SOUTH Moor Golf Club is putting on a Ryder Cup Showcase Tournament on Saturday following a lively members’ meeting at which chairman Bill Littlejohns concedes: “Some full and frank opinions were aired in a very forthright manner.”

The main debate earlier this month was whether a course designed by the man who created Augusta National, Yorkshireman Alister MacKenzie, has over recent years become too tough for the average golfer.

The chairman consulted the head greenkeeper, Alan Ainscough, and already some changes have been made in time for Saturday’s speedily arranged County Durham version of Europe versus America, involving amateur golfers in a one-day tournament.

“Members are inviting guests to play free of charge,” said Littlejohns. “The South Moor club golfers will represent Europe and the guests will become Americans for the day.

“It’s a fun tournament aimed at showcasing everything we have to offer and we hope our guests will enjoy the only heathland course in County Durham designed by MacKenzie, who is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.”

The biggest change to the course so far is elimination of the deepest rough which effectively had narrowed some of the fairways to professional tour standard.

Littlejohns said: “Golfers don’t want to spend their spare time looking for balls and being humiliated and they don’t want to take all day going round.

"The main immediate challenge has been to maintain the fascination of our lovely course for single figure golfers without creating unrealistic obstacles for longer handicappers and I am highly confident we have been successful.”

South Moor recently became a limited company. Littlejohns and secretary Peter Johnson are two of four directors forming the first board in the club’s 93-year history.

Commercial director Paul Butler is organising the Ryder Cup day. He said ”I am a six handicapper but I was sick of playing shots out of rough from where there used to be fairway.

“The course is now becoming more in keeping with a heathland course and more true to the original MacKenzie design.

“We are the enduring ‘special one’ in the North East and the changes will make us more attractive to members, guests, visitors and society days. It will stand out in memories for a long time.

“What sets the Ryder Cup apart is that the world’s top professionals do not receive any money.

“In keeping with this spirit South Moor members are inviting guests to compete in our Ryder Cup, including those with no official handicaps, completely free of charge.”

Said the club’s financial director, Doug Mill: “Listening and being seen to act upon feedback from members is critical to maintaining their support.

“Most golfers are a lot nearer 18 handicap than scratch – England Golf give the national average as 17.4.

“While we all admire the ability of skilful players, the needs of the majority at our golf club have to be paramount.”

BOLDON’S Rhys Thompson has won the Durham County Union Order of Merit.
The promising teenager has claimed the crown for the second year in a row after pipping Brancepeth’s Richard Aisbitt.
Thompson achieved the honour despite missing the final event at Brancepeth when Aisbitt needed to finish in first or second place to overtake Rhys to win the crown.
Aisbitt was only one shot away from doing so because he finished third on count back and was just behind fellow Brancepeth player James Glenn and that left him ten points behind Thompson in the Order of Merit.
Glenn was third on 755 points while Bishop Auckland’s Jamie Birkbeck was 115 points further back in fourth.
DURHAM City duo Jack and Louise Richardson won the County Mixed Foursomes. The Richardsons beat Hobson’s pair by one hole.