Golf Lounge for Glasgow

Ray Mitchell and Garry Thomson - investors in The Golf Lounge

Glasgow is to get it's own state of the art indoor venue, enabling its golfers to play up to 50 of the world's top courses on a bank of six simulators in the City's West George Street.

The Golf Lounge opens on June 7 and is expected to attract golfers determined to get a lunch-time or early evening fix of their favourite sport during a break from their working day. Business partners and golf fanatics Raymond Mitchell and Garry Thomson are also hoping their £750,000 investment will provide sporting entertainment for a night out.

Golfers will be able to play 18 holes in around an hour including St. Andrews Old Course, Turnberry, Valderrama, Pebble Beach, and Kiawah Island - at a cost between £30-£40 per hour for a 'fourball'. Facilties also include a bar, restaurant, golf shop and conference facilities.

It also features a golf academy headed by the current Scottish PGA champion and 1999 Italian Open winner, Dean Robertson, with coaching and golf seminars open to both individuals and corporate groups.

Says Mitchell: “We’re bringing an urban golfing experience to Scotland and we believe indoor golf has a bright future.”

Paul Williams, a 12-handicap golfer from Sutton in Surrey holed a 100 foot putt at the London Golf Show to win a five night golf trip for two to La Manga Club in Spain, courtesy of Barwell Travel.

Thousands attempted the feat over the four days of the show, but Paul (32) was one of only a handful to sink the monster putt and was drawn as the winner of the top prize, which
including three rounds of golf and accommodation at the five-star Hyatt Regency Hotel.

“I’m just a normal golfer," said Paul. "My putting’s probably as good as the next man but I definitely wasn’t expecting to hole it with my second attempt!"

Everyone who successfully holed the putt received a £250 voucher for use against any future Barwell or Golf Groups Direct holiday.

Keith Lloyd - 'dramatic change of roles'

One of golf’s oldest organisations is to change its name after 74 years to reflect the evolving role of golf club secretaries. The Association of Golf Club Secretaries will become the Golf Club Managers’ Association to acknowledge the change in duties and responsibilities of its members.

National Secretary, Keith Lloyd, says: “The role of the golf club secretary has changed dramatically over the past 20 years. Clubs realise they need to have a competent person with managerial skills at the helm.

“We have over 2,500 members and, inevitably, many of the traditional clubs will continue to employ a secretary in preference to a manager, director of golf or chief executive. We believe the new name appropriately reflects our position for the present day and into the future.”

The GCMA, open to secretaries, managers, and golf club owners across the UK and Europe, represents approximately 65 per cent of golf clubs in the UK and provides training and national programmes for existing and potential members.

Masters champion Zach Johnson won the AT&T Classic this week in a dramatic sudden death playoff using a bag of Titleist equipment.As well as the new Pro V1x golf ball, Johnson used Titleist Pro Titanium 905R driver (8.5 degrees), 503.H utility club, 735.CM (3-4) and 695CB (5-9) irons, Vokey Design pitching and sand wedges, and Vokey Design Spin Milled lob wedge.

Padraig Harrington used the ProV1x ball to win the Irish Open on Sunday.