Ganton: a fitting venue for the Hayter Challenge Final

t is unlikely that any finer A mighty 6,720 yards off the Open Champions and I back pegs there are seven par-4s as well as TEAMS venue could have been chosen over 400 yards long and a grand and was Captained by Charles Scotland for the final of the 1997 Hayter total of 111 bunkers many of Whitcombe. Challenge than Ganton, near Cat 1. 1. D. Leith S.Taylor 3. D. which can comfortably house Another former Cap- Wilson Cat 2. 1. A. Wilson. J. Scarborough. golfers standing to their full tain won the Johnston,. A. Torrance Cat 3. G. As a course there is hardly height. Dunlop Masters at Ganton while Shearer 2. S. Carmichael. D. a major event, outside of an One of the finest holes is the clinched his third PGA Nelson Open Championship, that it has 4th on what is regarded as a Championship in four years over South West and South not hosted and the final Hayter memorable front nine. At 406 the course in 1981. Challenge finds itself on Ganton's yards it is a tough task if only the Emma Duggelby, of the BIGGA Cat 1. R. Daly, L. Millar, C. roll of honour alongside other distance is taken into account but staff, also competed over the Bland. Cat 2. A. Knight, 2. P. such significant events as the with a second shot which is course for Great Britain and Ire- Wentworth, M. Porrish Cat 3. Ryder Cup in 1949, the 1975 required to negotiate a valley to a land against the Continent of A. James, J. Cooper, A. Dunlop Masters and '81 PGA plateau green well armed with Europe in the 1995 Vagliano Tro- Rideout. Championship. Top amateur bunkers it provides even more phy. Midland events include Men's Home Inter- food for thought. The man charged with looking Cat 1. M. Hughes, A. Cheese, A. Duncan. Cat 2. J. Chesson, nationals; English Amateur; Ganton is riddled with history. after the historic piece of North A. Bindley, D.Jones. Cat 3. J. British Amateur (three times); was professional Yorkshire is Dave Spurden who, the British Ladies and Vagliano Hatton, M. Bindley, M. Jones. during the time when he was per- on this occasion, is combining his South East Trophy while the Curtis Cup will haps the best player in the world, efforts at producing the course in Cat 1. A. Sheehan . N. Gilham be played there in 2004.A11 are winning Open Championships on its best condition with represent- D. Murdoch Cat 2. I. Sutcliffe major events and the Hayter both sides of the Atlantic. ing the Northern Region in Cate- R. Malt, J. Selwood; Cat 3. M. Challenge finds itself in exalted , still recovering gory 2. Whether an additional Mison, T. Hindmarch, B. company. from his near fatal car accident, handicap to cover his local Jackson . As you would expect Ganton was the non-playing Captain of knowledge has been considered is Northern was chosen for a reason. That the US Ryder Cup team in '49. not known! Cat 1. P. Pearce, D. Norton, R. reason being that it is a magnifi- That team contained another leg- At the time of going to press Lewis; Cat 2. M. Coultas, cent golf course and certainly endary figure - . The the competitors from across the J.Waite, D. Spurden Cat 3. P. deserving of its placing near the Great Britain and team Irish Sea had not yet been Neve, R. Smith and E. top of any British, or even, world which narrowly lost 7-5 included selected. Rowlands. ranking.