Competitions

A NEW DEAL FOR ESSEX GOLF

The 3 organisations that form the Essex Golf Partnership are to receive £143,000 from the central funds from Sport England. This will be the major part of the county’s share of the £12.5 million awarded to the sport last year.

The strings attached to the grant are that it be used to set up a coaching scheme for golfers which will be an add-on to the present coaching scheme run by the Essex Golf Union for junior boy golfers in the County. The Essex Golf scheme is credited with producing the successful stream of elite young golfers over the past few years.

The ‘Club and Coach’ scheme will cater for girl golfers and disabled golfers, and on the male side will extend the base of the catchment area for boys who receive County coaching.

The grant will also cover the training of amateur coaches who will be required to assist the Golf Club Professionals to deliver coaching of the highest quality.

The Essex Golf Partnership is also committed to increasing the number of people participating in the sport and encouraging the County’s golf clubs and driving ranges to seek to obtain the recognised quality standards to get ‘Golf Mark’ status.

Cliff Crook, the Partnership Treasurer, in welcoming the provision of these extra financial resources for the development of the sport in Essex, stressed the need to recruit a force of volunteers to organise the delivery of these aims and in particular the golf club Junior organisers who will need to identify additional numbers of promising youngsters who can benefit from the expanded training schemes.

For further details about the grant, please contact Cliff Crook (01268 542478).

TITLEIST/FOOTJOY EGU ORDER OF MERIT
DALE COMES TOP

Orders of Merit are like league titles for individual golfers, demanding a consistent performance over the whole season.

This year’s winner, twenty-one year old Dale Whitnell was presented with the trophy on Monday 2nd November in a ceremony at his home club, Five Lakes Golf Club.

During the season Dale only missed two cuts and in every other tournament he finished in the top five. He enjoyed three victories and three third places and reached the semi-final of the English Amateur. He was 300 points ahead of his Walker Cup team mate Luke Goddard.

Dale represented England in the European Nations Cup, the Ashes and the home internationals as well as being a member of the Great Britain team in the Walker Cup.

At County level he made a winning contribution for Essex when we qualified for the National County Championships but unfortunately he wasn’t able to participate in the successful Essex team in the final having turned professional after the Walker Cup.

As he prepares for a new chapter in his golfing career, he is hoping to emulate his former England team mate Chris Wood, who has made an impressive start to his professional career this year. Dale is now facing the challenge all young professionals face in trying to qualify for the European Tour.

MAYLANDS WIN THEIR WAY TO SPAIN

Junior team golf
Home Nations Inter-Club Championship

The Maylands Golf Club Junior team became England’s club representative in the Home Nations Final when they came first in the English leg of this competition played at the Oxfordshire Golf Club on Monday, 26 October.

The format for the competition was for teams of 6 players playing stroke play golf over 18 holes, with one player scoring on a gross, and 4 of the other 5 counting their net scores.

Twelve clubs competed for the honour of representing England. The Maylands team were entered by the County Union as a reward for winning the Youth Shield, they then went on to win at Orsett in the regional qualifying competition.

Ray Secker, Junior organiser at Maylands, reports:

“Fine weather with a stiff breeze greeted the players, and Jack Higgs continued his brilliant form finishing with a gross score of 2 under par 71, the best gross score of the tournament. Nick Elsom carded a 72 net 69; Ben Griffiths (capt) started well but faltered for 76 net 71; Jordan Wallace disappointed after a great start with an 81 net 75 (our throw away card); Sean Kennedy 79 net 72 covered himself with glory, hitting the 18th green in two from a fairway bunker to make par and win the title by one. Scott Tuffey already in, had a fine 80 net 71. In a very close finish, Maylands finished ahead of Worthing Golf Club and Manor House with aggregate scores of 355, 356 and 358 respectively.

Presentations were made by Alex Hay and needless to say celebrations went on till late.”

The final will take place at the La Tora Golf Club near Alicante over 4 rounds in a five day stay starting on 3rd January 2010.

This is yet another outstanding achievement at national level for an Essex team.