On the 14th June 2023, Brean Golf Club hosted their annual Sporting Celebrity Pro Am in aid of the Injured Jockeys Fund. This event has proven to be a big success over the years with donations totaling over £50,000! We are so grateful to everyone involved in the day and would like to congratulate winning team ‘Surf Bay Leisure’ who were joined by former somerset cricketer, James Hildreth.
Below is a report on the day; a sunny one enjoyed by all.
Hildreth helps Surf Bay to win number two
Andrew March
Former Somerset Cricketer James Hildreth joined forces with the Surf Bay Leisure team to win the 32nd staging of the Brean Sports Celebrity Am which raises money annually for the Injured Jockeys Fund and St Margaret’s Hospice. The quartet combined perfectly to score a superb 88 points in the sweltering conditions of Wednesday afternoon over the course at Brean and it was Surf Bay Leisure’s second win in the event. This gave them a 4 point winning margin over the CBS sponsored team of Barry Fellows, Scott Brook and Brean’s Head Greenkeeper Max Smith who were accompanied by Wheathill PGA Professional Mark Singleton.
An impressive line of sporting stars turned out to support the event which started, as has become the norm, with the event pre fuelling breakfast in the Brean Country Club. The 19 teams took to the course which was presented in superb condition for the event by Smith and his greens team. The recent hot spell and a tricky wind made it very firm underfoot and some inventive ways were needed to tackle the short but still very testing Brean layout. Many compliments were paid afterwards by the players on how testing but still great fun the golf course was to play.
After a post round meal in the Country Club the players settled back for the Presentations with former National Hunt Jockey Jeff King being on hand to present the winners with their spoils. Following home the top two teams in third spot was the Sunseeker team led by former Cricketer and now Pro golfer Peter Trego. Richard Moore, Adam Foskett and James West helped Trego to card 83 points and claim the third prize. A countback was required to decide the final two prizes with two teams tying on 79. With the better back nine the Regal Holiday Homes team were placed 4th comprising of Darren Langston, Will Lemon and Tony Oliver and Brean PGA Professional Andrew March. They finished just ahead of the Brean Golf Club quartet led by Club Captain Gordy Wheelaghan with Dave Porter, Barry Roe and Connor Thompson.
The day was concluded with an Auction conducted as always by Bob Nicholson MBE who has been involved in every single running of the event. More money was added into the amount raised with some generous purchases from the players which left the total raised for the day in excess of £4,000 once everything had been accounted for.
As one event is completed thoughts immediately turn to doing it all again in 12 months time and if the reaction to the 32nd staging was anything to go by from those who took part then it will be just as successful again in 2024.
PGA Professional
Director of Golf, Brean Golf Club
