FORMER England rugby star Tony Underwood is to take part in a teeing off ceremony at a nine-hole golf course in Teesdale.

The £300,000 course at Headlam Hall Hotel, near Gainford, has taken almost a year to build and will be the first golf course to open in Teesdale in over 100 years.

The course will open to the public on June 1, and a charity match in aid of the Make A Child Smile charity will be held after the teeing off ceremony on May 28.

The course, which has been designed by Ralph Givens, who was a professional at Blackwell and Stressholme Golf courses, in Darlington, will feature a ten-bay driving range, changing rooms and a professional shop.

A full-time PGA professional, Steve Carpenter, who has spent the past ten years working as a professional in Germany, will also be attached to the course.

Thomas Robinson, the hotel's business director, said: "We have got two green-keepers working very hard to make sure everything is ready for the opening.

"Everything has been done to the best standard and we have had a lot of interest when we have been showing people around. We have sent about 100 application packs out in the last week.

"There will be a limited membership for local people and it will also be available for our residents."

The course was built as part of a farm diversification project at the family's Headlam House Farm.

Thomas' brother, Simon, will be the manager of the course.

Hole lengths range from a short 100 yarder over a pond to a testing 260-yard dog-leg.