NEWS

Ashton & Lea Golf Club has some very special offers for visitors for either golf only or combined golf and catering packages as below (all packages can be tailored to your requirements).

Join Ashton & Lea Golf Club in May for only £99.00

All new members receive £25.00 voucher for your bar card & £25.00 voucher for the pro shop

The winter programme to remove and re-plant trees on the 7th hole is well underway. The trees on the left of the green were dead and becoming dangerous (one tree had already fallen). New trees will be planted with less leaf fall and better positioned so that the roots don't clog the drainage system. This area will be much improved following the completion of this work.

The drainage work on the 6th hole has now been completed, this should enable us to keep the 6th hole open a lot more during the winter months and will improve one of the wettest areas on the course.

The 2009 Women’s British Open Championship was held at Royal Lytham & St Anne’s Golf Club from 28 July till 2 August and proved to be a huge success with Catriona Matthew becoming the first Scot to claim a women’s Major title. Ashton & Lea played a big part in the success of this championship as yet again it marshalled the 15th hole. The 15th hole is a par 5 for the Women’s Championship and is extremely difficult to play as it is the only hole on the course that is directly facing the sea resulting in strong winds that the players have to contend with.

Ashton & Lea provided 44 marshals over the six days of the championship and our professional approach and hard work was again recognised by the Championship organisers as we were asked to marshal the spectators down the 18th hole as the last match played on the Sunday.

From my point of view those persons who marshalled the 15th hole were a credit to our club and as such I wish to thank each and every one of them for the time they gave in ensuring everything on the 15th hole ran extremely smoothly.

I feel confident that when the men’s Open Championship returns to Royal Lytham in 2012 we will once again be asked to look after the 15th hole.

The two pictures show a number of our members who marshalled the 15th hole.

Tony McMunn

Recent Article in The Lancashire Magazine

Click on picture to view article:

Ashton & Lea Golf Club hosted the final of the Scott Leggatt County Foursomes on 6 July 2009 which was organised by the Lancashire Ladies County Golf Association.

Fifty two couples played in this County Final after qualifying at their home clubs and at the Divisional finals. Play during the day play had to be suspended for forty five minutes due to thunder and lightening along with torrential downpours of rain but this did not deter the excellent golf played by the eventual winners Judith Calvert & Pat Bontoft from Preston Golf Club. Jane McMunn who organised the event had nothing but praise for the staff at Ashton & Lea Golf Club who ensured the course was in a fit condition to play the final after the terrible weather conditions.

The picture shows the Lancashire Ladies County Captain Linda Wilson with the winners Judith Calvert and Pat Bontoft.

Friday 3rd July- Over 50 members played in Mick Wilsons’ Captains Away Day at the picturesque Ulverston Golf Club. Although the weather was completely co-operative everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

The day was organised by Howard Lythgoe the current Vice Captain who is already planning his event for next year.

(Captain, Mick Wilson, pictured right)

(Some of the participants, pictured below)

On Saturday 20th June 2009 Ashton & Lea Golf Club held its Calvert Trophy competition, which is a Northern Order of Merit event. The competition is a 36-hole competition with a handicap limit of 6. The Calvert Trophy is presented to the best 36 hole gross score.

On the day there was a field of 69 golfers, which included a large number of Lancashire team players plus two players from the Isle of Man and two players from Leeds. The golf was played in beautiful conditions, which resulted in excellent scores being returned. The eventual winner was Carl Thompson from Manchester Golf Club scored a total 144 gross score for the two rounds.

The winners were:

1. Winner of Calvert Trophy - Carl Thompson, Manchester - 144
2. Runner Up - Oliver Pantoja, Ashton on Mersey - 145
3. Third - Chris Kneen, Castletown - 145
4. Fourth - Mark Young, Longridge – 145

The photograph shows the winner Carl Thompson along with Captain Mick Wilson and Lady Captain Joanne Startin.

A&L were proud to host the Lancashire Ladies Vets prestigious Cecil Leach trophy on the 8th June. The ladies had a great day, with wonderful weather and everyone who played was delighted with everything about A&L. Complements were flowing about the course and the hospitality. The competition was won by our own Dee Duxbury and Marina Hardman, who made the most of the home advantage. Well done to Dee and Marina .

Sky Sports golf pundit and former European Tour Professional John Hawksworth (center) was on hand to officially open the new pro shop at Ashton and Lea Golf Club. John who is a member of the club and long term friend of Club Professional Mike Greenough was more than delighted to mark this initiative by the club. In a move that many clubs may follow Ashton and Lea Golf Club are now managing and stocking the shop and employing a team of PGA Professionals to run the outlet.

Mike Greenough (right) has been the clubs professional for 16 years and is looking forward to the new challenge. “I think Ashton and Lea Golf Club are leading the way with this move and I’m sure that the club and its members will reap the benefits” commented Mike. “We are very lucky to have someone as experienced as Mike on board and along with Daniel Clark the assistant professional we have a great team” said Simon Plumb the clubs general manager who is himself a PGA Professional golfer.

The shop will be carrying all the major brands and have joined the alliance buying group so that site members and guests can purchase merchandise and very competitive prices.

Friday 1st May signified the start of the Club stocking and managing the golf shop. The first day went well with some positive feedback, there is still more stock to arrive and some additional shop fittings to be installed. Dean Winder was the shops first customer purchasing a Srixon leather glove, Dean is pictured with his purchase.

The season started in earnest on Saturday with the sides match, the Vice Captains Team triumphed 11 ½ to 6 ½. The 2008/09 flag was lowered and the 2009/10 raised followed by the new captain Mick Wilson driving in off the 1st tee.

Peter Williamson (President), Mick Wilson (Captain), Howard Lythgoe (Vice Captain and Chairman of Directors)

Mick Wilson (Captain) Driving IN

Lady Captain Joanne Startin (pictured) drives off the 1st tee (Thursday 2nd April 09) in her 1st competitive round as Captain.

Barry Piggott the Seniors Section Captain and his brave band of merry men (and women) braved the dodgy weather on Monday 31st March and spent the morning seeding divots. These volunteers do a great job and there help is greatly appreciated.

Ashton & Lea Golf Club has been chosen to stage the inaugural Lancashire Under-16s Boys' Championship on Monday, August 3. The championship is open to boys aged 16 or under on January 1 this year who boast a handicap of 10 or less. The competition will be played over 18 holes, with the winner claiming the Dr David Marsh Trophy.

Ashton & Lea are no strangers to hosting Lancashire events having held the Seniors Championship in 2000, the College Trophy in 2005 and the Boys Championships in 2006. And in 2010, top county players will again be at the club when the Rest of Lancashire team take on Cumbria. Simon Plumb, Ashton and Lea's general manager, said: "We are very proud to be hosting the inaugural Under-16s Championship and look forward to watching some superb golf from the country's best young golfers."

Click on the following link for an Application Form

The election of officers night was a great success and well attended. The new Ladies Captain Joanne Startin and men’s captain Mick Wilson officially started their terms. Also commencing roles were Jill Williamson and Howard Lythgoe as the new Vice Captains.

The President took it upon himself to cut Mick Wilsons tie in half before presenting him with his captains tie for the year which may prove an expensive custom!!!

Also on the night Josh Cutler became the junior captain and Barry Piggott the Seniors Section Captain.

Ashton & Lea Golf Club are pleased to announce that in line with the club’s restructuring plans and with effect from May 1st 2009, the club has agreed in principle to take over the responsibility for the day-to-day management of the Professional Shop and selection of the outlet stock.

Please visit our PROFESSIONAL SHOP section for more details.

Ashton & Lea Golf Club have launched two new corporate membership packages for the 2009 season. "The corporate golf market is still a strong sector even in these difficult times, Ashton & Lea has a great reputation for being a friendly well organised venue providing excellent facilities. We have a number of national and local companies who utilise the facilities frequently and the launch of these packages will allow us to form stronger ties with local and national organisations" commented Simon Plumb, General Manager Ashton & Lea Golf Club.

Please visit our MEMBERSHIP section for details of available packages.

This years presentation night was well supported with the club having lots to celebrate. The ladies (pictured below) won the guild trophy whilst the men won both the Preston & District League and Fylde League as well as finals day.

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