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The County Golf Partnership’s job is to encourage people to START playing golf, and to help create the climate in which they will enjoy the game and want to STAY with it.
But it is always good to see how our golfers SUCCEED
GLOUCESTERSHIRE JUNIORS NARROWLY MISS OUT ON ENGLAND TITLE
FILTON GOLFERS BECOME NATIONAL CHAMPIONS |
August 23rd 2009 From Mark Powell (non-playing Captain)
This past week Gloucestershire County Juniors have been competing in the EGU Boys County Finals at Whittington Heath against Worcestershire, Lancashire and Surrey for the national title.
Hopes were high recognising the strength of our squad and that we were the only county present with two current internationals. The team prepared well and made the most of the practice opportunities.
On day one Gloucestershire defeated Worcestershire 6-3 and on day 2 the boys won against Lancashire 51/2 – 31/2
Surrey had also won against these teams, so our match against Surrey was the decider for the title. Sadly the final score was Surrey 51/2, Gloucestershire 31/2.
So Surrey were champions for the third time in a row.
Tues 12th May 2009 |
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The Golf Academy at Filton College has claimed its biggest ever success, by winning the Intercollegiate Tour National Team finals at Stonebridge Golf Club, Birmingham.
The eight strong team of college golfers claimed their place in the finals by winning both the Gross and Nett Tour in the South West region. Buoyed by this success they were confident of a good performance in the finals, although the competition was tougher than ever. With all the regional winners competing in the finals, the UK’s finest golf colleges were present, from Loretto School in Scotland to Sussex Downs on the south coast.
With six scores (over 27 holes) from the eight players to count for each team score, the Filton golfers negotiated the windy conditions and tricky pin placements well, to claim the top spot in the nett competition. Their performance also claimed fourth place in the gross event, missing out to Solihull College by one shot around their home course. Considering the gross winners, Sussex Downs, and second placed The Sports Academy both run expensive programmes, this was a fantastic effort by the Bristol based college.
In winning the nett event, Filton have shown that their golf programme has the highest rate of improvement of its young charges, which is testament to the players hard work over the winter and the influence of the coaching staff.
Individually, Dan Gizzi (5 handicap) put in a fantastic performance, shooting the lowest gross score of the first nine holes, with a one under Par, 32. This set up the best individual nett score of the day at two under par, out of the 88 high class golfers. James Bennett (4 handicap) was close behind with the fourth best nett score overall of two over par over the 27 holes. Zak Shelford had yet another consistent round and carded the 14th best nett score of the day, to set up a strong position for the team. Backed up with above average scores from Darren Close and Chris Stewart (both 2 handicap) and Alex Nicholls (5 handicap), Filton clinched the title by five shots from Sussex Downs.
Now Gizzi, Bennett and Stewart look forward to more success in the Tour Players Championships next week, where the best 50 individual golfers across the UK will compete to become the Tour Players champion.
The Intercollegiate Tour was set up in 2007 in response the number of high quality educational golf programmes running around the country. It is seen as the baby brother of the US Collegiate system and provides a Professionally run competition during the off season to simulate the type of competition that the college players would encounter should they turn Professional, or play high level amateur golf.
This year 25 colleges took part in five regions, and in each region there are up to six tour events to determine the best colleges, who then qualify for the finals. The Tour Players championship was set up for the first time this year to reward consistently good individual performances in the regions. Alongside the team events there was an individual Order of Merit running to decide the best ten golfers in each region. These then qualified for the Tour Players Championships. This will potentially lead to a representative side to compete against other national teams.
For more information about the Golf Academy or the Intercollegiate Tour, please contact the Head Coach of the Filton College Golf Academy (and Chairman of the ICT) Peter Langford, on 07920 151201, or email peter.langford@filton.ac.uk
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FILTON COLLEGE RECEIVES ENGLAND GOLF AASE ACADEMY STATUS
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Tues 31st March 2009
Filton College’s development of elite young golfers through the Golf Academy has been recognised by England Golf, awarding the status of AASE Academy to the college. In running the AASE scheme the college has proven to England Golf that golfers on the programme will receive a comprehensive package of support and opportunity to give them the best chance of reaching the highest level. From technical skills to diet and nutrition, and from lifestyle management to tournament preparation, all key aspects of playing the game and managing oneself are covered.
Elite young golfers who are regional or national standard for their age group will work towards an NVQ level 3 in Performance and Excellence in Golf. In attaining this qualification (in addition to an academic course of their choice) it will confirm the young golfers have not only had the best possible support and coaching structure to enable them to achieve the highest possible playing level, but will also give them a considerable advantage should they wish to study further in the UK or abroad, such as the US college system.
For over seven years, the golf programme has been developed at Filton College, such that now over 30 young golfers make up the squad. With a dozen category one golfers, and 75% single figure players, the competitiveness and camaraderie makes for motivated golfers who develop a winning mentality, through structured coaching and development sessions and the practising of good habits. The college had also been instrumental in setting up the UK wide Intercollegiate Tour, which offers college golfers the highest quality regular golf competition in education and is set to rival US college golf. Filton College has recently won the South West region of the tour and has qualified for the national finals in May.
Filton College has extensive on site facilities, including an Indoor Driving Range, a six hole all-weather putting green, pitching area, well equipped gym and physio treatment rooms, in addition to The Kendleshire and The Bristol Golf Clubs, which the Golf Academy players are members of. With great backing for sport at the college from the principle Kevin Hamblin, the Golf Academy has the luxury of being run by two PGA qualified, full time members of staff, whose sole job is to organise and run the programme.
Such is the quality of sport at the college, that in 2008 the college achieved an OFSTED Grade 1 (Outstanding) for the sport provision. There are plans to base the AASE golfers at one (or both) of the golf clubs, in order to maximise the time available to implement improvements and receive the most in-depth of game analysis and professional feedback to sharpen up their games.
Peter Langford, Head coach remarked: “As one of the most established college golf academies in the UK, the approval by England Golf has given the golf programme accreditation for the good work that is being achieved here. These are exciting times on the Golf Academy and we look forward to giving many more talented golfers the best possible opportunity within the college system. As a college, we have run AASE scheme through other sports and this, combined with our experience, should ensure the AASE golfers are given the best learning environment available.”
If you would like more information about the Golf Academy, please contact Head Coach Peter Langford via email peter.langford@filton.ac.uk or call 07920 151201.
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| KNOWLE ARE JUNIOR CHAMPIONS FOR A SECOND TIME |
(EGU press release) |
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Knowle, from Bristol, became the first club to win the English Junior Champion Club Tournament twice when they came out on top after two testing days at Harewood Downs in Buckinghamshire (picture © Tom Ward).
Winners in 2006 at Woodhall Spa, Knowle topped the leaderboard again with 145 Stableford points, three ahead of East Sussex National, who were second on countback, and Stoneham from Hampshire
The Knowle team of two girls, Courtney Stone and Jemima Gregson, plus Louis O’Regan, with a combined age of 39 and a combined handicap of 59, might have been regarded as outsiders. But they came up trumps and were all smiles at the end.
“I am delighted and immensely proud,” said Dave Owen, Knowle’s Junior Organiser and the man who was also at the helm in 2006.
“We originally had an all-girl team but one had to withdraw to play in a South West Junior tournament, while young Louis broke a leg on holiday in Ireland eight weeks ago. It was touch and go whether he could play 18 holes two days running but he did splendidly.”
Knowle began a windy second day on 73 points, two behind early leaders Stoke by Nayland, but when the Suffolk side faltered, coming up with 65 for 140, Knowle seized their chance. Courtney Stone, aged 13, returned 37 points off 29 handicap, while 11-year-old Jemima Gregson produced 35 off 19 which proved good enough.
They had to wait to see if they could be overtaken but East Sussex and Stoneham both came up short.
More information and all results scores can be found on the Championships section of the EGU website www.englishgolfunion.org.
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OPEN HAS SILVER LINING FOR WOOD |
(EGU Press Release) |
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England international Chris Wood (pictured - photo courtesy of Tom Ward) produced the performance of his life to secure the silver medal as the leading amateur in the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.
A closing round of 72 for 290, ten over par, saw the 20 year old from Bristol finish in joint fifth place with American Jim Furyk, seven strokes behind the champion, Padraig Harrington, but ahead of many leading professionals after a tough week over the Southport links.
“I don’t know what to say, I‘m lost for words,” was Wood’s comment on his outstanding performance. “It’s been a great week and an unbelievable experience.”
“The support I had from the fans was brilliant and playing with Ian Poulter in the final round was superb as he played so well.”
“I didn’t feel under any pressure but it was another tough day in the wind,” added the 6ft 5in man from Long Ashton who won the admiration of the fans.
Starting the final round on eight over par after rounds of 75, 70 and 73, and with his father Richard as caddie, Wood kept his game under control in the blustery conditions and managed to find three birdies.
With Poulter in with a great chance of picking up the claret jug, the pair seemed to inspire each other but although Poulter matched Harrington’s 69, he had to settle for second place four strokes behind the Irishman.
With only two amateurs making the cut, the silver medal was a straight fight between Wood and Tom Sherreard, former boy cap and an England ’A’ Squad member, from Kent.
But Sherreard also closed with 72 thanks to an eagle-birdie finish for 294, 14 over par.
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