IT is no surprise that the North-East has missed out on hosting the Ryder Cup in 2010 and the chance for our great region to be promoted to a worldwide audience of 700 million.

Even those who put together such an impressive bid for golf's biggest event to be staged at Slaley Hall knew that Wales was the likely winner.

Politics plays an important part in dictating the destination of sporting jewels such as the Ryder Cup, but it was important for this region to declare its hand and to show its capabilities.

That was done and the disappointment should be tempered by the fact that our bid was acknowledged behind the scenes to have been excellent.

What is much more of a blow is the fact that there will not be another opportunity for the North-East to make a bid for the tournament for the next 29 years.

Scotland will enjoy the massive economic benefits of staging the Ryder Cup in 2014 and after that it will not be held in Britain until 2034.

As well as growing into one of the world's leading sporting events, the Ryder Cup is about developing golf through grass roots investment - demanded as part of the bidding process.

By slamming the door of opportunity for so far into the future, encouragement for regions such as ours is surely being stifled before it has had chance to flourish.