Inaugural mixed event at leading Norfolk venue

Popular 2-FORE!-1 venue Barnham Broom is breaking with tradition by holding Norfolk’s first week-long mixed sex tournament from Monday 12 to Friday 16 August.

This new event on the East of England’s golfing calendar is introducing a new format where women golfers will be competing directly against their male counterparts in a 5-day matchplay and strokeplay tournament on its two Championship courses in the heart of Norfolk’s Wensum Valley.

On Monday and Tuesday of the Open Week, there will be two days of 18-hole strokeplay to determine the top 32 players in three categories – scratch; 1 to 11 handicap; 12-18 handicap. From Wednesday, there will be a knockout matchplay tournament for the 32 qualifiers in each category with the semi-finals and finals being played on the Friday.

Those who do not qualify for the matchplay stage and matchplay first round losers will play in a consolation competition on Wednesday and Thursday. There will also be a Ladies’ strokeplay tournament and a Junior 36-hole competition.

Corey Knoop, Head of Golf at Barnham Broom said: “One of the key priorities we have at Barnham Broom is to encourage more people to take up the sport. We feel that it is about time that women and men competed as equals in the same tournament.

“With more couples playing golf, our Open Week provides them with a great opportunity to play alongside each other in a competitive environment rather than in separate events.

“With golf enjoying such a high profile in British sport at the moment we are delighted to be holding our Open Week just a couple of weeks after The Open is held at Muirfield.

“We’re hoping the ‘Wimbledon effect’ that happens each year when the world’s greatest tennis players descend on SW1 also occurs with golf this year and that women golfers grasp the opportunity to play in competition with the men.

“The women’s tour is getting much better coverage on TV now, so we are hoping that an event like this will attract a greater number of female entrants from Norfolk and further afield. We know from our own membership that there will be several couples taking part and we would love at least 25% of the competitors to be women.

“We believe that this mixed sex tournament will prove very popular and should pave the way for similar tournaments and events in the future.”

Entry for visitors is £80 and for members it’s £35. Players will be guaranteed at least four rounds on the Hill or Valley courses. Barnham Broom is offering a special Open Week ‘Stay & Play’ offer of 4 nights’ dinner, bed & breakfast, plus entry to the tournament, for £399 per person.

* To book call 01603 757 501 and for more details visit barnham-broom.co.uk/barnham-broom-open-week