host – Ultra Golfing

How a past champion transformed Byron Nelson host course

admin — Wed, 20 May 2026 02:31:12 +0000

When Lanny Wadkins won the Byron Nelson Classic in 1973, he earned a $35,000 paycheck and a handsome trophy, presented in person by the tournament’s namesake.

Wadkins was 23, at the dawn of his career. Nelson was 61 and long retired from competition. The two became friends and fellow World Golf Hall of Famers. Their connection would not end there.

Through the decades, Wadkins watched as the Byron Nelson moved from venue to venue, leaving its home at Preston Trail Golf Club for other Dallas-area courses. Nelson remained its official host until his death in 2006, and his name has followed the event ever since. Wadkins, meanwhile, has forged a new tie to it as the architect of sweeping renovations to TPC Craig Ranch, which hosts this week’s CJ Cup Byron Nelson.

“Oh, I’ll be out there watching,” Wadkins said by phone. “I want to see how those guys take it on.”

Wadkins is 76, but he’s no old dog learning new tricks. He’s been involved in course design for decades, collecting credits that include Blackjack’s Crossing in Lajitas, Texas, and TPC Myrtle Beach in South Carolina. After his playing days, he climbed the broadcast tower and spent 18 years as a TV commentator. Now that that chapter is closed too, he’s turned his full attention to design. “I really don’t like to do something unless I can go all in,” he said.

His work at TPC Craig Ranch was the lynchpin to a $25 million overhaul carried out by club owner, Invited Clubs. The work began as soon as last year’s CJ Cup Byron Nelson wrapped up, with Scottie Scheffler running away with the title by eight shots at 31-under par. The course, a Tom Weiskopf design that opened in 2004, had never been touched. Now it has been.

Wadkins’ mandate was familiar in the modern era: stiffen defenses against the game’s best players while keeping the course playable for everyone else. One of the layout’s strengths, he said, was its flexible tee options, crucial in Texas, where the wind holds near-constant sway. He leaned into that, stretching several holes that play with a favoring prevailing wind. He also repositioned and deepened bunkers and tweaked angles on several holes. The 9th green now sits closer to a creek, for instance, while the 11th green — a bunker-less complex with false fronts that Wadkins described as reminiscent of the 14th at Augusta National — wraps closer to a lake.

“That’s one way to defend these days,” he said. “I try to put the driver back into play as an important club.”

On the greens, Wadkins and his team went with bentgrass, a receptive turf that allowed them to create challenging contours. Hole locations sit in relatively flat areas, so players will be rewarded for precise approaches. But sloppy shots stand to be punished, leaving players with long, bending putts or testy recoveries from run-off areas.

“Without stellar iron play, it’s going to take some real imagination to play well,” Wadkins said.

Growing up in Virginia, Wadkins cut his teeth on Golden Age designs, including a pair of William Flynn courses. Those experiences stuck.

“I did well enough in my career that I got to play a lot of really great courses,” he said. “But always really liked the old stuff.”

At Wake Forest, his home course was Old Town Club, a Perry Maxwell design, and he credits Maxwell’s wrinkled, contoured greens as an influence in his own work.

Some of that old-school sensibility shows up at Craig Ranch. The par-3 4th now features a Biarritz green, a classic design element, with a deep swale bisecting the putting surface. The 11th green, with no bunkers and a series of false fronts funneling wayward approaches away from the hole, is reminiscent of the 14th at Augusta. On the 6th hole, Wadkins and his team added a fronting lion’s mouth bunker, stiffening the demands of a short par 4 that Wadkins watched players carve up last year. They also stretched the tournament tee back to the fence line and installed crossing bunkers at 320 yards, forcing players to decide whether to lay up safely to a ticklish distance, or challenge the sand.

How hard will the course play? Wadkins isn’t sure. A lot depends on setup, which he does not control. He planned to play a practice round with his sons to get a feel for things — though he’s quick to note his game is no barometer of elite golf. “I hit it so short, I can hear it land,” he said.

If he had his way, the rough would be thick and the greens lightning-paced. “I think they could play them at 13,” he said, “though I don’t think the Tour would want to play them quite that quick.”

Hard to know what the winning number will be. The purse, though, will be dramatically different than it was when Wadkins won. The total payout tops $10 million, with the winner taking home $1.8 million.

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Scottish Highlands to Host James Braid Centenary Festival of Golf – Golf News

admin — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 16:28:49 +0000

A four-day celebration of golf at Golspie Golf Club will mark 100 years since James Braid completed his design work on this historic Highland course.

A landmark moment in British golf history will be marked in the Scottish Highlands this year, as Golspie Golf Club celebrates the centenary of James Braid’s completion of its course design.

One of the most influential figures the game has produced, Braid finished shaping the Highland layout in 1926, leaving a legacy that continues to influence golf course architecture across the UK and beyond.

The James Braid Centenary Festival of Golf, running from Thursday 24 to Sunday 27 September 2026, will bring together golfers from across the UK and overseas for four days of competitive play, social events and Highland hospitality, set against one of the most distinctive backdrops in British golf.

Speaking about the announcement, William McBeath, Club Captain at Golspie Golf Club, said:

“James Braid’s work helped shape the character of the course we play today, and this centenary gives us a chance to truly celebrate that. For us, that means bringing people together to enjoy the course, the clubhouse and our love for the game.

“We wanted to create something that reflects Golspie’s character – competitive but inclusive, social without being formal, and welcoming to members, locals and visitors alike.”

The centenary is expected to attract golfers from across Scotland and further afield, with the festival opening on Thursday, September 24, with a 5 Club Challenge taking on a members-and-locals versus visitors format, followed by a 2 Ball Texas Scramble on Friday 25 September.

Saturday, September 26, will then feature both Ladies’ and Gents’ Stableford competitions, with the day concluding in a formal centenary dinner and ceilidh, marking the social highlight of the week.

James Braid

With celebrations coming to a close on Sunday, September 27, the festivities will end with a Ladies’ and Gents’ Strokeplay Singles, followed by presentation and prizegiving in the clubhouse.

Festival tickets are priced at £300 and cover all four days of competitive golf, as well as access to the programme of off-course events taking place throughout the week.

Festival ticket holders will also enjoy access to a special-rate round at nearby Brora Golf Club. And for those who don’t play but would still like to be part of the celebrations, a limited number of social-only tickets will be available for evening events and the centenary dinner.

Founded in 1889, Golspie Golf Club is one of the Scottish Highlands’ most historic golf clubs, set on the shores of the Dornoch Firth beneath Ben Bhraggie.

Refined and shaped by James Braid in the 1920s, the course remains a celebrated example of traditional Scottish golf, known for its natural layout, strategic challenge and welcoming clubhouse atmosphere.

Further information about the event is available via the Golspie Golf Club website at www.golspiegolfclub.co.uk/festival-of-golf/. Tickets are also available to purchase by emailing the club directly at info@golspiegolfclub.co.uk.

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ROYAL PORTRUSH AND ROYAL CINQUE PORTS TO HOST MAJOR AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS – Golf News

admin — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 16:17:22 +0000

The 132^nd Amateur Championship will be staged at Royal Portrush – host to The 153^rdOpen last summer – from 14–19 June.

Stroke play qualifying will take place over the Dunluce and Valley links, with the match play stages on the Dunluce. A pre-qualifier will also be held on 11 June over the Valley.

The renowned Northern Ireland venue has held The Amateur Championship on three previous occasions, most recently in 2014 when Scotland’s Bradley Neil triumphed.

The 124^th Women’s Amateur Championship will be hosted at Royal Cinque Ports for the third time next year.

Royal Cinque Ports will host The 124th Women’s Amateur Championship in 2027 Pic: R&A

The famed links on England’s south-east coast – a Final Qualifying venue for The Open – will welcome the world’s best women amateurs for the first time since 1988. It will also mark the 125^th anniversary of the staging at the venue in 1902.

The R&A Girls’ and Boys’ Amateur championships will be held at Burnham & Berrow and Prince’s respectively from 9-14 August.

The R&A Women’s and Men’s Senior Amateur championships will be played concurrently at Blairgowrie from 6-9 July.

Johnnie Cole-Hamilton, Chief Championships Officer at The R&A, said, “It is important for The R&A to continue to underline the status of our amateur championships and international matches as leading events in amateur golf.

“They provide a pathway for elite golfers and give life-changing opportunities, including those that offer exemptions to The Open and the AIG Women’s Open.

“We aim to attract the best amateur players from around the world in 2027 and look forward to staging our championships at some of the sport’s most prestigious venues.”

International matches between GB&I and the Continent of Europe will also take place in 2027 with the Jacques Léglise Trophy and the Junior Vagliano Trophy contested at Golf de Morfontaine in France from 20-21 August.

The dates and venues for the St Andrews Trophy and the Vagliano Trophy in 2027 are still to be confirmed, as are the dates for The Women’s Amateur Championship.

For this year’s championships in Great Britain and Ireland, entries open at the end of this week. Full details can be viewed at www.randa.org

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Close House to host PING Junior Masters in 2026 – Golf News

admin — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 12:57:17 +0000

Close House will once again take centre stage in junior golf in 2026 as it hosts both a qualifying event and the grand final of the PING Junior Masters.

The award winning Northumberland club, recently recognised as Junior Golf Programme of the Year, continues its long standing commitment to creating meaningful competitive opportunities for aspiring golfers.

The 2026 series is set to eclipse previous years. It will feature nine qualifying events across seven counties before culminating in a full tour experience final on Close House’s Championship Colt Course on 27 October 2026.

Each qualifying event will be played off nett scores. This ensures accessibility and gives a broader range of junior golfers the opportunity to progress to the grand final.

From every venue, two boys and one girl from the Under 12, Under 15 and Under 18 categories will earn their place in the final. The result will be a diverse and inclusive field representing clubs nationwide.

Backed by PING Europe and Lee Westwood

Originally launched in 2017 alongside the British Masters at Close House, the PING Junior Masters has grown into one of the UK’s most exciting and accessible junior series.

Backed by PING Europe and supported by former Ryder Cup star and Close House Attached Tour Professional Lee Westwood, the event offers young golfers a taste of elite competition in a professional tournament setting.

“Since we launched the Junior Masters in 2017 alongside the British Masters at Close House the programme has gone from strength to strength,” said Westwood.

“I am immensely proud of how it has evolved, providing young golfers the chance to compete at some fantastic courses across the UK whilst gaining invaluable competitive experience. Congratulations PING and Close House for the award winning initiative.”

“The Junior Masters is a cornerstone of our junior pathway,” said Jonathan Lupton, Managing Director at Close House.

“It provides a competitive platform for talented young players while also supporting our wider grassroots initiatives. Our goal is not only to host great tournaments but to help create long term engagement with the sport.”

Dave Fanning, European Marketing Director at PING Europe, added: “The Junior Masters perfectly reflects what junior golf should be about, opportunity, development and enjoyment.

“We’re proud to support a series that continues to grow and create memorable experiences for young golfers.”

Grassroots impact beyond competition

Beyond competition, the initiative continues to have a significant community impact.

Through the Junior Masters programme, the Close House PGA Teaching Team delivers free coaching to more than 1,000 schoolchildren annually. The aim is to introduce golf to new audiences and strengthen the sport at grassroots level.

The PING Junior Masters Final will take place at Close House on 28 October 2026.

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Hanbury Manor to Host New LET Access Tour Event – Golf News

admin — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 18:49:50 +0000

Hanbury Manor Marriott Hotel and Country Club will stage a new professional women’s golf tournament in July 2026 with the launch of the Pitch15 Open, an event added to the LET Access Series calendar.

The tournament marks a significant addition to the schedule as one of only three new events introduced for the 2026 LET Access Series season, further strengthening the competitive pathway for women’s professional golf in the United Kingdom.

A Prestigious Venue for a Growing Tour

The Pitch15 Open will bring international professional players to Hanbury Manor, a venue with a long standing reputation for hosting elite level golf. As part of the LET Access Series, the official development tour for the Ladies European Tour, the event will offer valuable ranking points and a vital progression opportunity for players aiming to reach the top tier of the women’s game.

Hosting the tournament places Hanbury Manor at the centre of the continued expansion and professionalisation of women’s golf, providing a high quality stage for emerging talent from across Europe and beyond.

Supporting Sustainable Pathways in Women’s Golf

The event has been developed by women’s sports investment platform Pitch15 and is designed to be more than a standalone tournament. It forms part of a wider commitment to building sustainable competitive structures and commercial opportunities within women’s golf.

The Pitch15 Open is intended to support elite performance while contributing to the long term health of the sport by strengthening domestic pathways for female athletes.

Growing Audiences and Participation

According to the EY Parthenon UK Sports Engagement Index 2025, 88 percent of UK adults engaged with sport in the past year, with women’s formats delivering some of the strongest growth. The research also highlights golf’s success in attracting new participants, with nearly four in ten golfers having taken up the sport within the past two years.

This growth underlines the importance of structured competitive tours such as the LET Access Series in converting participation into high performance opportunity.

Tommy Nordam Jensen of Pitch 15

Pitch15 Commitment to the Future of the Game

Tommy Nordam Jensen, CEO of Pitch15, said the new event reflects a long term vision for women’s sport.

“The Pitch15 Open reflects our belief that women’s sport deserves properly structured, long term investment. The LET Access Series is a critical pathway for elite golfers, and this tournament is about creating an environment that supports ambition, progression and sustainability for the women’s game, not just for one week but for the future of the sport.”

With Hanbury Manor confirmed as host, the Pitch15 Open is set to become a notable addition to the LET Access Series calendar and a key fixture in the development of women’s professional golf in the UK.

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