AGW visit to Portstewart
Ahead of the R&A Open Facilitation Day at Royal Portrush last month AGW members had the opportunity to visit Portstewart. Thank to David MacLaren for the tee times and to Peter Scrivener for this report:
“I steadied myself for the most satisfying of swipes, the ball soaring high into the sky before plummeting 60, 70 feet below me to the fairway. That was the dream. The reality was a slight push, made worse by a stiff breeze, into the base of a towering sand dune. C’est la vie.
“If there is a finer opening hole on a links course in the UK than Portstewart’s Strand Course, then I’ve yet to play it.
“A 427-yard dogleg right hugging towering dunes on the inside with the fairway narrowing in to the green.
“Playing partners Neil and Tom were away in slightly finer fettle for a tremendous golfing adventure around a superb test of a course where the front nine has oft been feted but that’s not to take away from a second nine that is just as challenging.
“The rain that threatened to hit for much of the first nine holes finally dumped on the 10th. And the 11th. And the 12th.
“We bravely stuck it out and were rewarded with a glorious finish in bright sunshine.
“A wonderful afternoon’s golf and thanks to Portstewart for hosting us.”
AGW retains the Chesterfield Trophy – report by Captain Adrian Milledge
The Chesterfield Trophy remains in AGW hands after this year’s match against the Golf Foundation at West Byfleet ended all square.
Colin Harding and Rob Perkins plus guest player, the Sunday Mirror’s Nic Brook, registered wins for the defending champions while its other pairings of Ian Mullins and Nick Bayly, and Peter Dixon and Bill Elliott, were defeated.
Harding, a West Byfleet member, and Perkins won three and one, and Brook prevailed two and one in his head-to-head encounter with Vanessa Bell.
Bell, a former LET player and the Golf Foundation’s head of fundraising, played on her own following a teammate’s withdrawal due to illness; similarly, Brook played solo due to his proposed partner, AGW captain Adrian Milledge, missing the first nine holes after an overturned lorry on the M40 delayed his arrival.
The match marked the AGW’s second visit to West Byfleet in less than a year – the replacement event for the R&A Salver was staged there last September- and once again the Surrey venue did not disappoint.
The course, bathed in sunshine, was in superb condition and Kevin Mullen, the club’s general secretary, and his team ensured we were looked after royally. Thanks are due to them and all who took part.
The next event, the Renton Laidlaw Quaich, will be staged at Crail on Monday June 16 and eight places remain available. Then there is the Michael William Hogget at Edgbaston on Tuesday June 24. Anyone wanting to play email email hidden; JavaScript is required
The PGA Tour London office
At a recent Callaway event in London I got chatting to the PGA Tour team and became aware that we might not be utilising their assistance as well as we might. It led to me talking to Lee Korman and while it is important to be aware that they don’t have a magic wand when it comes to getting access to players, it might be that some active members are not aware of what the UK office can help them with.
I asked Lee to write a few words:
“In recent years, the PGA TOUR has added a Marketing & Communications function to the London office, with a team tasked with promoting the TOUR’s international players and non-US tournaments. We are happy to support with AGW members’ requests for international TOUR player interviews. The London team also host ad hoc virtual roundtables with international players following tournament wins, and are happy to include AGW members where relevant. Please feel free to contact me on email hidden; JavaScript is required”
The Golfbizreview Substack
I recently became a subscriber to this twice weekly email and it’s quite handy for story ideas. I asked the compiler Tom Miranda he minded me sharing the sign up details and he was delighted by the idea. His description of the Substack is: “Every Tuesday and Friday morning, we bring you a 10-minute summary of what happened last week in the golf industry while you were golfing.”
You can sign up here – https://golfbizzreview.substack.com/subscribe
Treasurer
We’re still on the look out for a new treasurer so if you fancy throwing our hat into the ring, please do so. Peter Higgs has been doing a superb job for a long while now and deserves the chance to pass on the role to someone else.
Subscription fees
A reminder that subs are due. The annual fee is £50 but it jumps to £60 if you haven’t paid by the 31st May. Bank account details:
LLOYDS TSB
SORT CODE: 30 97 62
ACCOUNT NUMBER: 02796359
ACCOUNT NAME: Association of Golf Writers
International payments:
IBAN NUMBER: GB97LOYD30976202796359 (note only one ‘L’)
SWIFT CODE: LOYDGB21301 (note only one ‘L’)
Pay Pal
Use the email address – email hidden; JavaScript is required
Cheques (payable to Association of Golf Writers)
Sent to: AGW Treasurer, 9 College Road, Upper Beeding, West Sussex BN44 3TB, England, U.K.
If a receipt is required please contact the Treasurer at email hidden; JavaScript is required
The Annual Dinner
Details to be released soon.
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