(Credit: Andy Hiseman)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\u201cWe expect another strong turnout from the elite national squads in 2024\u201d said Howard Craft, Club Manager at Berkhamsted Golf Club. \u201cFor many of them, the Berkhamsted Trophy represents their first major tournament of the year in England after warm-weather training in the winter.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no better way to see if your game\u2019s up to scratch, and ready for the blockbuster amateur tournaments later in the season, than competing here at Berkhamsted.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy doing so they are following in the footsteps of many of British golf\u2019s greatest players!\u201d<\/p>\n
Former world #1 and European Ryder Cup Captain Luke Donald MBE is a previous winner of the Berkhamsted Trophy, as are double-Major winner Sandy Lyle MBE and British golf\u2019s triumvirate of amateur golf legends, Sir Michael Bonnallack OBE, Peter McEvoy OBE and Gary Wolstenholme MBE.<\/p>\n
Run entirely by Berkhamsted Golf Club members, the three-day Trophy features a halfway cut on Friday April 5th<\/sup>, and a 36-hole closing day on Saturday April 6th<\/sup>.<\/p>\n2023 winner James Claridge shot a record-breaking 11-under par total on his way to victory last year in his second attempt at lifting the Trophy. \u201cIn 2022 I was too defensive, and wary of how Berkhamsted plays with gorse frequently crossing the fairway, so last year I played more aggressively. I drove it well, only had one three putt all week, and hit it close with my irons \u2013 it was an outstanding week.\u201d<\/p>\n
Claridge went on to place 3rd<\/sup>\u00a0in The Brabazon Trophy at Sunningdale a few weeks later, and secured a top 15 finish in the European Amateur Championship in Estonia in late June 2023.<\/p>\nEngland Golf\u2019s Performance Manager (Men\u2019s Golf), Stephen Burnett, said: \u201cThe Berkhamsted Trophy is always a strong field and very few UK inland courses could handle an elite event at this time of year. That\u2019s what sets Berkhamsted apart.\u201d<\/p>\n2023 Berkhamsted Trophy champion James Claridge (Credit: Andy Hiseman)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nAfter blizzards and heavy rain temporarily halted the tournament in 2022 and 2023 respectively, Howard Craft and his greens staff are prepared for anything as the 2024 event approaches. \u201cThe British weather in the early springtime is traditionally unpredictable \u2013 but we would love sunshine this year so our latest crop of elite golfers can really attack James Claridge\u2019s record score!\u201d<\/p>\n
The bunker-free Berkhamsted Golf Club is laid out on common land in Hertfordshire\u2019s largest expanse of natural gorse and heather, with over five miles of bridleways and pathways running throughout the golf course and its 530-acre estate, full of natural beauty.<\/p>\n
Situated north-west of London, close to the western boundary of Hertfordshire, Berkhamsted Golf Club is easily accessible from the A41, five miles west of Hemel Hempstead and just 15 minutes from M1 Junction 8 (St Albans).<\/p>\n
For further information see\u00a0www.berkhamstedgolfclub.co.uk<\/a><\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"'The Berkhamsted\u2019 is the year\u2019s first big test in the elite amateur calendar<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1248866,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[6315,6316],"class_list":["post-1248865","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-berkhamsted-golf-club","tag-berkhamsted-trophy","priority_tax-homepage-slider"],"yoast_head":"\n
Elite national squads head to Berkhamsted - Golf Today<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n