What’s On: Eight of our favourite golf tournaments you can play this summer

What’s on: Your guide to the biggest and best events this summer

How many times do you hear about something after the event, and wish you had known about it sooner?

Quite a lot, if you’re like us, which is why we wanted to do something about it. In this new monthly series, we’ll shed light on some of the most popular and best value for money golf tournaments coming up in the UK and reveal how you, your partner, or kids can be a part of them.

1. THE JUSTIN ROSE TELEGRAPH JUNIOR GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

Justin Rose has not only pinned his name to the unofficial ‘Major’ of junior golf, but he’s made sure that girls will at last receive numerical parity with the boys in the 54-hole strokeplay final, which will be shown live on Sky Sports. The competition teed off last month but don’t worry: you’ve got until September to enter as many 18-hole qualifiers as you wish. These can be attached to existing club medals or an open competition, of which there are over 60.

A full list of open (and closed) competitions is available to view online, which is where you can also find the national leaderboard ranking the best gross scores against CSS.

Twelve boys and girls will then earn the chance to play in the final at Quinta do Lago Resort in Portugal from November 13-15, 2019, and emulate former winners Rose, Matt Fitzpatrick and Melissa Reid.

Entry fee: Free
Hcp limit: <28 boys; <36 girls
Age limit: Under 18 on January 1, 2019.
Qualification deadline: September 16
Sign up: Click here or call 0344 693 1885

2. R&A 9 HOLE CHAMPIONSHIP

Calling all club secretaries in England. Schedule a nine-hole competition before June 7 and two of your members could represent your club in the R&A 9 Hole Challenge at Royal Portrush. Qualification is open to everyone and the two best individual Stableford scores per club will be added together to form a team nett aggregate score. The leading nine teams in England will then go through to compete in the final on July 13, where they’ll get to play the first two and last seven holes of the Dunluce course a week before the start of The Open! Travel and accommodation is covered, too.

Entry fee: Determined by your home club
Hcp limit: <28 men; <36 women
Age limit: N/A
Qualification deadline: June 7
Sign up: Click here

3. THE WALTON HEATH TROPHY

Test yourself at the home of the 2018 British Masters by signing up to play 72 holes of individual strokeplay. Running from July 23-25 at Walton Health in Surrey, the men’s competition is open to all ages and nationalities, but is balloted to 120 entries. Courtesy practice rounds are offered on July 21 and 22, with the first 36 holes taking place on the New and Old Course. Prize vouchers are given to the top-eight players, but really everyone’s a winner since a pair of weekend green fees at Walton Heath cost £430!

Entry fee: £85 (includes lunch).
Cut: 36 – lowest 40 scores and ties
Hcp limit: 1
Age limit: N/A
Closing date: July 12, noon
Sign up: Click here or call 01737 812380

4. PING PAIRS

A new tournament for all golfers registered with HowDidiDo. Simply sign up online, form a mixed, male or female pair, and let HowDidiDo do the rest. They’ll take your best three scores in handicap qualifying competitions and combine them with your partner’s to find your position on the Ping Pairs leaderboard.

Monthly prizes are up for grabs, and there’s also a separate division for juniors who wish to team up. The top-eight teams at the end of qualifying will then be taken to Ping’s HQ at Thonock Park in Lincolnshire for a VIP experience and an 18-hole shootout on August 27-28.

Entry fee: Determined by your home club
Hcp limit: 54
Age limit: N/A
Qualification deadline: July 31, midnight
Sign up: Click here

5. FESTIVAL OF GOLF

Bring the family and head to East Anglia for the Festival of Golf at Stoke by Nayland Hotel, Golf & Spa. The inaugural event, which runs from July 18-20, celebrates the start of the summer holidays and kicks off with five golf clinics, a nearest the pin competition on a GC2 Quad Simulator, and a buffet lunch and evening BBQ. On the second day, serious golfers can play 18 holes on one of the two championship courses in a betterball tournament, while beginners can book a lesson with a PGA pro or use the hotel facilities. Everyone can then enjoy a three-course dinner and live entertainment.

Entry fee: £149 (two-day pass only)
Hcp limit: <28 men; <36 ladies
Age limit: N/A
Sign up: Click here or call 01206 265835

What’s the incentive?
You can take advantage of our special reader offer and save £40 per person on a play & stay package that includes a two-day pass with access to all activities and meals, plus a B&B stay in the on-site, four-star hotel. Prices start from a £149 per person (normally £189) and are based on two sharing a room. Bookings must be made before June 14. Call 01206 265835 and quote “TGFoG Reader Offer”.

Plus… you can get the kids involved, too
Free to enter, a family fun day on July 20 gives you the perfect chance to get your kids or grandkids golfing. As well as a four-hole short course, there’s Tri-Golf for children aged three to six, and ‘Give it a Go’ group sessions for beginners, aged from seven to adults.

6. CLUB TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

Play your way to Woodhall Spa for England Golf Week by signing up to compete in the last of four regional qualifiers. Played over 18 holes on the Avening course at Minchinhampton in Gloucestershire on July 21, teams of four must include at least one man and one woman, but players do not have to be members of the same club. Two of the best stableford scores count towards the final total, with a minimum of 20 teams from all regionals advancing to the National Final on August 16.

Entry fee: £100 per team of four
Hcp limit: 24-96 combined
Age limit: Over 18s only
Closing date: June 28, noon
Sign up: Click here

7. TRUMP TURNBERRY SENIORS OPEN / LADIES OPEN

Non-members are invited to take part in the Senior and Ladies Opens on the King Robert the Bruce course this summer. Both events will be played over 18 holes and follow a team stableford strokeplay format. Prizes range from four ball vouchers to an overnight B&B stay at Trump Turnberry. Tee times start from 10am on July 25 for the Senior Open; 11am on August 22 for the Ladies Open.

Entry fee: £199 per team of four
Hcp limit: 28 men; 36 ladies
Age limit: N/A
Closing date: August 21, midnight
Sign up: Click here or call 01655 334 032

8. BRITISH OPEN SPEEDGOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS

Grab your pencil bag and running shoes for a quick sprint around Foxhills in Surrey on July 28. As the name suggests, the aim is to achieve the lowest gross score in the quickest time possible to play 18 holes on the Longcross course. The combined totals will then give you a Speedgolf Score. All newcomers are welcome, and there are separate categories for the elite, amateurs, women and seniors. Tee times start from 3pm.

Entry fee: £85 per person
Hcp limit: N/A
Age limit: Over 18s only
Closing date: July 7, midnight
Sign up: Click here