Last updated 19:52, Thursday, 21 August 2008

THE GOLF Mark is a national scheme that identifies and recognises junior and beginner friendly golf clubs.

Keswick Golf Club were awarded their Golf Mark earlier this year and on Friday, August 8 they held their first Junior Open for many years.

Fifty-three young golfers from clubs throughout Cumbria and beyond were rewarded with a warm, sunny day.

The course was in excellent condition and as the Cumbria Ladies Vets were also playing a match against Cheshire on the same day some very difficult pin positions had been set.

John Routledge, from Eden, who plays off 5, certainly found the course to his liking, taking the prize for the best gross score of the day with an excellent round of 74.

The prize for best gross score in the girls’ section was the 96 carded by Emily Powell from Seascale playing off 24. Her nett score was, however, eclipsed by Nichola Wood from Furness, off 25, whose 66 gave her the prize for the best nett on the day.

The remaining prizes in the girls’ section went to Megan Thompson from Whitehaven, off 36, with a nett 68, and Amy Rudley from Seascale, off 23, with her nett 80.

The boys were divided into three sections and in the first, for those with handicaps from scratch to 12, three lads all carded nett 70s.

The first place, decided after a card play-off, went to Marcus Weatherburn from Furness playing off 6.

Second was Sean Martin from Birchwood near Warrington, off 10, with third place going to Jack Turnbull from Penrith, also off 10.

In the second section, for those with handicaps from 13 to 24, the first prize went to Joe Thwaites from Penrith, off 20, with a nett 68.

Dean Johnson, also from Penrith and playing off 20, took second place with a nett 69 and Keswick’s Richard Brown, off 16, came third with 70.

The final category was for those with handicaps between 25 and 36 and here the best nett of 69 was carded by Ben Johnstone from Carlisle, playing off 30.

Second place went to Oliver Lowe from Grange-over-Sands, also off 30, with a nett 76, with Nicholas Sowerby from Penrith, off 26, taking third place with his nett 79.

Glen Ratcliffe, who is the Junior Organiser at Keswick, is very encouraged with the success of this open and the club is planning to make this an annual event.