G.G.U. Golfers Shining on the Big Stage
Following on from the multiple successes of the Gloucestershire Ladies Team, the County Men's Team players have been on fire over the past few weeks playing inidividual national events around the country. Most recently, Joe long (Lansdown) and Joe harvey (The Kendleshire) battled against each other, after five days on a brutally windy as always beautifully prepared Royal Birkdale. The British Amateur Championship is what the two young men were looking to progress through and with the added carrot of the eventual winner receiving the gold dust of invites to next year's Masters, The Open at Royal St George's and the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, the dream of becoming the champion outweighed the gruel of needing their 'A' game over ten successive marathon rounds. The 36 hole stroke play qualifier saw both players finish inside the top 64 and gain a spot in the draw in the first round of the match play. Six rounds of 18 hole singles match play with a little sudden death, saw the unbeaten Gloucestershire players through to face each other in the Final. With another GGU player Jack Cope becoming the English Amateur Championship at Woodhall Spa just a few weeks ago, the domination of Gloucestershire players on the National amateur circuit has further put the spotlight on Gloucestershire and now with two British Amateur finalists, our county men's and ladies players are the hot gossip at England Golf. The county was guaranteed success as 'the writing on the wall' and one of our players was to become a winner. The tight 36 hole final, eventually saw Joe Long of Lansdown as the new British Amateur Champion. It's been a rewarding few weeks for everyone involved with Gloucester Golf Union and no less than for Bristol and Clifton's very own David Hares. He has been the GGU County Coaching Chairman for the past 25 years and the growing results are validation to the system that David has helped to build and evolve.
Our next generation of talented golfers have been given the building blocks of success and although perceived as a disadvantaged county due to a lack of golf facilities available (40-50) versus the likes of Yorkshire (250), it's proof that the correct structures and processes have a huge impact and continuation for talent to improve.
If you see Dave around the course over the coming weeks be sure to congratulate him on his incredible work on influence of these young players as he continues to make our county as great as it is.
Whilst on the subject of British Amateur Championships one of my pupils was unfortunately narrowly defeated in the Semi Final of the Women's British Amateur Championship at West Lancs Golf Club. West Cornwall's Emily Toy had significant wins along the way to the Semi Final but couldn't match the standard of the talented young Aline Krauter of Germany who then went on to win the Final. Knowing Emily well I'm sure she has got over any disappointment in losing as she was 2018 Women's Amateur Champion and another valiant attempt was surely more difficult to repeat? The lure to play Augusta next Spring, the week before The Masters in the Augusta National Women's Amateur, had no added winning/motive for Emily as her 2019 invite has been carried forward to the rearranged event in March - what an invite to look forward to! |