The second tournament is for Senior golfers (55+) and will take place on Tuesday 26th July 2011. Once again places will go quickly in this 4BBB Stableford competition played off 3/4 handicap.

Charnock Richard is one of the best new golf courses in Lancashire. It was established in 1994 and the 18-hole course winds its way into the small, scenic village of Charnock Richard. Set in 140 acres, the course, with its vast array of water hazards, provides a stern test for all levels of golfer.

World Number One Presents 'The Lee Westwood Cup'

Lee Westwood Presents Marriott Meon Valley with the Stunning 'Lee Westwood Cup' as winners of the inaugural National Golf Club Challenge in support of Help for Heroes.

World number one Golfer, Lee Westwood took time out on Thursday from his preparations for BBC Sports Personality of the Year to meet up with the winning team from the inaugural National Golf Club Challenge in support of Help for Heroes, to make the official presentation of the stunning 'Lee Westwood Cup'.

In speaking of his support for Help for Heroes and The National Golf Club Challenge, Lee said "I am honoured to be a patron to the challenge and deeply humbled to be asked by Wedgwood to name the National Golf Club Challenge Trophy 'The Lee Westwood Cup' continuing Wedgwood's long tradition of naming their stunning trophies after some of the most iconic golfers the world has ever seen. It gives me great pleasure to present The Lee Westwood Cup to the 2010 champions, Marriott Meon Valley."

Lee went on to say "It's fitting that I have had the chance to present The Lee Westwood Cup in the same week as The Sun's Military awards, where the nation will once again see first hand how brave our military personnel really are. The inaugural National Golf Club Challenge has been a huge success and I would encourage every golf club in the UK to take up the challenge moving forwards into 2011 so we can again support our brave military whilst enjoying ourselves on the golf course."

All ten members of the winning Marriott Meon Valley team travelled from Southampton to Cheshire to meet up with the world number one golfer to officially receive the trophy.

The 'Lee Westwood Cup' has been made and donated by Wedgwood in honour of injured members of the British Armed Forces in association with Help for Heroes and The National Golf Club Challenge, a nationwide amateur golf competition which raises funds for charity.

The stunning 'Lee Westwood Cup' has been hand thrown and turned out of blue Jasper and hand decorated with white bas-relies golfing and military figures forming the main design features. The trophy is mounted on two blue jasper plinths and all edges hand gilded in 22 carat gold.

Eddy Edwards (Team Captain), Meon Valley Golf Club commented "What a wonderful event for such a worthy cause, and what a wonderful result for us! We are thrilled to have won such a prestigious trophy and thoroughly enjoyed an unrivalled experience playing in the National Golf Club Challenge Final at The Belfry, thank you. The Help for Heroes charity is close to all our hearts and we will carry on doing what we can to help improve the care and rehabilitation of our injured troops. This is a very worthy charity event that must grow and I am sure will grow with the support from all golf clubs nationwide".

Eddy commented further by saying "It is a true honour to be presented with the trophy by the World Number One Golfer especially in such a busy week for Lee with Sports Personality coming up on Sunday, the fact he has taken time out to present the trophy this week speaks volumes about him."

Stacey Jeffries, Event Director added "To have Lee officially present The Lee Westwood Cup to our 2010 champions is a fitting conclusion to all our efforts over the past 18 months. Lee has been an inspiration to me personally in the way he has supported the event and together we will make 2011 even better than 2010."

The inaugural National Golf Club Challenge event, which took place in July, was the largest amateur golf charity event the UK has seen. The event brought together hundreds of golf clubs and thousands of golfers over the same weekend to have fun, compete and give generously to the Help for Heroes charity. The money raised to date totals a tremendous £202,273... and counting, with donations still coming in the challenge team hope to raise more than a quarter of a million pounds.

For more information about The National Golf Club Challenge Final, please visit www.ngccfinal.com.

In pursuit of a big prize at Pleasington

The Pleasington Pairs Pursuit

Pleasington Golf Club to host new pairs competition.

The Pleasington Pairs Pursuit, a new Betterball Pairs tournament for amateur golfers, will be held at Pleasington Golf Club on Thursday 18th August 2011. And the event will have one of the biggest prizes on offer in the country – a place in the all-expenses paid two-day grand final of the Northern Matchplay Golf Championship at Alwoodley Golf Club.

The Northern Matchplay is a season-long knockout competition for amateur golfers across the North of England. The winning pair in each county – Cheshire, Cumbria, Durham, Lancashire, Northumberland and Yorkshire – will progress to the 72-hole climax at Alwoodley next September.

The winners of two stand-alone tournaments, one of which is the Pleasington event, will also join them. The other competition is to be held at Huddersfield Golf Club in West Yorkshire next June.

Organiser of the championship, Edward Battye, explained, “The main route to the grand final is by entering the matchplay section and becoming the champion of your county. However, I also wanted to add an extra dimension and provide another way for golfers to qualify. A stand-alone tournament, where effectively the winners take all, should add for some great excitement and drama.”

Scratch golfer Battye added, “I’m a big fan of Pleasington and wanted a top course somewhere in Lancashire so I’m delighted to have secured it as the venue. The course is magnificent and is perfectly located for golfers across the North. It’s one of those places that is great for better-ball golf too as there are so many risk-reward holes.”

Pleasington Golf Club is regarded as one of the best tests of golf in the North West and is used by the R&A as an Open Championship qualifying course. A mix of heathland, moorland and parkland, along with a supreme layout, ensures that golfers will be kept on their toes for the full 18 holes.

General Manager at Pleasington, Chris Williams, said, “We’re really delighted to be hosting this new event and look forward to welcoming all the entrants to Pleasington where I hope they enjoy their day. I’m sure they will relish the challenge of our golf course as well as taking time to sample our off-course facilities too. ”

The pair returning the best nett score on the day will take their place at Alwoodley and with limited tee-times it is expected that places will go very quickly, therefore, early booking is highly recommended.

Entry is excellent value at £70 per pair, which includes soup and sandwiches. More details and an entry-form can be found here.

In pursuit of a big prize at Pleasington

The Pleasington Pairs Pursuit

Pleasington Golf Club to host new pairs competition.

The Pleasington Pairs Pursuit, a new Betterball Pairs tournament for amateur golfers, will be held at Pleasington Golf Club on Thursday 18th August 2011. And the event will have one of the biggest prizes on offer in the country – a place in the all-expenses paid two-day grand final of the Northern Matchplay Golf Championship at Alwoodley Golf Club.

The Northern Matchplay is a season-long knockout competition for amateur golfers across the North of England. The winning pair in each county – Cheshire, Cumbria, Durham, Lancashire, Northumberland and Yorkshire – will progress to the 72-hole climax at Alwoodley next September.

The winners of two stand-alone tournaments, one of which is the Pleasington event, will also join them. The other competition is to be held at Huddersfield Golf Club in West Yorkshire next June.

Organiser of the championship, Edward Battye, explained, “The main route to the grand final is by entering the matchplay section and becoming the champion of your county. However, I also wanted to add an extra dimension and provide another way for golfers to qualify. A stand-alone tournament, where effectively the winners take all, should add for some great excitement and drama.”

Scratch golfer Battye added, “I’m a big fan of Pleasington and wanted a top course somewhere in Lancashire so I’m delighted to have secured it as the venue. The course is magnificent and is perfectly located for golfers across the North. It’s one of those places that is great for better-ball golf too as there are so many risk-reward holes.”

Pleasington Golf Club is regarded as one of the best tests of golf in the North West and is used by the R&A as an Open Championship qualifying course. A mix of heathland, moorland and parkland, along with a supreme layout, ensures that golfers will be kept on their toes for the full 18 holes.

General Manager at Pleasington, Chris Williams, said, “We’re really delighted to be hosting this new event and look forward to welcoming all the entrants to Pleasington where I hope they enjoy their day. I’m sure they will relish the challenge of our golf course as well as taking time to sample our off-course facilities too. ”

The pair returning the best nett score on the day will take their place at Alwoodley and with limited tee-times it is expected that places will go very quickly, therefore, early booking is highly recommended.

Entry is excellent value at £70 per pair, which includes soup and sandwiches. More details and an entry-form can be found here.

New site offers enhanced score and handicap tracker, player tips and fantastic golf holiday offers

Golf enthusiasts can now take advantage of the world’s premier one-stop-shop online resource, following the launch of the new Mulligan+ website.

The free-to-use offering now enables players to track every round in as much detail as they wish, whilst also keeping track of their handicap progress over time. In addition Mulligan+ also includes an enhanced international directory of over 22,500 courses, player leagues and an extensive golf travel section with exclusive offers for site members.

Originally launched in 2007, Mulligan+ was designed to provide golf players with a free way to record scorecards and monitor their development in terms of handicap. Since going live, the site has grown to include a comprehensive searchable directory of golf courses worldwide, as well as offer golf tips through videos and articles. More recently the site also began to offer golf holidays and a golf calendar to organise a player's golfing diary.

The new Mulligan+ site has been enhanced in all areas and now provides golfers with everything they need in an online resource:

· Detailed score and handicap tracking – users can simply record overall scores or the specific details of each round

· Course directory – searchable detailed information on over 22,500 courses worldwide, including course events and special offers

· Golf tips – videos aimed at helping players improve their game

· Golf travel – exclusive golf travel offers, from UK breaks to international holidays

· News and reviews – Mulligan+ now offers the latest news and analysis on the game, as well as equipment reviews

· Social features – players each have their own profile and can add friends, which can then be included in friend leagues

· Golf calendar – Mulligan+ offers a golf calendar allowing users to plan their golfing schedule

· Monthly newsletter – a round-up of what’s going on in the golfing world

One of the primary benefits of Mulligan+ is the social nature of the site. Users are able to add friends, enter leagues and organise matches with other members. The site provides an easy way of building a network of golf playing people, whatever a user’s own standard of play.

Although Mulligan+ is offered totally free, the site does run the Mulligan+ Passport scheme, available currently at a discounted rate for only £9.99. Mulligan+ Passport gives users an exclusive membership card with a golf handicap certificate on the reverse, savings of between £5-£25pp on golf holidays and access to exclusive offers.

Site Founder Reagan Pannell said: “We’re excited to have launched the new Mulligan+ website and I’m sure users, new and existing, will benefit from the extensive content and features now on offer. Mulligan+ is a great way of building your golfing contacts in addition to tracking development in your game. We believe it is the most social and comprehensive golf resource available online.”

There are plans to develop the site further over the coming months with new features already in the pipeline.

Mulligan+ is free of charge and is open to new members now. To sign up for an account please visit http://www.mulliganplus.com/register.cfm.

CROWN GOLF DONATES OVER £24,000 TO THE NATIONAL GOLF CLUB CHALLENGE

Crown Golf has given £24,436 – the year’s largest single donation – to the National Golf Club Challenge, the charity golf event which raises money for Help for Heroes through the nation’s golf clubs.

The cheque handover took place at Pine Ridge Golf Club in Surrey, one of the UK’s busiest ‘pay and play’ clubs, between Crown Golf CEO Stephen Lewis and the NGCC’s Matthew Leighton.

Twenty-eight Crown Golf clubs took part in the National Golf Club Challenge during 2010, with two making it to the NGCC’s national final at The Belfry in October where Cams Hall Estate GC, a Crown Golf club in Hampshire, finished second overall.

The £24,436 raised by clubs owned or operated by Crown Golf adds to a grand total of over £200,000 raised by the NGCC this year, making the event 2010’s largest single golf charity event in the UK. Organisers hope to top a quarter of a million pounds when all funds have been collected.

Stephen Lewis said: “Crown Golf is proud to hand this cheque over to the National Golf Club Challenge team. Help for Heroes is a fantastic charity which has captured the nation’s hearts, and we look forward to raising more money for wounded British servicemen and women returning from war zones in 2011.”

Matthew Leighton said: “We are very grateful to Crown Golf for this large donation, which represents a superb collective effort by the company’s management, staff and customers. The goodwill of golf clubs such as those in the Crown Golf portfolio has made the National Golf Club Challenge a big success in 2010, and the funds we donate to Help for Heroes as a result will make a real difference to the lives of those it supports. We aim to do even better in 2011!”

2010 was the National Golf Club Challenge’s inaugural year: over 300 UK golf clubs ran a fundraising day in July, donating the day’s proceeds to the charity. The six highest-scoring golf clubs were invited to submit a team to the NGCC Final at The Belfry in October 2010, where Marriott Meon Valley Golf was awarded the Lee Westwood Cup.

In 2011 the National Golf Club Challenge will run its second year of Help For Heroes fundraising events at UK golf clubs, and have also introduced a second challenge event in support of the Seve Ballesteros Foundation and Cancer Research UK.

Christmas gift idea

2-Fore!-1 golf vouchers are an ideal stocking filler for any golfer. It is the UK's leading discount green-fee scheme allowing golfers to play half-price golf at over 1,000 golf clubs in the UK.

Simply buy vouchers from 2-FORE!-1, pick a course, book a tee time and go and play!

Are you covered?

If you played in an open event during 2010 then the chances are that, unless you had specialist golf insurance, you were not covered for any losses or damages.

Now is therefore the perfect time to consider taking out a policy for 2011 and making sure that there are no nasty surprises next year. To help we have created a list of the main specialist golf insurance providers and provided a summary of the cover they offer.

GolfPLAN

Golfers Club

GolfShield

InsureFor

E & L

Bulk upload of open golf competitions

Over 500 new open competitions at golf courses throughout the UK have just been listed on our website THIS MORNING.

It's our biggest upload of tournaments for the coming season so far as golf clubs continue to send details about their events to us on a daily basis.

The only place to find entry-forms for most of these events is on Golf Empire and some of them become fully subscribed before the end of the year, so don't delay if you want to secure your place in any of them.

Walsall Golf Club 2011 Opens

Two very popular competitions at Walsall Golf Club have just been listed on Golf Empire.

The first tournament is a Senior Pairs Open for golfers aged 55+ with a maximum handicap of 24. It is a Betterball Stableford Alliance and will be played on Monday 20th June 2011.

Entry is very good value at £50 per pair as this also includes a 2-course meal. Spaces are usually at a premium in this event so early booking is advised.

The second competition is a Gents Team Open that will be held on Friday 29th July 2010. Again early entries are advised to secure a place in this Am-Am Stableford.

The cost to enter is £100 per team of four and once again this includes a 2-course meal. Players must have a handicap no higher than 24.

Tee times are available from 9am until 3pm in both events.

Turnberry To Host The 2011 National Golf Club Challenge Final

Turnberry Will Host the Final of the UK's Biggest Amateur Charity Golf Event in Aid of Help for Heroes.

Turnberry, an Open Championship course four times over, have teamed up with The National Golf Club Challenge to host the 2011 Help for Heroes challenge final, sponsored by YourGolfTravel.com.

The Grand Final event, to be held on the 26th and 27th of October 2011, will provide a fitting conclusion to the 2011 National Golf Club Challenge, in aid of Help for Heroes.

Thousands of golfers, from hundreds of golf clubs around the UK, will compete in The National Golf Club Challenge by playing at their local Help for Heroes charity fundraiser on the 4th or 5th of June 2011. The four top scoring clubs (from the Men's and Ladies section) will go forward to the final where they will compete for some fantastic golf prizes. The 2011 National Golf Club Challenge Champions will be awarded the stunning 'Lee Westwood Cup'.

Stewart Selbie, Turnberry Resort's General Manager commented "We are delighted Turnberry has been chosen as the host venue for the final of NGCC in 2011. The Ailsa Course will provide the ideal challenge for the climax of next year's event. Help for Heroes is an extremely hard working and high profile charity which we are delighted to support alongside our friends at Your Golf Travel."

Home to the iconic Ailsa, an Open Championship course four times over, Turnberry offers one of the world's great golfing experiences. Watson, Norman and Price have all won the famous Claret Jug at Turnberry. And, in 2009, Stewart Cink added his name to that exclusive list following his play-off triumph over Tom Watson at the 138th Open.

The Ailsa is currently ranked as Britain's number one golf course by two leading golf publications and consistently rated within the world's best.

The two day National Golf Club Challenge Grand Final, sponsored by YourGolfTravel.com will include a practice day, golf clinic, overnight accommodation, the final competition, a gala dinner, guest speakers and the prize presentations.

"We are thrilled to work with the world renowned Turnberry golf resort. Playing at Turnberry truly is one of the greatest golfing experiences and is the ideal venue to conclude the 2011 National Golf Club Challenge." said event organiser, Stacey Jeffries, "Turnberry is an exceptional golf venue, having played host to many prestigious tournaments - including The Open Championship four times."

"With leading partners such as Turnberry and YourGolfTravel.com for next year's final, we are well positioned to improve on our success in 2010 by raising another huge donation for Help for Heroes."

YourGolfTravel.com, Europe's fastest growing golf-travel company, will headline sponsor the 2011 National Golf Club Challenge final. As long time supporters of Help for Heroes, YourGolfTravle.com contributed significantly to the challenge competition's success in 2010.

For more information on The 2011 National Golf Club Challenge, including how to enter your golf club, please visit www.ngcc2011.com.