The Merseyside Festival of Golf, a golfing showpiece incorporating the Merseyside English Seniors Open, a series of prestigious amateur events and a twelve-month Youth Development Programme, is being launched this September.
The Merseyside English Seniors Open, a 54-hole European Seniors Tour stroke play tournament, is to be staged at Hillside Golf Club in Southport, one of the many fine courses within England’s ‘golfing capital’ from 26th to 28th September. Featuring many of Europe’s leading senior golfers, the event is one of just seven Seniors Tour events taking place in England in 2003.
Hillside Golf Club is often described as one of the best links courses never to have hosted The Open Championship and is highly regarded by former Open champion, Greg Norman, who remarked “the back nine holes are the best in Britain”. It is set in a majestic location close to the Royal Birkdale Golf Club, on a magnificent stretch of golfing coast.
As part of the tournament, there will be a variety of interactive golf activities for the whole family, including a free public driving range where visitors can test a range of golf clubs.
The Merseyside Festival of Golf also acts as a very important medium for promoting golf at a grass roots level. In a partnership with the Golf Foundation, the Festival is operating a youth development programme, which sets out to develop interest in the game amongst younger people. The programme will include a school starter academy, where sport development can be introduced into the local education system.
The Merseyside Festival of Golf is a joint venture between Sefton and Wirral Councils and will be delivered by leading event management company, Tonge International.
John Ratcliffe, managing director of Tonge International, commented, “Initially set up to run for five years, the Festival will run between Sefton and Wirral with Hillside being the first of a number of top courses to host the event.”
More information about the Merseyside Festival of Golf is available from Neil Gray at Golf Marketing Services on 01438 718399 or from Paul Spence at Tonge International on 01704 233700
Sefton Council www.visitsouthport.com