Does the next Lee Westwood or Annika Sorenstam live and play golf in The Midlands? The free to enter competition is open to boys and girls aged 8-16 irrespective of their level of playing experience: beginner, improver or advanced player. The first stage of the event takes place 4th & 5th September at The Driving Range, Becketts Farm, Solihull.

Golf’s high standards of sportsmanship, courtesy, manners and fair play make it stand out from many other sports, and it sets a very good example to young people. Golf is now widely recognised as one of the most popular sports in the country with a reported 4 million golfers taking part in the sport.

Is there a Lee or Annika in The Midlands? Golf Factor Talent search intends to find out. The brainchild of John Andrew Class AA PGA Qualified Professional and owner of the John Letters Golf Academy has linked with Darren Price PGA Professional to run this event with official partners Direct Golf UK, Nike Golf & John Letters Golf.

Each player will be assessed by an expert panel of judges. Amazing Prizes are up for grabs for the three eventual winners, including elite equipment from Nike Golf, coaching from the expert staff at the John Letters Golf Academy and personal development at the highest level. Closing date for entries: 21st August 2010. For further details and how to enter visit: www.johnletters.com/golffactor

Hertfordshire (pictured) swept to victory in the East region County Match Week with a 9-0 whitewash of Cambs & Hunts on the final day at West Herts. They were clear winners of the week with five points from five matches and will represent the region in the finals of the English Counties’ Championship, supported by Virgin Atlantic. In the day’s other matches Bedfordshire upset the form book to beat Essex 5-4 while Norfolk also defeated Suffolk 5-4. Finals placings: Hertfordshire 5 pts, Essex 3 pts, Bedfordshire 3 pts, Norfolk 2½ pts, Cambs & Hunts 1½ pts, Suffolk 0 pts.

In the Midlands South region week at Goring and Streatley, Northamptonshire continued their winning record by completing their fifth victory of the week.They had secured thei r place at County Finals after four days, but rounded off the week with a 6½-2½ win over Buckinghamshire. Worcestershire and Herefordshire beat Warwickshire 5½-3½ and Oxfordshire beat the hosts, Berkshire, 5½-3½.

Final placings: Northamptonshire 5pts, Oxfordshire 3pts, Warwickshire 2½ pts, Worcestershire & Herefordshire 2 pts, Buckinghamshire 1½ pts, Berkshire 1pt. The winners of each of six County Match Weeks will go forward to the County Finals at Kedleston Park, Derbyshire, in September. Three match weeks have already been completed and Dorset will represent the South West, Sussex will represent the South and Lincolnshire will represent Midlands North. The North week will take place at the end of the month.

Direct Golf UK, the UK’s leading multi-channel golf retailer has expanded their portfolio by taking over the lease at the Three Counties Golf Centre at the Beckett’s Farm complex near Solihull.

Situated in the heart of the Midlands the Driving Range is a PGA Approved Training establishment. It has ease of access from the M42 motorway and already boasts: a Full Custom Fit & Work Shop Facility; 2-tier 32 bay floodlit Driving Range; 10 outdoor grass tees; 3 hole junior course; practise chipping green; bunker practise area and a fully stocked 3000 sq ft Direct Golf UK Store. Formally known as Three Counties Golf Centre the Driving Range will be re-named "The Driving Range at Beckett’s Farm."

Store Manager and PGA Professional Darren Price is excited about the site - "We have big plans for the site and want to make it the best Driving Range in the Area, over the coming weeks we plan to install a John Letters Academy; New Grass Tees; New Short Game Area; Improve the ground area through re-seeding and develop the Range & introduce a Loyalty Card Scheme amongst other ideas."

For further details about The Driving Range at Beckett’s Farm contact Darren Price on 01564 826276 or visit: The Driving Range at Beckett’s Farm, Beckett’s Farm, Alcester Road, Solihull, B47 6AJ.

Derbyshire golfers Jan Lathbury and Andree Moulds (pictured) booked their place in the national finals of EWGA’s Australian Spoons competition when they won the Midlands North regional final at Beedles Lake in Leicestershire & Rutland. They scored 37 stableford points in the foursomes competition for players with handicaps over 21. The Australian Spoons is sponsored by Volvo. Competitors initially take part in club rounds with the best pairs going forward to regional competitions and then the national finals. The Midlands North final attracted qualifying teams representing 47 clubs throughout the region. Jan, who plays off 26, and Andree, a 29-handicapper, are both members at Erewash Valley Golf Club. The runners-up were Southwell couple Sue Nickless and Jenny Hubbard who scored 36pts Jan and Andree now go through to the national final at Kedleston Park, Derbyshire, on September 17.

Five days before her wedding to fellow member Neil Smith, Anna Norton could be forgiven for not having her mind fully set on the job of retaining her title as Ladies Champion of Ludlow Golf Club. Between moving job, buying and renovating a new home and playing hockey for Ludlow, Norton still started the 36 hole, two day competition as joint favourite with 2007 Champion Jayne Smith. Anna set off in style with a birdie and three pars on the first five holes finishing her round on a gross 78 which took her into a tie for first place with Smith. Smith, watching from the terrace and wondering if her gross 82 would be enough to win, saw Norton finish the 18th in fine style with an excellent chip leaving a tap-in for par and the top slot.

Cheers resounded in the Clubhouse as Anna was crowned Ludlow Ladies Club Champion for the third year in a row. Val Alexander was presented with the Kay Ward Cup for the best nett score. Shooting a nett 67 on the first day her nett 73 on day two was enough to take the title, two shots ahead of junior member Tara Rodenhurst.

Hertfordshire’s Harriet Key won the Frilford Heath (pictured) scratch salver with a level par total for the 36-hole event. Harriet set the pace in the morning round on the Red course with a two-under 70. She followed up on the Green course with two-over 72 – just enough to withstand the challenge of 14-year-old Wiltshire champion Kyra Horlock, who shot an afternoon 68.

Harriet, who plays at South Herts, is a Hertfordshire county player and a past winner of the South East and Hertfordshire girls’ titles. She was among the qualifiers at last month’s English amateur championship at Broadstone.

Andy Sullivan (picture © Tom Ward) maintained his highly successful start to the season when he won the Lagonda Trophy after a head-to-head battle with Liam Burns at Gog Magog Golf Club, Cambridge.The man from Nuneaton carded a closing round of 69 for 269, 11 under par, to pip Burns by a shot despite the Kent man’s finale of 68. Joint third on 274 were Phillip Ridden from City of Newcastle and England international Jamie Abbott, who lost a playoff for the same title a year ago, both with closing 66s. It was Warwickshire champion Sullivan’s third round 64, one off the amateur course record, that set up his success which followed victories in the Hampshire Salver and Midland Closed, runners-up spots in the West of England and Selborne Salver and fourth place in the Duncan Putter.

Spalding Golf Club Third team's first match of the season, a social match against the Ladies ended in a 8-5 win with three games halved, with the highlight of the day, a hole-in-one by Doug Garfoot on the par three 155yd 9th hole. His seven iron into a strong wind helped him and his playing partner Mark German to a narrow victory over Anita Cross & Maureen Orwell. The third team, captained this year by Pete Williams with Kevin Siddle his vice, led the team well winning their game against their counterparts from the ladies, Jackie Bailey & Eileen Bridge.

The Bank holiday texas scramble competition was again well supported with 28 teams of four out on the course. The winning quartet with a nett score of 53.2 was Jane Toal, Lisa Howling, Keith Moore and Doug Garfoot, with Di Sanderson, Irene & David Brotherton and Neil West on 55.5 taking second spot. Third place went to Carol & Keith Holland, Rowena Hughes and Albert Jacobs with Jo & Steve Wade, Jackie Bailey-Scott and Trevor Laud in fourth place.

Spalding eased their way into the second round of the Bramley County Singles Matchplay competition in April beating Kirton Holme G.C. 3-0 at the Surfleet course. First out Mark Mitchell won 3&1 and big wins from both Andy Grimwood (6&5) and Steve Wade (7&6) sealed the win. Spalding, losing semi-finalists last year have another home tie against the winners of Market Rasen v Seacroft game, early next month.

Shropshire’s Deborah Austin swept into the inaugural EWGA Grand Medal Final when she won the Midlands North regional final with net 65 at Brocton Hall, Staffordshire. The competition series is run in association with Volvo.

Deborah, who finished six shots clear of the field, leads 10 qualifiers for the Grand Medal Final which will take place at The Worcestershire Golf Club on 26 June.

She came back last June with a handicap of 26 and by the time she teed up at Brocton Hall she had reduced to 19. Now, a further cut is on the way which will help her pursue her current goal.

Her caddy at the regional medal final was her father, Paul Austin, who originally introduced her to golf. She had two gross birdies and four pars during her round and scored 14-over gross 84. “I’ve had a marvellous day, everyone at Brocton Hall was so welcoming and the competition was very well organised by EWGA,” said Deborah.

This was the first of six regional medal finals which are contested by players who each returned the four best medal scores at their club during 2009.