GOLF COURSE TRUMPS US PRESIDENT’S
WASHINGTON CLUB RANKED HIGHER THAN DUBAI
A Wearside golf club’s course has been hailed as better quality than US president Donald Trump’s, claims a new ranking.
The Mercure George Washington Hotel has topped more than 300 UK and European golf courses for the outstanding condition of its course.
The ranking, received this summer, from “mystery shoppers” belonging to the Professional Golfers’ Association– Approved 59 Club, puts it above the likes of bighitters such as Gleneagles and the Belfry.
And in the battle of American presidents, the George Washington, which is in High Usworth, Washington, has even trumped Donald Trump’s international golf course as far afield as Dubai.
Rankings for June from the 59 Club, which is an auditing company viewed by the industry as the Gold Standard for measuring excellence in golf, gave the George Washington a huge 94% for course condition.
Ian Gray, general manager of the hotel, said: “Getting such a high score from an independent and prestigious body like the 59 Club is a landmark moment for us.
“It reflects huge credit on our head greenkeeper Mark Hornsby and his team.”
Alan Tait, the North East and Scotland representative of the 59 Club, said: “Given the brutal winter, followed by the driest summer in about 100 years, the guys have done a great job with the course.
“For the month of June, George Washington finished 0.9% ahead of the “podium set”, which is our three top venues for that month.
“It’s a truly fantastic score to be very proud of – congratulations to Mark and his team.”
For Mark, the recognition vindicates a decade of hard work, lovingly improving the condition of the course. He said: “From my first day here, almost 10 years ago, my biggest challenge was taking the greens from one inch of root with soil compacted over the years and little or no investment, to where they are now with some seven inches of root.
“It has been a huge sense of achievement for me and my team to hear the members, visitors and team players remarking and complimenting us on the course condition these past few year.”
Bill Michie, golf operations manager at the club, said: “Greens are all that golfers talk about and one of the best forms of advertisement is word of mouth, but the 59 Club’s summer review is a massive seal of approval for the George Washington.”
“It reflects huge credit on our head greenkeeper” IAN GRAY