Yorkshire is ready to rival Scotland as top event venue

THE successful staging of the Ian Woosnam Senior Golf Classic at Ilkley in September has ‘ whet the appetite’ of organisers to continue forging Yorkshire’s reputation as a premier golfing destination.

The two- day seniors pro- am, held behind closed gates, was the first golf tournament put on by Welcome to Yorkshire and SGH Sporting Events as part of a longterm strategy to establish the county as a magnet for the top players and events.

Yorkshire has not hosted an elite- tier golf event since the days of Seve Ballesteros and Bernhard Langer contesting the Benson and Hedges International Open at Fulford in the late 1980s.

But Welcome to Yorkshire and their partners want to change that by gradually reintroducing events like the Ian Woosnam proam, before moving onto events on the men’s and ladies’ European tours.

The ultimate ambition is to bring the Solheim Cup, golf’s premier women’s event, to Yorkshire in the next decade or so.

But for now, even in the midst of a second lockdown to battle coronavirus which has seen recreational golf put on hold, organisers believe the first steps taken are encouraging.

James Mason, the chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said:

“The longer that Covid is continuing, theprouderIamthatwewere able to put a Covid- safe event on at Ilkley back in September.

“We were very respectful to the restrictions at the time and we proved that high- level events such as golfing tournaments can go on, albeit without spectators, which was the downside of it.

“All it’s done is whet the appetite, not just internally at Welcome to Yorkshire, but with golf clubs all across the region at a very high level.

“We’ve spoken with some key decision- makers across a number of tours that really see the potential of bringing golf events to Yorkshire.

“Okay, this latest lockdown may have thwarted golfers from playing, but realistically we know the great outdoors; walking, golfing, cycling, outdoor activities are going to be welcomed and promoted.

“We are comfortable enough in our stance on golf that we want to really put down a blueprint to eventually bring major golfing events to Yorkshire.

“Having spoken to high- level people within the game, golfers, captains, greenkeepers, professionals at the governing bodies, I’m now confident that we’re not far off rivalling Scotland as a place to come for a golfing holiday and a destination for major golfing events.”