Leading golfers in the PGA Southern Region will play in the inaugural Jersey Professional Short Course Championship to be held on Friday 29th September at Wheatlands Golf Course.
Jersey was the home of Harry Vardon, a regular participant in the British Professional Short Course Championship which was played annually at The Palace Hotel, Torquay until 1973. The event was recently resurrected at Nailcote Hall under the guidance of Sid Mouland and Carl Mason won the title in 1999.
Wheatlands, which was created by its proprietor Nick Le Couteur, is situated in rolling countryside. The challenging layout includes the 195 yard “Wishing Well” hole, where the hog’s back green is surrounded by water on three sides, and “Ron’s Trap” – the final hole with two thirds of the green protected by water. The course was opened in 1994 by Ian Woosnam, a local resident of the Parish of St Peter.
Whilst the course continues to mature it received an accolade from Alain Rouget of Senior French Golf who has described Wheatlands as “one of the most beautiful executive golf courses in the world” – something which head greenkeeper Dennis Le Breton accepts in striving to maintain a high presentation of the course.
Golf tourism is very much a part of Wheatlands which has 20 ensuite rooms and is a frequent resting place for UK golfers coming on shorthaul, short break recreational golf trips to play on Jersey’s six golf courses.
In looking forward to the event Nick Le Couteur said, “We are very excited looking forward to the event. We want to build on the success of Nailcote Hall and Burgess Hill which, in the future, may see similar events take place on par 3 courses in the other PGA regions.”