A host of up-and-coming golf stars will be descending on Stoke-by-Nayland in the coming weeks as the Essex club stages two international events.
Stoke have pipped a number of prestigious golf courses to become the latest venue to host a European Tour Qualifying School, First Stage, starting next Tuesday, September 19-22.
A week later September 28-30, and for a fifth consecutive year, the Ladies European Tour Access Series championship takes place at the course, which sits in the heart of Constable Country.
It’s an opportunity for lovers of the sport to see some of tomorrow’s stars in action – entrance is free.
It’s a great coup for the club, as Tamara Unwin, director of Stoke-by-Nayland Hotel Golf and Spa admitted.
“There is a wonderful buzz of excitement and anticipation here at Stoke-by-Nayland as we prepare to welcome these talented professionals from all over the world,” she said.
“Both the Constable and Gainsborough courses are looking fantastic and are playing well, thanks to the hard work and commitment from our excellent greens staff.
“All of the team here are really proud that we have been selected to host these prestigious events, and a lot of planning and preparation is involved both on the course and in the clubhouse and hotel.
“The club members also contribute hugely to these events by volunteering for marshalling and ball spotting. We hope that as many fans of the game as possible will take this opportunity to come and watch these young golfers first hand.”
The Pro-Am which precedes the three-day LETAS event on Wednesday September 27, will include BBC TV Look East presenters Stewart White and Tom Willliams among the amateur players – entrance to the Pro-Am is also free.
There have been many fine women players take to the course at Stoke in recent years in the LET Access Series, who have gone on to play on the Ladies European Tour.
Dane, Nicole Broch Larsen competed in 2013 at Stoke and won her European Tour Card, before winning the Helsingborg Open in 2015. She is now also on the LPGA Tour in the States.
Daisy Nielsen, daughter of former speedway world champion, Hans Nielsen is another who has appeared at Stoke in an LETAS event.
England’s Meghan MacLaren currently leads the standings in the 2017 Series as she goes in pursuit of a European Tour Card.
Former Suffolk Open champions, Jamie Abbott (Ipswich) and Jamie Moul (Stoke by Nayland, are competing in the PGA European Qualifying School event.
Most of the players based in the East have chosen the same venue.
Miles Collins will be on his home course while Hugo Dobson (Woodbridge), Dale Whitnell (Forrester Park), Owen Curry (Braintree) and James Reeson (Brampton Park) must know the Gainsborough course well.
James Scade (Little Channels) is among the favourites to progress to stage two in Spain. Norfolk amateur Jack Yule (King’s Lynn) is also in the field.
For more information on the golfing events: www.stokebynayland.com
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