International Pairs UK

International Pairs Make Woodham Duo's Dreams Come True

INTERNATIONAL PAIRS MAKE WOODHAM DUO’S DREAMS COME TRUE

Woodham’s Mike Greener and Andrew Richardson will get to fulfil every golfers dream’ of playing at St Andrews next month when they take their place in the International Pairs World Final.
Greener and Richardson will line up against competitors from 29 other countries at the Home of Golf at The Duke’s, St Andrews, from September 21-23 - in the world’s largest tournament of its kind for club golfers.
The duo survived an attack of the nerves at Carnoustie in the 2007 International Pairs UK Final last October to book their place in the event but are hopeful of challenging for the top honours after a good summer on the fairways.
Greener, who plays off five, said: “We have both been playing well recently and have made sure we’ve played lots of team matches as preparation.
“It will be quite something represent your country at St Andrews and we want to make sure we do ourselves justice. I’ve had a holiday with my family there before but never played any of the courses. It’s a special place and we both can’t wait.”
Greener and two-handicapper Richardson have made sure that they will look the part for their visit to the Home of Golf after revealing that they have received some backing from golf manufacturing giants Titleist in the build-up to their big day.
“We wrote off to Titleist asking for support more in hope than anything else and they have really come up trumps,” added Greener, from Newton Aycliffe, Durham.
“They have provided us with caps, balls and gloves and we will feel like pros’ when we tee off on the first day.”
The duo will be joined by six other pairs from the UK as they battle for the chance to succeed Scarborough South Cliff duo Shaun Smith and Simon Deaves as world champions.
Deen (correct) Graves and Martyn Ashcroft, from Dawlish Warren Golf Club near Exeter, will lead the challenge after winning the 2007 UK Final at Carnoustie last year and they will be joined at The Duke’s by Elliott Briggs and Tom Woods, the English champions from Howley Hall GC, Leeds.
Bonnybridge duo John Maxwell and Stephen Brown will represent the home nation as Scottish champions, father-and-son Bryan and Aled Williams, who play at Cottrell Park, Cardiff, will be representing Wales and the UK line-up will be completed by Dunscar duo Jim Callaghan and Mark Gregory and Roy Knowles and David Steel, from Market Rasen GC, Lincs.
Graves and Ashcroft made history last year when they followed up their success in the International Pairs 2001 UK Finals by winning the title for a second time and they are hopeful their good run in the competition - the largest of its kind for club golfers in the world - can continue.
Ashcroft, a property developer in Torquay, said: “We haven’t had the chance to play that much this year because work has been quite difficult but we have set aside the whole of September to practice.
“We’re both really excited about it and it would be great to bring the world title back to Torquay.”
The 2008 world final, the fifth in International Pairs’ history, promises to be the most spectacular yet with competitors from countries including America, South Africa, Malaysia, Iceland, Ireland and Nigeria taking part.
The players will march through the historic streets of St Andrews accompanied by the St Andrews Pipe Band and schoolchildren from across Fife as part of a glittering opening ceremony, before the action switches to The Duke’s for a 36-hole fourball betterball Stableford competition - which will be screened to a worldwide television audience of tens of millions of people.
And the event, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2008 and has been backed by Visit Scotland for the last six years, is poised to get even bigger as it is set to expand into 52 countries.
Australia, Sweden, Russia and the Caribbean have all joined International Pairs this year while it has also signed agreements with the English Golf Union and International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) in the last 12 months.
Ross Honey, founder and chairman of International Pairs, said: “This year is a notable landmark for International Pairs and it seems fitting that the world final will be staged in Scotland at the Home of Golf.
“Scotland has played a pivotal role in the development of the competition and I really believe we haven’t scratched the surface of what we can achieve. It’s very exciting.
“We have been able to establish fantastic international partners all over the world. And I think with the people and global family we have created we can build an amazing means of moving forward.”
To enter the International Pairs and to register a club, please call 01489 878509, or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Alternatively, visit the Pairs’ website at www.internationalpairs.com.

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