Following qualifying events around the country the English Golf Union and English Women’s Golf Association hosted the 2009 National Skills Challenge Final on 12th September at the National Golf Centre, Woodhall Spa.

In spite of hot weather 26 junior players demonstrated determination across a wide range of skills and completed a range of challenges on Woodhall Spa’s magnificent short game area, normally used to train the England national teams, and the 20 bay driving range.

The players, aged between 6 and 17 years old, qualified for the final though three Challenge events held at their clubs throughout the year. Over 440 golf clubs are currently registered to run the 10 fun coaching activities for their junior players based on putting, chipping, pitching, bunker play and the long game.

In the afternoon the players received coaching from Alison Johns and Scott Emery, Woodhall Spa PGA Professionals, developing both their short and long game skills and to finalise the activities, Dean Davis (Hinksey Heights Golf Club) performed an entertaining trick shot show with several competitors, Challenge Organisers and parents taking part.

www.getintogolf.org/skills

After playing several qualifying rounds, Bondhay’s Joe Hall battled through to the final rounds of the SUGC U14 Matchplay Championship at Roundwood Golf Club on 20 September 2009.

Joe faced F Timlin of Hickleton Golf Club in the semi-final and played some great golf to win 6&5.

In the final, Joe was pitted against C Clarke of Wheatley Golf Club and made a fantastic start to the afternoon winning the first to go 1-up.

At the 4th Joe was pegged back to all square, and the match swung this way and that before Joe won the 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th to go 5-up. The 13th was lost, but a Par on 14th was enough to win 5&4 and secured Joe the trophy!

Another brilliant result for a member of the Bondhay Junior’s, and all the Club’s congratulations go to Joe.

The inaugural Junior County Champions Tournament resulted in a three-way tie at Woodhall Spa between Jay Beisser from Essex, Suffolk’s Alastair Hall and James Burnett, the local lad from Lincolnshire.

All three finished on 143, three under par, Beisser after a closing 69, Hall with 71 and Burnett 75 and by the rules of the competition share the title.

Beisser was the first to post the target, his 69 containing eight birdies but also four dropped shots, all this after a magnificent start with five birdies in the first six holes.

“I got off to a flying start and had three successive threes from the first,” he said. “I had a lesson with my coach David Brooks last week to check up on things and I played terrible yesterday with my 74. But it came good today and this tops off a very good season for me. I played solid today but it was a pity I three-putted the 17th, which has proved costly.”

Final scores and more information on the Junior County Champions event can be found on the EGU website, www.englishgolfunion.org.

Adam Carson (Long Ashton) who helped Gloucestershire to the runner-up spot in the recent Boys County Finals, has been named in a four-strong squad to represent the English Golf Union (EGU) in the Canadian International Junior Challenge at OslerBrook Golf and Country Club in Ontario on 14th – 18th September.

He will be accompanied by Tom Boys (Royal, Liverpool), Scott Campbell (Hallowes, Yorkshire) and Tyrell Hatton (Harleyford, BB&O), all being members of the England Under 18 Squad.

Keeping your clubs safe from thieves is of utmost importance and with Bondhay’s limited locker capacity the Securitee hood allows you to keep your kit safe at all times.

It works like a large-scale version of your bag’s rain hood but features a combination lock which keeps everything in place. When fitted to your bag it prevents any clubs from being removed, and when attached to your trolley it prevents the entire bag from being taken and your trolley from being collapsed – thus stopping a thief in his tracks!

The Securitee Hood is distributed by GolfStream and retails for £29.99 – a small price to pay for the safety of your sticks.

http://www.securitee.co.uk or e-mail info@securitee.co.uk

Keep up with former Bondhay junior Danny Willet as he competes against Lee Westwood and others in the Omega European Masters.

Live leaderboard here.

Sky coverage on Sky Sports 2 and Xtra, or via Sky Player here.

Aggregate of best 2 nett scores from 2 rounds using first round handicaps:

Division 1

Thomas Wood, 77 + 72 = 149
Ben Hall, 78 + 80 = 158
Greg Denton, 84 + 79 = 163

Full result posted on the Junior Notice Board.

Bondhay Juniors have started to try the world’s first golf-specific performance nutrition bars from SSP Golf.

Nutrition should be paramount to young golfers, and one thing they forget altogether when planning their playing schedule is having the appropriate food.

No matter how many holes you’re playing, the truth of the matter is that having the right food should be just as important as your bag, clubs, balls and water! To be at your best on the course you need to play your round without feeling hungry or too full. If you’re craving food then you won’t be able to focus on anything other than your stomach and, if you’re full, you’ll be too sluggish to perform at your best.

SSP Golf Energy Bars have been created to shape the future of golf performance nutrition. The bars were originally developed for professional athletes in the USA and Europe by Lance Geringer B.A. while at the California State University of Northridge.