'Friendly' PGA Lancs announces fixtures

The PGA in Lancashire has rolled out a busy fixture list embracing 16 events including at Penwortham (above).

The season tees off at Fleetwood on April 7 with the first in a series of six monthly Players' Tour competitions which will qualify for the Order of Merit and assistants' playing ability purposes.

There are five pro-ams, which include the long-running Bill Beaumont Classic at Hillside on July 10, and several new venues.

And for the first time the calendar reveals four ‘friendly’ fourballs to be played in pro-am and am-am format.

County secretary Andy Duncan explained: "We are hoping these will attract professionals who don't often compete in the main events but might fancy a day out with a clubmate.

"A fourball championship will also be held later in the year. All our events reflect the need for more competitive golf in a county which boasts in excess 140 clubs."

FIXTURES:

April: 7 Players' Tour (Fleetwood).

May: 12 Players' Tour (Pike Fold); 28: Friendly Fourball (Rossendale).

June: 9 Players' Tour (Denton); 18 Friendly Fourball (Wilpshire); 29 Pro-am (Darwen). July: 4 Pro-am (Morecambe); 7 Players' Tour (Turton); 10 Bill Beaumont Classic pro-am (Hillside); 15 Pro-am (Ashton-in-Makerfield); 16 Friendly Fourball (Denton); 25 Pro-am (Preston).

August: 4 Players' Tour (Rossendale); 20 Friendly Fourball (North Manchester)

September: 1 Players' Tour (Penwortham).

NB: Dates for the Matchplay Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes and the strokeplay and fourball events await confirmation.