TALENTED EuroPro Tour golfer Kris Gray believes his success on the fairway highlights the benefits of being part of Slaley Hall’s junior golf programme.

The Hexham resort has been Gray’s home club for the last 15 years after attending weekly Saturday morning golf lessons at the age of ten.

Having returned to Northumberland last autumn after six years studying at Gardner-Webb University, North Carolina, and playing and coaching on the American college circuit, Gray wants to find English golf’s next major champion at Slaley.

Available to children aged 15 and under as part of its new QFairway club initiative – the country’s most flexible golf membership – all juniors are being offered the chance to enjoy a free membership when they sign up at Slaley Hall, providing their parent or guardian also has adult membership at the same time.

Gray said: “Facilities-wise, the resort is second to none. It has two great golf courses which regularly host top professional events and they really stand you in good stead when practising. The great thing about Slaley Hall is the way that juniors are treated. Unlike other courses, they are treated as equals and there are no restrictions on times that they can play.”

FORMER World, European and Commonwealth Games champion Kriss Akabusi has helped the inaugural Sparks SpeedGolf Challenge get off the mark.

Akabusi, along with children’s medical research charity Sparks and funky clothing brand Royal & Awesome, is backing the challenge to golfers to complete 18 holes of golf as fast as they can, with all North-East golf clubs eligible to take part.

SpeedGolf is a faster, more athletic version of golf which involves playing a round in the lowest possible number of shots, combined with the time taken to run the golf course.

To register for the Sparks Awesome SpeedGolf Challenge, visit www.sparks.org.uk/golfchallenge or email golf@sparks.org.uk.

SLALEY Hall has donated free use of the Priestman Course to support a charity golf day on May 14.

It will support Stu Ridley, the Tynedale rugby union player and champion cattle farmer who has been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour.

Ridley has vowed he will beat his illness and the event has been titled The "Stay Strong Stu" Golf Day.

For details, contact former Slaley captain Arthur Turnbull on 07785 328475 or arthurturnbull@aol.com

THE 2015 NERGA and the new Inter League for ten to 15 handicaps is now underway.

Houghton-le-Spring, Ravensworth and Roseberry Grange are new additions to a league now boasting 30 clubs.

The winners of the different zone leagues will be invited to Rockliffe Hall on October 5 to play for the club Championship trophy - and the top players will compete for the individual Champions Trophy.

The Red Zone’s first match saw Boldon triumph over Seaham and Chester-le-Street. Top scorers were Eric Gill (Garesfield) on 46 points and ,John Tuplin (Boldon) on 45.

In the southern green zone at Darlington the winners were Thirsk & Northallerton on 245 points ahead of Darlington and Easingwold. Top scorers were Andrew Whorlton & Ken Whorlton (Thirsk & N’ton) and Chris Mann (Darlington).

In the southern Blue Zone’s first ever match the winners were hosts Whitby who ended ahead of Ripon City and Kirkbymoorside. K Barker (Whitby) and P Collier (Kirkbymoorside) led the way.