Golf back on course for a great season around the Fylde coast

Greens staff have worked tirelessly to get courses in the best possible condition and the season started in traditional style at Knott End Golf Club, with the incoming captains striking the first balls.

John Wright and Felicity Lawson were out early on Monday, though without spectators to cheer them on and the customary captains’ drive-in could not take place. Despite windy conditions, both players dodged the puddles to start the season in style.

It was chilly at Fairhaven too for 7am starters with icy dew on the grass, though a beautiful morning followed.

Fairhaven has drawn up its own ‘roadmap’ for the weeks ahead, though four-balls are now teeing off every eight minutes at the first and 10th, with the practice ground and putting/chipping greens open. It is hoped to start competitions from mid-April.

St Annes Old Links saw 214 members book rounds for Monday between 7am and 6.30pm. And with bookings in similar numbers through to next Monday, the venue looks forward to hosting 1,544 rounds in its first week back.

The easing of restrictions has not come quickly enough to save the Lytham Trophy.

The first major event on the international amateur calendar, the tournament was staged annually at Royal Lytham and St Annes from 1965 until last year.

A statement from the club reads: “Having assessed all options available, the requirement for amenities such as hotels and restaurants to be open is substantial, and consequently the tournament committee feel that there is no option but to cancel the 56th staging of the Lytham Trophy due to the limitations imposed on such areas.

“As a club we are committed to delivering the Lytham Trophy in 2022 and hope that we will once again see an international field take to our famed links.”

Alastair Taylor, head teaching professional at Herons’ Reach GC, offers this advice for playing more consistently now courses have reopened....

So golf in England is back and, hopefully, by the time you read this, you will have got a first game or practice session in.

How did it go? Many golfers find that their initial game back goes quite well – there are no expectations and they don’t overthink anything.

After a good first round, the pressure to play well increases. Golfers start to analyse the bad shots and try to change what has gone wrong.

Let’s stop that right now and help you to play better and more consistently.

For your next game or practice, choose one aspect to work on and focus on what you know would help you to play better.

Just concentrate on trying to do that one thing well.

It won’t surprise you to know that you won’t do it well every time but you will start to be more consistent, hit better shots and enjoy your game more.

It sounds so simple but it is probably the most difficult thing for golfers to do.

Take ownership of your game and start to enjoy the results.

To contact Ali, email [email protected] or watch his YouTube channel AliTaylorGolf for more free tips.

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