The launch of a tour school for the PGA North Region has been welcomed by Selby golf professional Adam Ledger (left). The Selby Golf Club assistant, who competes on both the Euro Pro and North Region tours, said: “I think it’s a really good idea rather than having to keep going to events for which you still have to pre-qualify. It’s definitely much better as sometimes you find yourself playing for nothing at the end of the day.”
The new initiative replaces the previous policy of running qualifying rounds for the bigger tournaments with two-day 36-hole events at Normanton and Dunscar. The Selby club’s head professional Nick Ludwell, a former North Region Order of Merit winner, was not available for comment but is expected to be competing in the nine-event tour once again this year along with the Yorkshire PGA tour.
Regional secretary Graham Maly explained: “We are holding them (the schools) before the season gets fully underway so that players will know their rankings and be able to plan their diaries much earlier than normal. It’s also a cost-cutting exercise because they won’t have to leave their workplace as often to travel up and down the region which is time-consuming.
“Any player who fails to secure an automatic qualifying spot in the first event (April 17/18 at Normanton) may enter the second one (April 25/26 at Dunscar) to improve their ranking position. “In total there will be 60 qualifying spots but exempt players are also required to confirm their entry.”And he added: “The South and East regions have already adopted the system which has been well received.”