A NEW training venture swung into action in York today primed with producing a British golf star of the future.

The programme - Young Masters Golf - was launched in the area at the new high-tech York Golf Range and its driving force made a cast-iron forecast that it would pave the way for a major talent.

Andrew Smith, a tour player and newly-installed professional at the YGR, near Strensall, had no doubts about the Young Masters initiative, which will introduce the world of golf to a generation of new players from the age of six to 16.

He told the Evening Press: "Young Masters Golf at the York Golf Range will go on to produce a player about whom newspapers will be writing in years to come. I am sure of that.

"Whether it's a boy or a girl I am certain the scheme will produce a star of the future. Even if they move on to another area or another club then they will have started here."

Smith insisted that the new programme offered the most comprehensive introduction to domestic golf ever seen by the game and he wanted it to help to establish the York Golf Range as the number one arena for junior golf in the county.

"The success of players like Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia has made golf extremely popular with young people. But the problem for most has been how to get started in the game," said Smith.

"Now for the first time an exciting junior golf programme is available to young people, which not only makes it easy for them to start playing golf, but also helps them to progress to a level where they can compete with other youngsters."

Each youngster who enrols gets an Academy Pack, which documents the five levels they can attain from cadets through to bronze, silver, gold and ultimately, masters.

Once they pass the opening cadets' level they are entered on to the scheme's very own website www.ymg-golf.com upon which they can monitor their subsequent progress.

And by the time the silver level had been attained a player would be ready to take to any course as, said Smith, he or she would be able to play, would be appraised of the rules, and would be versed in the game's etiquette.

"Those sort of things would be a given because of the nature of the programme," explained the York Golf Range pro', who also added how starting to play golf had undergone a huge switch.

"It's like a role reversal. When I first started, and the same with my contemporaries, we were started by our parents.

"Now you get the kids encouraging their parents to play. With this programme we can teach the youngsters everything they need to know."

Anyone interested in taking up the scheme, which costs £6 per week, can get further details from Smith tel 07803 600211, or call in at the York Golf Range pro' shop.

A similar eight-week course is to be run at Fulford GC by professional Martin Brown, assisted by Jamie Ashworth, from Saturday, May 24. Details from Brown tel 01904 412882.

Easingwold GC's Neil Ferguson demonstrated that his aim was true to lift the Crossley Trophy, one of two York Union of Golf Clubs' competitions held on the same day.

Defying testing conditions of a high wind and cool temperatures Ferguson posted a 67 to win the event at Kirkbymoorside by two shots from The Oaks' Andy Dick on 69. They were the only two players to better par for the course.

Four others - Kevin Magson (Kirkbymoorside), John Riley (Forest Park), Giles Hadaway (Easingwold) and Mark Whittaker (Scarthingwell ) - all posted 70 before the remaining places were decided on count-back.

The best gross scores of 75 were carded by Heworth's Jim Batt and Neal Thompson of the Scarthingwell club.

Similar conditions ensured equally tough scoring at Forest Park GC in the YUGC's Fletcher Trophy.

Malton and Norton player Mike Norton prevailed with the only 70 of the day. Heworth's Mark Benton and Forest of Galtres' John Foo both shot rounds of 71, count-back giving the runners-up spot to the former.

A quartet of players were grouped on 73 - J A Wright (Malton and Norton), Ron McLorg (Forest Park), Steven Robertson (York) and Mark Ward (Forest of Galtres).

THREE north Yorkshire pairings are through to the next round of the Lombard Trophy, Europe's biggest pro-am competition, whose grand final climaxes at the San Lorenzo course in Portugal in autumn.

Pannal GC's Graham Freeman won the club's qualifier with a nett score of 63 and will now partner Pannal professional Dave Padgett in the regional final at Sand Moor GC on May 21.

That's the same destination for David Chalmers, whose nett 62 has paired him with professional Tony Skingle as the Scarborough South Cliff representatives.

Meanwhile, York-based customs relations manager Peter Jones won Fulford GC's qualifier with a nett 67 to earn the right to play alongside club pro' Martin Brown at the regional final at Seaton Carew GC on June 25.

The winners of the 16 regional finals in Britain and Ireland will earn a luxury trip to the grand final at San Lorenzo from September 5-9.

SINGLES success was the preserve of Kyle Mathers and Matthew Burrows when they represented the East Riding Union of Golf Clubs against their Bradford Union counterparts.

While the Kilnwick Percy duo lost their pairs match by a slender margin, they both won their singles - Mathers six and five and team captain Burrows one up.

In Kilnwick Percy's Ladies' Golf Union stableford Carol Kilford triumphed to bag a place in the regional final.

Meanwhile, the men's April stableford was won on count-back by ten-handicapper Peter Williams who totalled 38 points alongside second-placed Graham Martin (12) and David Burrows (11).

The club's Texas Scramble was won with a best nett total of 52 by Jamie Nesfield, Steven Kendra and Norman and Christine Hunter.

ALLERTHORPE Park's new mixed social 'waltz' competition was won by Yousaf Grey, David Cook and Marcina Birkett ahead of Martin Anderson, Stuart Craven and Judy Clarke.

The event comprised a new scoring format whereby the best score of the three players counted on the first hole, the better two on the second and all three on the third - the pattern repeated over the other 15 holes.

The Allerthorpe team of Caroline Lewis, Eunice Mouncey, Pat Stageman, Thelma Dutton, Judy Clarke, Chris Hyde and Sue Grant beat Sitwell Park 4-3 in the Yorkshire Ladies County Association 'A' League.

Updated: 11:57 Saturday, April 26, 2003