Two of Britain’s most experienced golf coaches will reveal tips and secrets from over 100 years in the sport – including coaching Ryder Cup heroes and European Tour players – at Britain’s newest festival of golf.
PGA Master Professional Bill Ferguson, former coach to Colin Montgomerie, 2011 Open Champion Darren Clarke and five-time Major Champion Seve Ballesteros, will join Suffolk PGA Captain Frank Hill to deliver a ‘Secrets from the Tour’ coaching clinic at the brand new Thorpeness Festival of Golf.
The clinic is part of a four day golf festival at Thorpeness Hotel and Golf Club, a James Braid designed heathland course on Suffolk’s Heritage coast, from July 28-31.
The festival is the first of its kind ever to take place in East Anglia.
Frank Hill is Head Professional at host venue Thorpeness Hotel and Golf Club and captain of the PGA (Professional Golfers Association) Suffolk branch.
Hill, said: “The new Thorpeness Festival of Golf is an exciting milestone for golf in East Anglia and it’s excellent that Bill Ferguson is able to be here to share his vast knowledge and revealing tales from the heyday of European professional golf with our competitors and guests.”
Ferguson and Hill began their professional golf careers at the same time more than 50 years ago and have remained firm friends throughout their lives in the sport.
Yorkshireman Ferguson, himself a winner on the European Tour, teaches at The Leeds Golf Centre and is one of only 32 Master PGA Golf Professionals in the world.
He taught eight-time European Tour Order of Merit winner Colin Montgomerie how to play golf and worked with golf icon Seve Ballesteros and Darren Clarke during his career as a European Tour Coach. He has also been coach to The English Golf Union and the English Ladies Golf Association.
Hill played in The Open Championship on four occasions and enjoyed success on both the European Tour and European Seniors Tour as well as winning the Essex and Suffolk Championships as a professional and as an amateur.
‘Secrets from the Tour’ takes place on Tuesday July 29 and Wednesday July 30 from 8:30am at Thorpeness Golf Club practice ground.
The clinic is free to competitors in the Thorpeness Festival of Golf. Individual tickets for the clinic only can be purchased by golfers for £10 on the day.
Bill Ferguson, said: “I’m looking forward to delivering this clinic and sharing stories from my time on tour. At the same time, Frank and I will tailor our teaching to our audience and look to help individual golfers address their strengths and weaknesses to become better all-round golfers.”
Both Hill and Ferguson will be on hand to meet and greet festival guests and socialise at the festival’s gala prize giving dinner on July 30 at nearby Thorpeness Country Club.
Paul Clouting, hotel director at Thorpeness Hotel and Golf Club, said: “This clinic truly is a rare treat. To be able to pick the brains of people who taught and played with Seve and Monty, and spent time on tour practice ranges all over the world is simply priceless.”
There are places still available for the Thorpeness Festival of Golf, including three night accommodation packages in the club’s 36-bedroom golf hotel (including dinner, B&B, golf and entertainment) from £449.
Golfers can also attend individual competitions and events, including ‘Golf Unplugged,’ a golf trick shot exhibition by World Golf Trick Shot Champion Geoff Swain, a cheese and wine tasting experience hosted by Suffolk brewer Adnam’s, barbecues and a variety of golf competitions across the four days.
Thorpeness Festival of Golf www.thorpeness.co.uk