Golf contest swings into action across Sefton and West Lancs

THE area’s leading amateur golf competition, the Southport Coast Links Championship, returns for its third year until August 12.

The Championship gives golfers the opportunity to play five of the finest Links courses in the UK and attracts golfers from around the UK and further afield – this year’s field also includes golfers from Europe too.

The 72-hole stableford competition starts at Formby Ladies GC and then moves on to Southport and Ainsdale, West Lancashire and Hillside golf clubs.

At the end of these four days, the top 20 players (and daily winners if not in the top 20 overall) then go on to the final day at Royal Birkdale GC.

The rest of the players return to Southport and Ainsdale GC for the final day. The top player with the highest overall aggregate score will win the trophy and £500 voucher. Daily prizes are also available.

Each year this is an exciting opportunity for golfers to play some of the finest courses in the UK. Places for this year’s competition were quickly snapped up, and there is already a list building up for entries to next year’s competition which will again feature Royal Birkdale, the venue for the 2017 Open.

The first players will tee off at around 8am on the first and third days and 9.30am on the second and fourth days.

Elsewhere Lancashire kept alive their hopes of winning the Daily Telegraph Northern Counties League when they shared the spoils with Cheshire at Clitheroe.

Lancashire travel to Lindrick to face Yorkshire in the final match on September 3.