Small Is Beautiful (And Rather Hard)

Greetings one and all and welcome to another humble blog offering. I want to start by asking a question. If I said par 3 course, what is your first thought? Is it a local pitch and putt, or an easy game with no need to go for the driver and long clubs? I bet many of you wouldn’t think of a course with a hole that 2005 US Open champion Michael Campbell describes as one of the hardest he’s played. That is the size of the challenge that awaits when you play the Cromwell Course at Nailcote Hall which is also the venue of the annual British Par 3 event.

I have been lucky enough to attend this fantastic event for a number of years and it was so nice to see the public back in this year and able to get up close to a host of celebrities and professional golfers. It is covered by Sky Sports Golf and if you check their listings should be on, if not now then very soon.

I was up there nice and early on the Monday to do some filming as always even though play doesn’t get under way until the Tuesday where there is a celebrity team event. Wednesday and Thursday is the professional event with a £50,000 first prize up for grabs and the week concludes with another celebrity event on the Friday.

For the first time ever, I got to play the course on the Monday which was a huge thrill but also very daunting. It is one thing watching the famous faces take on the course and another to stand there and have to do it yourself. I managed to capture my nine holes on camera which you can watch here (Hacking It Round (Maybe)) Some may say it’s an idiots guide to playing it and in my defence it was one of the hottest days of the year, I was extremely nervous and wasn’t in great form at my home club. As you can see there was some good stuff in there as well as getting well and truly bitten on some holes. I did actually play a couple more loops of nine off camera and was invited to play a few holes with former world darts champion Keith Deller and former European tour winner and Ryder Cup player Jarmo Sandelin which did nothing to soothe the nerves. I don’t think I disgraced myself.

Your host letting one fly at the first hole

Aside from playing the course I have also produced two videos giving you a far more in depth hole by hole guide to the Cromwell Course which you can see here. I hope it shows just how tight and difficult this course really is and some of the pit falls awaiting. Watch them here (Not Just A Pitch & Putt (Part One)) and here (Not Just A Pitch & Putt (Part Two))

This year as in the past I had a media pass courtesy of Champions (UK) plc. My thanks once again to them as it makes a real difference to a tiny youtube channel and blog to get some very privileged access to the famous faces on show. See what the likes of Dan Walker, Trish Johnson, Amy Boulden, Peter Baker and many others had to say about the course and the event, and what they are up to at the moment. There are some really interesting insights. You can see them here (Famous Faces) and (Some Familiar Faces)

Solheim Cup Legend and Arsenal Fan Trish Johnson

The Farmfoods British Par 3 is very similar to the Masters Par 3 in regards to the relaxed yet competitive atmosphere. It holds a special place in the history of British golf and played long before it became tradition in the Masters. The championship had its origins in the old short course professional championship which was played at the Palace Hotel in Torquay from 1933 to 1973. Professional Sid Mouland who won in Torquay in the 1960’s was the inspiration behind the tournament’s resurgence. He was the professional attached to Nailcote Hall before his son, and European Tour winner Mark inherited his position and was forever regaling Rick Cressman, owner of Nailcote Hall with tales of the old event at the Palace Hotel. In 1996 Sid thought Nailcote Hall was in good enough shape to take over the championship and since then Rick and his dedicated team have worked tirelessly year on year to make the event bigger and better.

TV Personality and Strictly Star Dan Walker

As I’ve alluded to, I’ve been lucky to have been attending the British Par 3 since 2018 and have enjoyed meeting some famous faces over the years who have been kind enough to come and have a chat with me year on year (no your honour I wasn’t stalking). As a real nobody in social media terms this is always a big privilege and I’ve got to meet a few of my heroes, especially the likes of Tony Jacklin who is always the host of this event each year. 

Three-time European Tour winner Phillip Price was been crowned the 2022 Farmfoods’ British Par 3 champion after coming through a play-off at Nailcote Hall in Warwickshire. The 55-year-old Welshman, who played in the 2002 Ryder Cup, picked up the coveted title and the £50,000 first prize after beating Sunningdale Heath Golf Club PGA Professional Tom Reid in a play-off. Both players finished tied on 101 (7-under), forcing the tournament into over-time before Price secured the win at the second extra hole.

Buzzing off the back of his spectacular win, Price said: “I was fortunate to win the play off really, as Tom gave it to me a bit, but I’ve got a beautiful trophy, a wheelbarrow full of cash and a happy family!” This year’s trophy was a replica of Tony Jacklin, in honour of him hosting the tournament.

An aerial shot of the Cromwell Course

Played in extremely hot conditions, and with the greens firming up throughout the week, Nailcote’s course proved a real challenge to the 62-strong professional field, with only nine players managing to finish under par. Matt Cort took third place on six under, and then there was a three-shot gap to fourth, which saw a three-way tie between Fraser Mann, Clark Dennis and 1999 Open champion Paul Lawrie. Attracting a host of stars from across the professional game, Ian Woosnam finished in a share of tenth with Simon Khan, Costantino Rocca and Gary Wolstenholme, while Charley Hull was the highest placed of a strong female contingent, finishing on +4 in tied 20th.

As always, it was another fabulous experience and is definitely the highlight of my golfing year. I am very proud of my growing association with the event and my continuing presence and the content I can provide. If you go over to Youtube and check out the Three Off The Tee channel here Three Off The Tee Youtube Channel and see my content from previous years. There is some good stuff on there and as you’ll see I’ve managed to meet a host of famous faces along the way. While you are there check out my other content especially the product reviews and don’t forget to subscribe while you are there. Your support really make a difference.

I hope you enjoyed this blog and it has whetted your appetite for the British Par 3 Championship and you’ll keep an eye out for it in the future. If you get the chance to attend in 2023 I really encourage you to do so and if you leave a comment on my social media it would be nice to meet up with a few of you. I will be back for another blog soon but in the meantime keep safe and keep golfing.

 

Course Review - East Berkshire Golf Club

Greetings one and all and welcome back to another slice of the Three Off The Tee blog. I hope you are all well and your golfing handicaps are tumbling especially in this exceptionally warm weather we are having, at least in deepest, darkest Berkshire.

I recently did a course review on The Caversham which you can read here - The Caversham course review following my visit after the merger with Reading golf club and some extensive changes to the course. I am back with another review which I hope will whet your appetite to visit and play there if you are ever in the vicinity. With that teaser lets crack on.

Have you ever heard the term "hidden gem" regarding a golf course that you perhaps should have played or have never even heard of but paly and it is a real joy. My visit to East Berkshire falls very much into the first of those and it is a course almost on my doorstep that I have never played despite it being perhaps even close to my home than my home club Royal Ascot. It was time to rectify this. Perhaps even stranger is the fact we have East Berks on our club reciprocal list so there has been no excuses. 

I took advantage of my own club being severely impacted by the Royal Ascot race meeting to book a tee time for a four ball. I arrived early (as is normal for me). I don't know about you but I am always a little nervous arriving at a new club for the first time and wary of the reception I may get. Even in these modern times with golf enjoying a boom, some clubs seem to have a very archaic view to visitors. I had no worries on this score and the staff in the professional shop were very friendly and accommodating and let me know where everything was. 

As I was there early I was able to avail myself of the practice facilities including a really well kept short game area (including several bunkers) and a large putting green. The short game area was a welcome site given the flaky nature of my chipping and pitching at the best of times, and the putting green was a real eye opener to the speed of the greens we'd be facing on the course and did little to put me in a putting comfort zone.

The East Berkshire Golf club was founded in 1903. I've taken their history from the club website which you can visit here - East Berkshire Golf Club website

Designed in 1903 by Peter Paxton, East Berkshire was originally a heathland course but has evolved into a mature tree-lined parkland course.  Paxton was adept at using the natural water courses that flow on the land to guard the greens. Heather too was used as a feature to provide cross hazards on some of the longer holes, reducing the need for bunkers and maintaining a natural look to the course. These natural barriers and cleverly designed doglegs mean the course plays a lot longer than the 6,200 yardage suggests. Coupled with fast undulating greens, this makes for a real challenge of not only a player's striking ability but also their discipline and course strategy, as the competitors of the annual East Berks Stag will testify. Shaped fairways leading into well-defined semi rough helps to identify the driving areas and carefully placed greenside hazards ensure that wayward shots go unrewarded. East Berks' famous guests are too numerous to mention. The South Africans Bobby Locke and Gary Player were frequent visitors to the club in the 60's and 70's.

We were invited to enjoy the course off the white tees which was a nice touch and although this wouldn't make much of a difference in the overall distance as the scorecard below shows, it was nice to see what the members would face in their monthly medal.

All of the golf holes are named and the first is called Paxton after the original designer. It is a strange hole, not long in length but one that poses a real dilemma on the tee to ensure the right club is taken to avoid the danger. While it is a gentle start, it is not to be underestimated. Long hitters can try to drive the green but invariably this is a rash decision, especially as the first hole of the day. Heather, trees and bushes encroach on all sides. The percentage play is to determine the pin position and play a positional club from the tee. If the pin is tucked right, favour the left half of the fairway, without concern for distance. The longer you stand on the first tee the more the trouble seems to pinch in and make finding the fairway harder and harder. 

It is definitely a well designed course and the third hole, called "Trackside" as it runs along a railway line, is a fine demonstration that you don't always need bunkers to make a hole difficult. Measuring 429 yards off the white tees with out of bounds down the left longer hitters can get home in two but anything long and right will be blocked out and as you have to favour the left side to get optimum distance and so are always flirting with the out of bounds.

The East Berkshire Scorecard

The first par three is a real gem. Called Garnett's Gem it is only 148 yards off the white tees it has a large green and so club selection can be hard and there is water lurking left and it is preferable to be longer rather than short.

"Heather Drive" marks the tenth hole and at 437yards it is a test. East Berkshire has seven par fours that play over 400 yards off the white tees and so all are a challenge for the average club golfer. The tenth is a great hole that can reward brain and brawn equally. At last, long hitters will get the feeling they can wind up a little, an opportunity here to hit a high draw around the corner. But anything left will be in the garden of the houses adjoining the course and is a reload and anything long and right will be blocked out. The smartest play is for the right side of the fairway, leaving a longer shot in. The green entrance is narrow and the left side must be avoided at all costs. 

The closing hole "Nearly Home" is yet another par four that is over 400 yards playing 413 yards. It is a great finishing hole. The longer a golfer can drive, the more they should keep snug right off the tee, as anything left can leave a difficult approach over trees or sharply round them, I actually played it well and despite putting it in the right hand green side bunker I played a great bunker shot that rose high over the lip, checked on landing and then rolled at dead weight into the hole for a closing birdie.

If you are familiar with all my product and course reviews you know I always conclude with marking in several categories and giving my final score. As always, these views are strictly my own and impartial and East Berkshire has had no input and I have not received any remuneration for my thoughts.

Course Layout - As I've mentioned, East Berkshire has been a bit of a hidden gem and has sat there in plain view since I moved to the Bracknell area of Berkshire over three decades ago. It is a beautiful layout and although not long compared to some of the more modern courses, it is a thinking golfers course. The long par fours, of which there are many over 400 yards are a challenge without feeling like a slog. There is only one par five, which is relatively short at 495 yards off the whites. Only one par three is over two hundred yards but all of them ask their own questions. 

The course does undulate a little in places but it couldn't be considered a hard walk. We played in the middle of June with the thermometer touching 30 degrees and while it was hot and humid I didn't feel overly fatigued at the end of the round. 

The layout flows nicely and there isn't too many overly long walks from green to tee. The greens are large in places but not like the modern green complexes on many newer courses. 

Score - The layout has a very old fashioned feel to it and is perhaps an epitome of the club as a whole. It is one take requires guile and in places playing a few times to discover the nuances and a strategy to navigate your ball around successfully but it is none the worse for this. 8.5/10

Course Condition - What can I say? A hidden gem on my doorstep and one that was in magnificent condition throughout. As I've mentioned it isn't a long course but the tees, fairways, bunkers and greens were all in top order. In fact I'll go as far as to say the greens were the best I've played on all season. They were covered in an even swathe and were quick. Lightening quick. They were also very true and so while the speed was tricky to deal with initially, if you picked your line the ball didn't deviate from it. 

The standard of the greens should have come as no surprise given the condition of the practice green but even the green on the chipping area was good enough to putt on. 

Score - It was hard to pick fault with any of the course presentation. It was all in top nick and there were a large number of staff on the course working away as we played and it was evident they took great pride in the product they were producing. 9/10

Facilities - The club doesn't have a lot of room but it makes the most of what it has. There is a very good short game area with numerous flags to aim at on a contoured green along with a practice bunker. There is a large putting green as well which was the same speed as the greens on the course which is a real bugbear of mine when the practice facility bears no resemblance once you start putting for real. 

The clubhouse is perhaps a little old fashioned and quaint for some with its large leather sofas and honour boards on the wall but for me it was none the worse for it. The bar was well appointed with a number of lagers and local bitters on offer. There is a large changing area and visitors are able to use this and aren't shunted off into some small area elsewhere.

The professional shop was well appointed and the staff were friendly and welcoming as were the staff serving in the bar and we were made to feel welcome. The few members we met on the way round and as we came off the eighteen were all polite and we didn't have any issues. 8.5/10

Welcome - I arrived very early but it wasn't an issue and the professional shop staff told me all I needed to know and then pointed me towards the short game area to idle some time and to hone my flaky technique. Once the rest of the fourball arrived we were dealt with well and when we brought up the option of playing off the white tees there were no issues. 

I had heard stories over the years from various quarters about East Berkshire being a stuffy place, set in their ways and a very cliquey place to be. I saw no evidence of that during my visit. The service in the 19th was swift and efficient. I would need to go back a few times and see how the club worked for example at the weekend and how new members get acclimatised into the club and how easy it would be to get a game but that is perhaps nit picking and not for this piece. 8/10

Value For Money - As this was a reciprocal, we got our round for free which of course is ideal. The green fees are on the club website (check them out here - Green Fees) and while on the face of it they seem high, and of course we know how tight money is for many people at the moment, I think given the condition of the course once you play, on balance it is pretty on trend with East Berkshire's closest neighbours and for the area in general. County cards are welcome and on presentation will give a not insignificant discount, which may be worth bearing in mind if you are thinking of visiting. Value for money is always a subjective section and perhaps the hardest to be objective but given the flourishing interest since lockdown I think the pricing is representative. 8/10

Overall - Why haven't I ever been here before? What a wonderful place and right on my doorstep. What was I thinking? It is a reciprocal so why have I not been all over this before especially when the Royal Ascot race meeting makes playing my own course so awkward.

It was a very interesting course, immaculately presented and there was plenty off the course for members and visitors to enjoy from the practice facilities (I'm not sure I'd ever move from that short game area given my current woes) to the clubhouse and all that had to offer. Haven't waited so long for my first visit I won't be leaving it as long before the next. 8.5/10

Course Review - The Caversham

Hello one and all and welcome to another blog. I hope now we're in the peak of the golfing season you are enjoying the warm weather (at least here in the south of England) and are out playing and playing well.

This blog is a course review. It has been a while since I have done once of these primarily as Covid put paid to a chance to play as many other courses as I'd have wanted. I was fortunate enough to be picked to play a club match for Royal Ascot away against The Caversham, based in Mapledurham, not far from Reading itself. 

The Caversham was formerly know as Caversham Heath and I have been luck enough to play this fixture both home and away over a number of years and have built up some very strong friendships as a result. I haven't been to the club since the pandemic first struck but much has changed in the intervening period. 

As you will see on the website (The Caversham website) it is now the home of Reading Golf Club. Reading Golf Club elected to sell their land for development and as a result merged with Caversham Heath. The local golfing grapevine seemed to hint that it was more of a takeover and not completely well received but in whichever form it took, Reading Golf Club are now fully established and the name change reflects the new chapter in the club history.

Much has changed as a result. The fine clubhouse set into a hillside is still there and provides a warm and welcoming place for visitors upon arrival and to enjoy a pre or post round drink in. The food has always been excellent and the full English breakfast served prior to the match was top quality, warm and plentiful.

However the changes are obvious right outside the clubhouse. There is now a fantastic short game area just outside the clubhouse to give golfers a chance to hone their skills before a round or for the members to work on their game. It is heavily contoured which is a prelude to the fun to come but a dramatic and vast improvement to a tired old area perched high on a hill adjacent to the old first tee. 

The driving range is still situated at the top of the same hill and so represents a trek to reach, but again, it has been improved and is over 300 yards long and with distance markers to help with distance control. 

Whilst these changes alone represent significant improvements and are indicative of the money that has been invested since Reading Golf Club arrived, it isn't until you get onto the course itself that you really see what has been happening.

The original course was designed a David Williams design but it has been redesigned by Canadian architect Tom McBroom who felt it lacked variety and was hampered by some long walks between holes. This has involved some major changes including a new, redesigned first hole which now starts nearer the clubhouse and dog legs to the right to a newly designed green. The second now plays as a par three, down to the original first green.

The thirteenth hole has been removed and replaced with a short par four. The old sixteenth has been changed into a par three and the closing hole has been significantly altered with the green shifted to a new hillside location underneath the clubhouse which allows spectators a close up view of the closing dramas.

The construction work was carried out by Ely Golf. The club has also dramatically improved the bunkers and have installed many more fairway and greenside bunkers. These really ask the golfer a question off the tee now and a premium is now placed on placement rather than distance as was the case with the old design. The new bunkering is bold and sits perfectly in the topography and the bunkering visuals on the first hole very much set the tone of what is to come.

The course benefits from a number of sets of tees and measures 7,265 from the black tees (reserved for championship golf) to 5,519 off the forward orange tees. In between there are green tees (6,003), blue/green (6,180), blue (6,445), gold/blue (6,584) and gold (6,720).    There is a board outside the clubhouse that recommends the tees to use based on playing handicap. The match was played of the green/blue combo although in hindsight I would have preferred it to have been off the blue tees. 

The Caversham scorecard

The greens at The Caversham have always been heavily contoured. In our club matches this has always led to some "interesting" putts subject to the location of the ball and the pin placement and it would prove so again. The contours definitely provide some defence to the course and I can imagine when the club hosts professional tournaments or for their major events, the pin placements can be challenging.

So having played it in the original and new format, how would I rate the Eyston course. As with all my product or course reviews, all opinions are strictly my own and I don't receive any remuneration and the company or club have no influence or input.

Course Layout - As I've alluded, The Caversham has undergone major changes since my last visit in its guise as Caversham Heath. I have always liked the course, even in the original format and indeed were I to live nearer it would be one of the first I would be considering to join. However, having now enjoyed the new format, it is fair to say the course has changed significantly and very much for the better. 

The new layout flows much better as a golfing experience without some of the gaps between holes. The new first hole represents a gentle introduction to the round and itself is one that no longer has a long walk from the clubhouse to the first tee. As you stand there your eyes are drawn to the flow of the hole as it dog legs right and the bunkering really shows the hole off and whets the appetite. 

Every hole now benefits from additional bunkering. While the big hitters can still take these on, for the average player, you really have to plot where you are going to place the tee shot irrespective of which tee you are playing from. It goes further and the longer holes especially the par fives and longer par fours also have bunkers strategically placed to challenge the approach shots.

The closing hole is vastly improved courtesy of the new green complex cut into the hill and really challenges the player in terms of club selection with bunkers and large drop offs waiting for anything that doesn't find the target. The contoured green also makes sure you have to work hard to close with a par and its location offers those watching a grandstand seat on procedings.

The revised green complex at the 18th hole cut more into the hillside

Score - It is always difficult to be subjective when a course undergoes such major changes but the work done here has been done sympathetically and has been subject to much thought and attention to detail. As a layout I think it works really well and is a step up on the previous course. 8.5/10

Condition - Let me start with a huge caveat. The club played the match shortly after there had been green maintenance and so there were issues. However as we all know this is necessary work that can't be helped and so it was just unfortunate that it coincided with the game.

As a result, the greens were very slow and sandy but were also rock hard meaning anything pitched onto the putting surface, even with a short iron would struggle to pitch and hold meaning a lot of shots had to be played in short and run up which with the green complex contouring isn't really how it has been designed to be played.

On a more positive note, the tee boxes were in excellent condition with a decent swathe of grass on each. The tee markers were all aligned squarely in the direction of play (a real bug bear is lazy greenkeeping where the tee markers line you up way out towards the rough or away from a green) and there were a large amount of seed boxes so golfers could repair any damage. 

I was fortunate on the day not to visit too many bunkers on the course but those I did go in along with the one on the short game area were all in excellent condition with a nice quality of sand and more importantly a uniformed depth. Some of the bunkers are quite deep meaning anyone hitting into one off the tee will struggle to make the green in regulation (so are a real hazard and to be avoided) and those around the green will need a precise shot to get the ball close. Indeed some represent a challenge to escape from at all and so a strong bunker game around the green is recommended. 

Score - This is difficult because of the work that had been done and the impact it had on the condition of the greens. I feel I can only score based on my experience on the day but do feel if I was to revisit my thoughts on the conditioning will be improved according. 7/10

Facilities - The clubhouse is warm and guests receive a warm welcome from both the staff in the professional shop and in the bar area. It is designed in a airy modern manner. The locker rooms are accessible via a key pad entry system (code available from the pro shop) and is large with plenty of wooden lockers for the members and significant space to get changed. It lacks any visitor lockers but aside from that the locker rooms are perfectly adequate.

The clubhouse has the bar area situated upstairs which is in good order. There are a good range of beers and wines on offer and the food has always been very good when I eaten there. The seating is comfortable and the clubhouse is regularly used as a venue for weddings and other events. The members also have a balcony area overlooking the eighteenth hole which is a great venue to enjoy the closing action. It also looks across towards the first hole. 

From a golfing perspective, the club has undoubtedly benefitted from the investment made and the new short game area and revamped driving range are excellent additions whether it is for a visitor to warm up before a game or form members to look to improve. The condition of the short game area matched the greens on the course (which isn't always the case) and was in constant use during my visit. 

Score - the clubhouse has always been a welcoming retreat and I am pleased it has remained so. The short game area and range have really improved things 8/10

Welcome - This is always an important aspect and I'm sad to say even in this day and age so many clubs seem to want to take your money but don't make you feel welcome. I'm pleased to say this has always been far from the case either as Caversham Heath or now as The Caversham. The staff throughout are friendly and welcoming. Having been a regular visitor for many years I've built up a great rapport with some of the former Caversham Heath members but on this visit all of the hosting side were gregarious (except out on the course in the match). It was great to see some old faces, especially after these difficult few years, and to make some new golfing acquaintances.

Score - I have always been made very welcome and this was no exception. It really has a happy feel to the place and I really enjoy my games here and the way I am looked after. 9/10

Value For Money - This is another area that is hard for me to quantify as I've only played as part of a team and so haven't had to pay a green fee. The prices are on the website (and can be seen here - Green Fees) and county cards are also accepted. Looking at the prices and then judging these against criteria such as location, layout, condition etc I would suggest they represent a fair representation of green fees in the current golfing environment which has seen the sport flourish since lockdown. 

Score - I've based this purely on where the prices sit with other local courses including The Club at Mapledurham which sits on the other side of the road. 7.5/10

Overall - As always I enjoyed my visit. The Caversham is clearly a new club with a new identity but it has ensured it didn't lose what it had before and I think it has come out of the merger stronger as a result. The course has certainly manifested into a really good track and is now an interesting and question asking layout irrespective of the tees in play. 

The new features both on and off the course have enhanced a visit and the welcome before and after a round is as good as it has been. It is definitely a club match I long to play every year and always have great fun even if the result rarely seems to go my way. I feel I have to go back to the condition of the greens which was the only real negative but one of those things and don't feel anyone reading this should be put off. The work has to be done

Score - 8/10 

I have taken everything into consideration and feel with time the changes to the course will only improve it further and that mark will improve. It is definitely worth a visit and I don't think you'll be disappointed. I am keen to play it again and can imagine the greens at this time of year will be very different. 

Thank you for taking the time to read this review. It has been a while but I have several more coming for you to enjoy in the next few weeks. If you have any comments please let me know especially if you have played The Caversham. Do you agree with my assessment? Comments can left at the bottom of the blog or via my social media accounts:

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I hope you'll join me for more interesting golfing stories, reviews and exploits soon. Please get involved with your comments and keep playing well.

When The Circus Comes To Town

Welcome to another blog. It's been a while. I've had a very stop start season to date and haven't been in the rudest of health (as you'll see) and so my golf has been intermittent and very in and out.

My home course, Royal Ascot (Royal Ascot Website) has played host to the Jamega Tour (check their website Jamega Tour) for a pro-am on the Sunday and a two day event for the professionals on the Monday and Tuesday with a £10,000 to play for. The Jamega Pro Golf Tour was launched in 2005, creating a platform for professional golfers to experience life as a touring pro. Since then the tour has witnessed several Jamega Pro Golf Tour players progressing to European tour and Challenge tour status. This includes Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston, Tyrrell Hatton, Todd Clements and Zane Scotland.

During the season there are a series of mini order of merits that give the professionals some cash bonuses and free entry to the 2023/24 season so plenty to entice the players and add an extra layer of pressure as they tee it up each time.

The Jamega Tour is the longest running tour for developing golfers and trying to pr0gress them up the golfing echelons but it is not the only act in town:

2020protour

Founded by European Tour player Chris Hanson and his caddy Adam Walker, the 2020pro tour (website here - 2020 Tour) has burst onto the scene in 2020 with great success. With an equitable policy that seen a female winner, the 2020protour features plenty of big prizes for participating players including a race to 100 birdies £20000 prize.

Clutch Pro Tour

The Clutch Pro Tour )website here - Clutch Pro Tour another Mini Tour that has really come into its own this year. With prize pots of £10000 to the winner of Major events, its no surprise the Tour has attracted the likes of European Tour regulars Andy Sullivan, Richard Bland, and Robert Rock. Big partnerships with the likes of Mizuno Golf and Modest Golf Management has really thrust the Clutch Pro Tour to the top of the order.

1836 Golf Tour

The 1836 Golf Tour (website here - 1836 Tour) is one of the more established Mini Tours having been around for a number of years now. Like most Tours, it offers a comprehensive order of merit and plenty of incentives for players looking to make the step to bigger things. Created for professionals by professionals, 1836 packs in a strong annual calendar and season ending finale.

The circus stop at Royal Ascot each year is hugely popular with both the members who are always fill the pro-am slots and the professionals who are always hugely complementary about the course and the event as a whole. The pro-am was blessed with warm and sunny conditions and the green staff had done an excellent job in making the course look superb visually and play equally as well.

I was playing with my long time friend Geoff Jones who can be vary dangerous of his handicap and after a late drop-out, our recently installed Club General Manager Stephen Nicholson. We were paired with a wonderful young professional called Ricky Brackenbury. Now as you will recall health has been an issue recently and in the days running up to the day I had been feeling decidedly under the weather with Covid like symptoms although all the tests were negative. On the Saturday I had a really bad pain in my groin where I knew I already had an inguinal hernia and my immediate concern was I had done that more damage. I was very undecided about playing but having committed my entry (and as my friends will testify I try and be financially prudent, or as others call it tight) I decided to play.

The Dream Team

My round on Saturday was a mental battle and mind over matter as the pain in my groin was severe and I could feel it both walking between shots but also playing every shot. It was a monthly stableford and I finished 5th in my division despite not scoring on the 16th and 17th so was very pleased with how I ground a score out.

The downside to that was the groin was even more sore on Sunday and to be honest I struggled at times to make a contribution to the team better ball score. I was trying hard but nothing was happening. Ricky was playing some great golf and was unlucky around the greens. He managed to finally get on the birdie train towards the latter part of the round and would eventually finish 12th in the professional event. Our team tied 11th so no loss of face. The highlight for me was the penultimate hole (our first on the course) which is a par three playing 164 yards on the day. I have never had a hole in one and given how I was playing the chances were remote of changing that. I hit a little five hybrid sweet and straight and it landed on the front of the green, ran towards the hole, having a cursory look on the way past and finished a foot behind the cup.

It would definitely not been the day to get a hole in one from a cost perspective but it was my best shot of the day and won nearest the pin and a four ball voucher to play Chobham Golf Club (view their website - Chobham Golf Club).

And so to the main event and the two day professional event. As always when the bandwagon stops in town it is a fiercely competitive event. This year was no different and with some sunny, if breezy conditions, scoring was good. It was a very close run affair but in the end Barnes Wallis triumphed with a two round score of -10. He shot 63 (-7) in round one and held off some tough play from the other contenders and his 67 (-3) on day two got it done.

It is always an interesting experience to watch these professionals up close. They are good but when you bear in mind they are only on the bottom rung of the professional ladder it brings into stark perspective just how good the players at the next level are and then when you add in the Europro and Challenge tour players it is clear why it takes a lot of talent, hard work and a chunk of luck to progress and make it at these higher levels.

A lot of the professionals use the tour as a way of earning some additional cash alongside their day to day jobs. The Jamega Tour is professionally run and Gary Harris as tournament director runs a very efficient if tight ship.

If the bandwagon stops at your home club or maybe another club local to you it is worth going out and seeing some of the action and if you get a chance to play in the pro-am it is an experience I am sure you'll enjoy

I hope you enjoyed this blog. If you have played in a Jamega Tour event or pro-am let me know what you thought in the comments section or via my social media. I have some exciting stuff coming up in the next few weeks and I'll be bringing some blogs show casing these. I will also be doing a couple of product reviews which will be on my Youtube channel (please check it out - Three Off The Tee Youtube Channel). I will also be making my annual pilgrimage to the British Par 3 championship at Nailcote Hall (sponsored by Farmfoods) from 9th-12th August. Hopefully I'll be able to catch up with some of the professionals and celebrities and bring you some great content. It's always a great few days and I hope you enjoy the content.

If you have been a previous visitor to this humble blog then you'll know I am using CBD oil and other products to see what impact it has on my golf over the year. You can check out part one - (CBD Oil Part One) and part two is available here (CBD Oil Part Two). If you read these you'll be aware there is a free to enter competition coming up and I'll be announcing details very soon. You won't want to miss this.

Plenty to get your teeth into and thank you for your continued support. I look forward to bringing everything to you soon and equally hope you enjoy reading it. See you soon and I hope your golf is going well in 2022.