DARLINGTON Golf Club is pressing ahead with ambitious plans to improve facilities after being awarded a Sport England Inspired Facilities Grant of £57,000.

The Haughton Grange club aims to create an environment where golf can thrive by providing opportunities for people of any age, gender or background to participate and develop their talents.

The 18-hole course is let down by its poor quality practice and coaching facilities. The club own an additional 40 acres of land adjacent to the course and intend to use part of this land to provide enhanced teaching and practice facilities.

The project will ensure all weather, all-year round practice opportunities and aims to encourage more local people of all ages to take up the game. There will be eight individual covered practice bays and new practice greens.

Honorary secretary and project lead Mark Etherington said: “This project provides a great opportunity for all categories of golfer who need to be able to practice their game away from the course.

“We have been very fortunate to be awarded the grant and appreciate all the support we got from the local authority, the Golf Foundation and our members when we put the bid together.

“It is important that our club is viewed positively in the local area. We have the best chance of success when we work together.”

For further details on the plan and opportunities within the club contact Mark Cousins or Etherington on 01325 355324.

TOM LYNCH has landed a top executive role at the relatively tender age of 28 in leaving De Vere to become regional director of golf for Macdonald Hotels & Resorts.

Hexham-born Lynch, a former pupil at Prudhoe High School who lives in Consett, started working life at Slaley Hall in 2008. He became De Vere’s UK membership services manager, contributing to an upsurge in numbers nationally during the peak years of the De Vere Club boom, while still being based at Slaley.

NORTH East Rabbits Golf Association is to launch a new division for 10-15 handicappers next year.

For a number of years former rabbits, whose handicaps have improved to below 16, have requested new division is created so they can continue to participate in Inter Club golf competitions.

This group also has competitive players who currently do not have opportunity to play Inter Club golf. After canvassing NERGA clubs and receiving a positive response this new league is to be set up.

It will operate the same as the Rabbits League format and will have a finals day for club champion and individual champion at Rockliffe Hall alongside the Rabbits finals day.

Any club between Newcastle and York with an interest in joining the new division should contact secretary Martin Hill at martin_hill@live.co.uk or telephone (01325) 720943 or 07775 615307.