Morecambe Bay Golf Festival

The response to their eighth Annual Golf Festival which will be held from Monday 8th to Friday 12th September at Heysham, Lancaster and Morecambe Golf Clubs has delighted the Festival Committee.

Golfers are being attracted from far and wide including all parts of the North of England, the Midlands, Scotland and Wales.

The Tourism Offices continue to receive enquiries and local hotels are taking many bookings.

The Festival is going from strength to strength with a continuing increase in entries. Each year the Festival receives generous support from the business and private sectors.

Sponsors are attracted each year and the Festival Committee were delighted that the following companies are continuing their association by sponsoring one of the daily events - Mitchell's of Lancaster, Metamark, InBev UK Ltd, Farrell Heyworth, Ratcliffe and Bibby, Fore Publications and Fine and Country.

The programme includes Men's Fourballs, Team Events, a Texas Scramble and the Festival Trophy.

This trophy kindly donated by Classic Gifts & Engravers Limited of Morecambe is the prize for the 3-day event played as pairs combination, with many entries already received.

There is an Open (Mens/Ladies/Mixed) Team Event and a Ladies Team Competition which is already full. The total amount of prize money has been increased to £9,000.00.

At this stage, two months before the Festival entries have reached over 1,900.

There are limited spaces available, and golfers wishing to participate should apply as soon as possible.

If you require an entry form or further details, please contact the Festival Organisers: Rob Kavanagh Tel: 01524 853116 or Sam Holmes Tel/Fax: 01524 855200.

The Story So Far. The First Eight Years.

In June 2000, Heysham, Lancaster and Morecambe Gold Clubs combined to create the Morecambe Bay Golf Festival with a number of objectives.

It was hoped to be able to promote and develop the facilities of Heysham, Morecambe and Lancaster Golf Clubs and to make golfers aware of a region of outstanding natural beauty and its many attractions.

By staging the festival in early September it was anticipated that it would extend not only the Golfing Season but also increase the number of visitors visiting and staying in the area and extend the Tourist Season.

With this in mind the Festival was generously endorsed for the first three years by Lancaster City Council and enabled the Committee to present prizes to the value of £6,000.00. As National and Local companies have sponsored the Events, the prize fund has now been increased to £9,000.00.

Each day Competitions are held at two of the Clubs and consist of pairs or team events. There is also a three day event with a prize for the overall winning pair who receive the Festival Trophy and replicas. This present format meets with the approval of the visiting golfers.

The Festival attracts golfers from all over the United Kingdom and it is hoped that not only do they return but do so having spread the gospel and introduce new competitors. Each year golfers residing out of the region total over 65% of the entries.

At the outset in 2000, Gary Wolstenholme MBE, the twice English Amateur Champion and Walker Cup Player who has many local connections agreed to be the Honorary President of the Festival and he promotes the event at every opportunity. This year having played in the U.S. Open, Gary who is an Honorary Member of Heysham G.C. and Morecambe G.C. is able to play during the Festival and his presence is appreciated.

The festival continues to grow and each year the Committee are grateful for the support they receive in Sponsorship which enable new innovations to be introduced. The past two years has seen the introduction of a charity appeal with the money raised being donated to the Macmillan Cancer Appeal.

Finally, the revenue raised by the Festival has been used by the three clubs in different ways improving amenities and including the construction of a Halfway House at Morecambe Golf Club and creating a fund for the centenary celebrations in 2010 at Heysham Golf Club.

Morecambe Bay Golf Festival 2008 Programme.

Monday 8th September	Morecambe G.C. - Men's Team Event Kindly sponsored by
	Heysham G.C. - Men's 4 Ball B/B Stableford Kindly sponsored by

Tuesday 9th September	Lancaster G.C. - Men's Team Event (am) and Ladies Team Event (p.m.) Kindly sponsored by
	Heysham G.C. - Men's 4 Ball B/B Stableford Kindly sponsored by

Wednesday 10th September	Lancaster G.C. - Men's Texas Scramble Kindly sponsored by
	Morecambe G.C. - Men's 4 Ball B/B Stableford Kindly sponsored by

Thursday 11th September	Morecambe G.C. - Any Combination Team Event Kindly sponsored by
	Lancaster G.C. - Men's 4 Ball B/B Stableford* Kindly sponsored by

Friday 12th September	Heysham G.C. - Men's Team Event Kindly sponsored by
	Lancaster G.C. - Men's 4 Ball B/B Stableford Kindly sponsored by

*Festival Trophy*
Kindly donted by Classic gifts & Engravers Ltd for best 3-Day scores.
Presentation of Prizes at each club after the Competition
Handicap Limits - Ladies 32. Men 21. 7/8th Handicap

2007 Results

Monday 10th September 2007	Lancaster G.C. - Men's Team Event
1st	Pearce, Williams, Ashton, Wurzen 81pts
2nd	Seacey, Knowles, Carter & Coupe 80pts
3rd	Teasdale, Teasdale,Teasdale & Teasdale 79pts
4th	Shacklady, Leighton, Leonard & Ward 78pts A.c.p.o
5th	Bateson, Campion, Ingram & Bentley 78pts A.c.p.o
6th	Wappit, Metcalf, Clough & Johnston 78pts A.c.p.o
	Morecambe G.C. - Men's 4 Ball B/B Stableford
1st	L. Hunt & M. Parker 43pts
2nd	S. Stamper & J.McLean 42pts a.c.p.o
3rd	D. Dale & R. Bain 41pts A.c.p.o
4th	M. Wells & M. Motley 41pts A.c.p.o
5th	R. Gow & R. Mitchell 40pts A.c.p.o
6th	A. Varley & K. Hollinshead 40pts A.c.p.o

Tuesday 11th September 2007	Heysham G.C. - Mens Team Event
1st	T. Thornburrow, J. Leaman, A. Bargh & C.Casson 84pts
2nd	A. Atkinson, G. Atkinson, G. Tomlinson & P. Bellwood 83pts
3rd	M. Ainsworth, G. Knowles, S. Aspinall & J. Smith 82pts
4th	D. Stubbins, T. Stephenson, J. McIntyre & J. Lynn 82pts
	Heysham G.C. - Ladies Team Event
1st	B. Bateson, C. Cook, J. Birr & B. Thompson 95pts
2nd	J. Gow, J. Taylor. S. Jones & L. Chadwick 89pts
3rd	E. Sutton, J. Crossfield, T. Parkin & S.Campbell 86pts
4th	W. Nuttall, S. Conroy, B. Booth & D. Ogden 85pts
	Morecambe G.C. - Men's 4 Ball B/B Stableford
1st	B. Thompson & A. Olbinson 45pts
2nd	J. McGinley & I. Gillespie 44pts A.c.p.o
3rd	M. Harris & R. Harris 44pts A.c.p.o
4th	P. Pither & N. Barnwell 43pts A.c.p.o
5th	B. Holden & B. Cooper 43pts A.c.p.o
6th	D. Hutchcraft & P. Ashcroft 43pts A.c.p.o

Wednesday 12th September 2007	Heysham G.C. - Men's Team Event
1st	A. Anderton, P. Bracewell P. Manley & S. Harwood 88pts A.c.p.o
2nd	P. Edmondson, M. Armer M. Fox & T. Hudson 88pts A.c.p.o
3rd	J. Kierby, P. Cottam, B. Hayton & S. Holden 88pts A.c.p.o
4th	R.Ball, D.Latham, J. Kenyon & J. Entwistle 87pts A.c.p.o
5th	T. Holmes, A. Miller, J.Storey & M. O'Connor 85pts
6th	C. Brown, P.Williams, D. Williams & J. Hurley 84pts
	Lancaster G.C. - Men's 4 Ball B/B Stableford
1st	B. Sanders & C. Kelly 45pts
2nd	A. Green & J. Salthouse 43pts
3rd	C. Dean & C. Smith 42pts A.c.p.o
4th	C. Smith & A. Blundell 42pts A.c.p.o
5th	J. Peel & K. Ayre 42pts A.c.p.o
6th	K. Mutton & P. Mutton 41pts

Thursday 13th September 2007	Morecambe G.C Open Team Event
1st	G. Turner, J. Robinson, F. Green & M. Cheetham 94pts
2nd	P. Edmondson, T. Hudson, M. Armer & P. Brighouse 86pts
3rd	S. Knott, G. Ratcliffe, J. Holmes & J. Storey 84pts A.c.p.o
4th	H. Steele, T. Richards, D.Rhodes & P.Caddy 84pts A.c.p.o
5th	D. Hutchinson, G. Peacock, A. Peacock & A. Kershaw 83pts
6th	A. Farrer, J. McLean, A. Robinson & P. Niven 82pts A.c.p.o
1st	W. Charnley, J. Driver, R. Seymour, L. Calderbank
	Heysham G.C. - Mens 4 Ball B/B Stableford
1st	P. Edgington & D. Rose 47pts
2nd	S. Clawley & S. Taylor 45pts A.c.p.o
3rd	I. Gillespie & J. McGinley 45pts A.c.p.o
4th	R. Moores & T. Barker 44pts A.c.p.o
5th	G. Bell & P. Robinson 44pts A.c.p.o
6th	D. Swallow & K. Galley 44pts A.c.p.o

Friday 14th September 2007	Heysham G.C. - Men's Texas Scramble
1st	C. Brown, D. Williams, P. Williams & G. Burley 53pts
2nd	K. Charnley, K. Glen, L. Ingram & S. Lee 53.6pts A.c.p.o
3rd	T. Barker, M. Galley, K. Galley & R. Moores 53.6pts A.c.p.o
4th	J. Senior, J. Senior, S. Walton & B. Forrest 54pts A.c.p.o
5th	D. Robinson, D. Carter, P. Ingol & P. Haslem 54pts A.c.p.o
6th	A. Harding, J.P. Lamoury, J. Holchalks & N. Marshall 54pts A.c.p.o

	Lancaster G.C. - Mens 4 Ball B/B Stableford
1st	T. Holmes & A. Miller 43pts
2nd	J. Whittaker & G. Ollerton 40pts A.c.p.o
3rd	G. Saunders & G. Fell 40pts A.c.p.o
4th	M. Hopkinson & S. Wall 39pts A.c.p.o
5th	G. martin & K. Bowker 39pts A.c.p.o
6th	A. Dunn & M. Wright 39pts A.c.p.o

All results are subject to confirmation

FESTIVAL TROPHY WINNERS

I. Gillespie & J. McGinley 128pts.