A real Classic at Sandwell

Yesterday, more than 100 pros headed to the club, based off the Birmingham Road, in West Bromwich, to compete in the Sandwell Park Classic with a prize fund of £6,600. Among them were Staffordshire’s European Tour tournament winner Robert Rock as well as established European Tour star Ashley Chesters, alongside rising prospects Richard Mansell and Tom Metcalfe.

Halesowen’s Felicity Johnson led the female entries.

It was Worcestershire’s Oliver Farrell who collected the £1,500 top prize after finishing on four under par following a play-off with Shropshire’s Chesters.

PGA pro Richard O’Hanlon also caught the eye after registering a hole-in-one on the seventh – winning himself £250 in the process.

During the 1950s, 60s and 70s, Sandwell Park was one of the most prestigious courses in the country with the then Great Britain & Ireland Ryder Cup team often using it to warm up. Now golf development manager Richard Prophet and course manager Rob Lydon are determined to re-establish the club on the golfing map.

And former pro Prophet was thrilled with how the club handled staging its first pro event for years.

“The tournament was absolutely fantastic and we had lots of lovely reviews about the course from the pros,” he said. “To have more than 100 players take part was fantastic. The pressure was on. We wanted to make sure the event went well and was run properly.

“And we’re delighted with how the day unfolded. The players really did rave about the course and for that I’ve got to thank Rob Lydon.

“He has has put his heart and soul into it and that’s why it was so rewarding to hear these established European Tour players speak so highly of the course. The day couldn’t have gone any better. We’ve already started talking about next year with the Clutch Tour so hopefully this is the first of many at Sandwell Park.”