County team to head for Wearside

Wearside Golf Club will host Durham County’s final warm-up match for next season’s Northern Counties League campaign.

The representative Durham County Golf Union team will take on the Teesside Union, in their annual clash, at the Coxgreen club on Sunday, April 22.

Durham’s first pre-season game is against the Durham County Junior Golfing Society at Castle Eden on March 25.

The fixtures have also been confirmed for the Northern Counties campaign. Durham start with a home meeting with Cheshire at Tyneside on May 12, then head to Hornsea to take on defending champions Yorkshire, seeking a fourth straight title, on June 16.

The annual derby clash with Northumberland will be played at Darlington on July 7, followed by a visit to Hesketh to take on Lancashire on August 11 and a final game against Cumbria at Hartlepool on September 1.

Durham finished bottom of the league this year, with just one win in their five matches, by a point away to Northumberland, who finished second.

DurhamCountySeniors kick off against Yorkshire at Barnard Castle on Mat 14, before tackling Lancashire at Tyneside on July 16 and Cumbria at Grange-overSands on August 6.

Durham Boys’ annual match against Lancashire Boys has been scheduled for Chester-le-Street on Monday, July 9.

The County Boys’ Championship will be held at Eaglescliffe on June 9, along with the Under-16 and Under-14 events.

Houghton Golf Club will host the Durham County Second Division Championship on August 18, with the Third Division at Ryton on June 2 and the Fourth Division at Roseberry Grange on August 25.

The Teams Handicap competition goes ahead at Hobson on June 23 and the Clubs Championship is at Barnard Castle on August 4, following a qualifier at Ravensworth on June 30.

The Inter-County Foursomes begin at Whitburn on April 7 and continue with rounds three and four at Seaham the next day. The finals are at Westerhope on April 14.