PGA Advanced Fellow Anders Mankert (pictured above) was ‘surprised and delighted’ to receive a handwritten note ‘with compliments’ from the chairman of the R&A, Ian Pattinson, after he had seen this recent video of his newly opened golf course at Oadby, Leicester.
Mankert has been described as the ‘man changing golf’ and he has no rules and no dress code, unlike many golfing venues, which is something he believes can deter people from taking up the game.
Mr.Pattinson writes: “I just had to sit down and send you this note. I think it is absolutely brilliant and I think what you are doing is just great. Very many congratulations and keep up the great work you are doing to get new people into our game. Leicester is not very close to me, but should I get within 50 miles of it, I will make a detour and come for a few holes. With my best regards.”
Mankert said: “I was surprised and thrilled to receive a handwritten note from the chairman of the R&A – the governing body of our game – so soon after we had opened our 9-hole Gallops course which is on the old Oadby GC which closed in 2012 and the lease of part of which I took on last year.
“The reopening of the course, which features three completely new holes, was the second main phase of our development here into the new Leicester Golf Centre. The first was the 16-bay Top Tracer range which has proved extremely popular.
“So is the new course, opened for play only a month ago now. Indeed, it is amazing to see that we are generating so much interest within the game and that it is being noticed at such a high level. It shows that we are starting to reach people quickly in far less time than I thought it may take.
“It also shows how positive the R&A are in taking golf forward in a modern way. This is something which we are trying to do here by having no dress code and no rules, and being open to everyone. We focus on a warm, friendly welcome, and want people of all ages, including families, to have a good time within a sporting environment.
“So an accolade like this is extremely encouraging and makes me and all my staff more determined than ever to maintain and develop our initiatives within golf and to make it possible for more people to enjoy what has to be a changing game to grow its appeal now and in the future.”
Leicester Golf Centre https://leicestergolfcentre.co.uk/