New open competition for scratch golfers is ‘the toughest challenge’ in England

We’ve teamed up with Rockliffe Hall to offer golfers the chance to compete in the ‘Ultimate Challenge Open’ and play the longest course in England!

Rockliffe Hall is famous for being the only five-star golf hotel in the north of England. But what you may not realise is that it is also home to the longest golf course in the UK.

Every year members at the luxury 18th-century estate slug it out over the marathon course for the Gold Cup, but otherwise precious few golfers get the opportunity to experience the full 7,877-yard layout from the back tees, which have a course rating of 79.3 and slope rating of 148. Until now.

Rockliffe Hall.

To celebrate the start of the new golf season, we’ve teamed up with Rockliffe Hall to stage the inaugural ‘Ultimate Challenge Open’, a mixed gender scratch event for professionals and amateurs, to be played from the ‘gold tees’ on July 24, 2022

“This is certainly a first for us,” explained Director of Golf & Estates, Callum Nicoll. “Golfers love a challenge – and it really doesn’t get any more challenging than this!”

Opened in 2009, the course has twice hosted the English Senior Open and has even been touted as a future Ryder Cup venue due to its length and the very luxurious surroundings.

Among the many challenges include a trio of 600+ yard par 5s, as well as the signature par-3 5th – a less muscular test which plays to a small island green – and the 242-yard par-3 15th, where sand left and water right call for pinpoint accuracy.

How to enter the Ultimate Challenge Open

Date: Sunday, July 24 (first tee time from 9.30am)

Field size: 90 players

Entry fee: £90 per person

What’s included: Breakfast on arrival, complimentary practice prior to play, and post-round lunch. There are also individual and on-course prizes, worth up to £400.

Closing date for entries: Thursday, July 14

To book: Call 01325 729980 or email golf@rockliffehall.com

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