As the dust settles following completion of one of the most prestigious events to take place in the 150 year history of Furness Golf Club, I am reflecting on the plethora of praise and congratulations heaped on us by the England Golf officials, visiting club and county dignitaries, players and supporters from Leicestershire and Rutland, Kent, Gloucestershire, Yorkshire and of course Cumbria.
I felt immensely proud as I was repeatedly informed of how good the course was and how amazing our greens were. How welcoming the clubhouse and its members had been too. Efficient, helpful and effective described the volunteer workforce. So, Furness Golf Club as a whole had risen to the challenge and come out of the event with flying colours.
In particular, Chris Pascal, the England Golf President, asked me to relay to you all how appreciative they were that Furness members had given up their course for the four days of competition and acknowledged that this was a huge sacrifice for which they were extremely grateful.
To every individual concerned, volunteer, employee or simply spectator, I extend my sincere thanks and congratulations on a job well done. That it was a huge success and has elevated the standing and reputation of your club to a level previously unseen is an understatement and you should feel justifiably proud of yourselves.
To all those who perhaps were unable to be part of this event … maybe next time?
Graham Parkin
Captain – Furness Old Links Golf Club
YORKSHIRE BOYS APPRECIATION
On behalf of the Yorkshire Boys and myself I would like to thank you for all of your assistance before and during the final, it was very much appreciated.
Sadly, we were unable to pass the winning line on the last day, but we have all had a great time and an experience the boys will not forget, all saying it has been the best golf week of their lives so far!
Please may you pass on my thanks to the following:
Greenkeeping staff – for presenting a course worthy of a final.
Maggie – for being so helpful behind the bar
Chris – for the catering which kept the boys fuelled!
Finally, a big thank you to all the members and volunteers for all their assistance in providing a very well-run Championship for the boys, they were great! I’m sure they saw plenty of good golf whilst being there.
Many thanks again.
Hopefully we will back at some stage in the future.
Cheers
Philip
P J Woodcock
Yorkshire Boys Manager
Emma Anderson Championship Manager
English Boys’ County Finals
On behalf of England Golf, may I thank the members and committee of Furness Golf Club for hosting this year’s English Boys County Finals. The event ran very smoothly and there are a few people I would like to thank for their contribution to the tournament.
Firstly, to Adam and the greenkeeping team. The course was presented in fantastic condition and provided a great test for all the players. The team were a pleasure to work with and they should be proud of the course they produced for the Championship.
Please pass on my thanks to all the volunteers who helped with starting, play control, on course leaderboards and managing the driving range. Without the volunteers, we would not be able to run these Championships and their welcoming manner created a very positive atmosphere around the tournament.
I would like to thank Chris and his team along with Maggie and the bar staff for looking after the players, officials, Sam and myself during the tournament. The tight turnarounds and large number of players and spectators coming off the course at the same time can make the lunch periods in particular very busy, but the whole team handled this in an efficient and friendly way.
Thank you to the organising committee for all your work in preparation for the Championship. With the team events in particular, there are a lot of factors to consider and your hard work in finding solutions ensured that the experience was very smooth for all visiting players and officials.
Finally, to you for your hard work and organisation in the run up to and during the event. Along with ensuring the volunteers were in position with all the equipment and information they needed, you were always there whenever we needed anything and both Sam and myself are very grateful for all your help.
The fair challenge the course presented was evident in all four teams being able to win heading into the final day, which saw Leicestershire & Rutland claim their first ever national title on a day that will live long in their memories.
Thank you again to everyone at the club who supported the tournament, and we wish you the best for the rest of the season and the celebration of your 150th year.
Emma
