Oxfordshire set to bare its teeth

A strong field of UK PGA pros including a large contingent from the victorious Great Britain & Ireland PGA Cup team will need their A-games if they are to join the trio of Ryder Cup captains past and present in adding their names to the honours board in The Oxfordshire’s spacious clubhouse.

That’s the verdict of the club’s director of golf Justin Barnes who will be putting his own game to the test during the £78,000 Titleist & FootJoy PGA Professional Championship which will be the focus of attention from July 26-29.

Colin Montgomerie, Bernhard Langer and Darren Clarke all won at the Rees Jones designed course during the 1990s and PGA Cup captain Jon Bevan plus seven of his victorious 2015 team plus vice-captain Martyn Thompson will be endeavouring to emulate those Ryder Cup heroes.

Barnes describes the course as an inland links where wind is invariably a factor at any time of the year.

“Off the back tees it measures 7,409 yards so the PGA have got the option of making it as long as they want,” said Barnes.

“It’s playing long, the fairways are well watered so there is not a lot of run but there are generous greens.

“It will favour someone who is driving the ball well because the rough is punishing but if you do hit the fairways you should be able to hit the greens.”

Its signature holes remain the eighth and the 17th. The eighth has water down the right and is named Risk and Reward while the 17th is dubbed Treble Chance with three ways to reach the green which is flanked by water.

The return of the event for the first time since Ireland’s David Mortimer won there in 2010, has been welcomed by club members with many hoping to come along and catch some of the action. It’s something of a boom time for the club with a flexible points based membership scheme attracting 150 new members in the past 18 months.

Barnes, whose previous clubs were Royal Cinque Ports and Sunningdale, arrived as head pro nine years ago but took over the director of golf role in 2011.

“I’m responsible for everything golf related and the role has evolved year on year. It’s a broad spectrum and different opportunities crop up and I really enjoy the role.”

With the club tremendously busy through the summer, Barnes has seen his own playing time curtailed and will have limited time to practise ahead of the showpiece.

“That’s the only negative, I don’t get to play a huge amount of golf although in my only appearance this season so fair I came second in the West Hill Pro-Am so you never know.”

There is plenty to play for with the winner taking home a £10,000 first prize and the keys to a Peugeot 308 GT Line Blue HDi 120 for a year while there are also qualification points towards the 2017 Great Britain & Ireland PGA Cup team.