MEMBERS of Bedale have the opportunity to pit their golfing prowess against some of the most famous courses in the world - and all in the comfort of their own car park.

The new Swing Studio - completed at a cost of more than £100,000 - delivers front-line technology. Eight golf courses are currently available: seven of them in the UK including Carnoustie and Royal Troon, and also Teton Pines in Wyoming USA. More will be added in the near future.

In addition, a three-hole academy course has been added as a teaching facility to get new golfers 'course ready'. This involved enhancing the practice ground in the middle of the course.

Funding for the Studio was provided by a Sport England Inspired Facilities grant, Hambleton District Council and Bedale. The Swing Studio was officially opened by Rishi Sunak MP, chairman of Hambleton District Council Cllr John Noone and Dr Alastair Davidson, the president of the Yorkshire Union of Golf Clubs.

TOMMY Tomlinson, an assistant greenkeeper at South Moor, got up at 5am to start work 30 minutes later getting the greens cut in time for a historic new event.

After a half-day shift, Tommy breakfasted on a sausage butty at 9am, teed off in the tournament at 11.24 - and just after noon became the talk of the clubhouse by landing his first hole-in-one.

Tommy’s feat came during the launch of the MacKenzie Masters Series, created in honour of the late Alister MacKenzie, a course designer and member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

South Moor is among the courses designed by MacKenzie as is Augusta National.

Tommy, 23, started playing at South Moor at 14 and joined the staff at his home town club three years ago.

The four-handicapper found out his 142-yard shot with a pitching wedge on the third hole had dropped in when a fellow competitor on the fourth tee gave him the thumbs up.

“By way of celebration, I raised my arms in the air, nothing over the top,” said Tommy afterwards. “The ball landed a couple feet behind the flag, it hopped and spun - and then rolled in.”

The new series is enabling community conscious South Moor to showcase their course to visiting players this season for a cut-price green fee of £12.50.

Monthly Saturday Open tournaments – each with a £100 first prize – lead up to a Grand Final at South Moor on September 16, with ten players going through from each qualifier.

GOLFERS from across the region are set to tee off to help a vital cancer support charity.

Dawson & Sanderson’s charity golf day will take place at Longhirst Hall Golf Course in Northumberland on Friday, May 12, with the aim of raising almost £8000 for Daft As A Brush.

The Newcastle-based travel agency has been fundraising all year to support Daft As A Brush’s free transport service for patients across the north of England.

Dozens of golfers have already signed up for the tournament, which takes a shotgun format with teams competing across Longhirst’s championship standard Dawson course.

Longhirst Hall’s director of golf Graham Chambers said: “It will be a fantastic day, with lots of teams already registered representing companies across the North-East. We’re hoping to get some of the Newcastle United players along as well and have some signed footballs and shirts for the auction and raffle.

“It’s an amazing cause to support and hopefully the golf day will help Dawson & Sanderson smash its £20,000 fundraising target for Daft As A Brush.”

There are limited places left for those wanting to register for the golf day, at a cost of £180 for a team of four, which includes breakfast, warm up balls on the range, the tournament and a hog roast at the end of play.

The tournament will be followed by an auction and raffle with some superb prizes including holidays and travel vouchers donated by Dawson & Sanderson.

To register a place on Dawson & Sanderson’s charity golf day, email info@longhirstgolf.co.uk or call (01670) 791562 option 4.