Cold Ashby hoping to hit the right notes to promote "Get into Golf"

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNTY GOLF PARTNERSHIP

 MIDLANDS GOLF WEEK

Cold Ashby Golf Club's PGA professionals – Shane Rose (left) and John Chivers – will be offering a golf day with a difference as part of a wide range of activities to make it easier than ever for people to give the sport a go in Northamptonshire during Midlands Golf Week

ONE Northamptonshire club has a trick or two up its sleeve in the drive to encourage more people to Get into golf.

Now Cold Ashby Golf Club, near Northampton, is hoping to hit all the right notes as part of Midlands Golf Week.

The club's PGA professionals – Shane Rose and John Chivers – will be offering a golf day with a difference as part of a wide range of activities to make it easier than ever for people to give the sport a go.

The pair will be delivering a special musical golf show as part of the free taster sessions at the club, which can be found in Stanford Road.

Explains head professional Shane Rose: “The musical golf show is something we first did to mark the opening of the club's driving range and since then we have delivered it at events up and down the country.

“Put simply, we hit trick shots to match the music – so, for example, ‘Swing low, sweet chariot' will see us shaping special low shots. The show lasts for about 40 minutes, during which time we hit about 300 balls. We have added new trick shots over the years, songs which we can fit a shot to or a theme, such as dressing as Laurel and Hardy to perform the show.

“It is a bit of fun and entertainment and we will follow the show with some free introductory golf lessons for people and a chance to get out on the course.”

It is the first time that clubs from Northamptonshire have supported Midlands Golf Week, which is held across eight counties from April 12-21.

More than 4,750 would-be golfers have seized the opportunity to give the sport a go during the first two years of the week-long festival of golf

Now clubs from Northamptonshire will join those in Shropshire, Herefordshire, Leicestershire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Staffordshire and Rutland by putting golf at the heart of the local community.

Cold Ashby will be holding two Golf Mania days.

On Sunday, April 14, the musical golf show will take place from 11am, with a golf instruction clinic from 12 noon. At 1pm the club is holding a four-hole challenge, which includes a hole in one competition and the chance to win £200 (entry fee is £3 and £2 for the hole in one competition, with a maximum of five attempts per challenge for each person).

On Wednesday, April 17 the musical golf show will take place from 6pm, with golf coaching from 7pm.

For further details ring 01604 740548 or email proshop@coldashbygolfclub.com.

As well as the Golf Mania days, Cold Ashby will be offering a free nine holes of golf throughout Midlands Golf Week for anyone playing with a member or £10 for those playing alongside a visiting golfer.

Adds Shane Rose: “We will be relaxing rules such as dress code and bag sharing for the week which we hope will make golf even more accessible. While we support the traditions and standards of the sport in areas like rules and dress codes, we also don't want golf clubs to be off-putting for newcomers.

“We will be offering follow-on coaching for those who are interested and creating a pathway towards potential club membership in the future. For example, our ladies coffee mornings have proved very popular for those wanting to build their confidence in their own game before becoming members of the club.”

Says David Davis, county development officer for the Northamptonshire County Golf Partnership: "It is great to see clubs coming up with different and innovative ways to appeal to a new audience of potential players.

"It is thanks to the clubs throwing open their facilities to would-be golfers that Midlands Golf Week has proved such a success and we are delighted to be part of the campaign for 2013.

“Golf's winning combination of exercise, sporting skill and social interaction make it the perfect tonic for good health and happiness – and Midlands Golf Week offers so many different ways to get involved whatever your age or ability.”

Midlands Golf Week forms part of a national Get into golf campaign and full details of all activities across the eight counties can be found by visiting the activity map at getintogolf.org

Or for activities in Northamptonshire you can follow the link https://bit.ly/SuaUbE

Midlands Golf Week is run under the umbrella of the county golf partnerships, which bring together the development officers, PGA professionals, county men's union and ladies association and the clubs themselves to develop a pathway into golf.

Get into golf is a national campaign to inspire new golfers run by the England Golf Partnership through its network of County Golf Partnerships, which work to grow the game.

Get into golf opportunities include free or low-cost beginner courses with PGA professionals. They are a fun and sociable way to start golf – and a great way to make new friends.

Discounted lessons can cost as little as £25 for a five-week course.

To find your nearest centre visit   getintogolf.org   and look at the activity map or  call 0800 118 2766

You can follow Get into golf on Twitter twitter.com/getintogolf or on Facebook at facebook.com/Getintogolf

For more information on Cold Ashby Golf Club visit www.coldashbygolfclub.com