The 2015 TTBS National Golf, with main sponsor Premier Forest Group, was played in excellent weather on the exceptional Mathern and Old courses at the Marriott St Pierre Hotel & Country Club on Friday July 3. Set in 400 acres of picturesque parkland in the rolling hills of the Wye Valley, St Pierre is an idyllic retreat, centred around a 14th century manor.
This is the third time since 2001 that the TTBS has used St Pierre for the National Golf and once again it proved to be a very popular venue for the experienced timber industry players from around the UK.
The morning nine hole Greensomes was played on the Mathern course and the afternoon 18 hole Individual Stableford was played on the superb PGA Championship Old course, which has hosted over a dozen European tournaments, with past winners including Seve Ballesteros, Greg Norman and Bernhard Langer.
The main sponsors, headed by directors Nigel Williams and Dilwyn Howells, were in attendance throughout and were supported by their sub sponsors Goldberg & Sons Ltd, Willis Brokers, HSBC Bank plc, Netplan, Stora Enso Timber UK, HS Bassett & Sons Ltd, NIS Ltd and Acuity Legal.
The excellent Grand Draw prizes at the evening dinner and presentation were donated by numerous timber companies and individuals and also by Marriott St Pierre, who donated a four ball voucher for the prestigeous Old course.
Special guests at the dinner and presentation included Robert Bruce, MH Southern & Co Ltd sales director and recently appointed TTBS National President, who addressed the attendees and thanked the TTBS General Manager & National Vice President, Ivan Savage for his excellent organisation of the event once again. He also thanked Nigel Williams and Dilwyn Howells of the Premier Forest Group for their main sponsorship of the event, together with all their supporting sub-sponsors. He also reminded the timber companies represented of the work that was done by the TTBS to assist those less fortunate from the industry and to ask them to ensure that they provide any contact details for any of their past employees who might need help.
Dilwyn Howells of the Premier Forest Group responded to reiterate the thanks to the sub-sponsors and to appeal for future main sponsors to step forward to support the National Golf in aid of "the timber trades’ own charity". He said the main sponsors role was minimal and the weight of organisation was carried by the TTBS General Manager, so there was a need for companies to continue to support the event strongly.
This was followed by the presentation of the trophies, together with cut glass mementos provided by the Premier Forest Group and the Grand Draw.
"The 2015 National Golf has once again proved to be extremely popular and has been magnificently supported by the Premier Forest Group and their generous sub-sponsors," said Mr Savage. "Following on from the 2014 Belfry event, sponsored by Taylor Maxwell Timber, it has been very enjoyable for me to work with Premier and to see all the players enjoying a great day’s golf with such excellent weather on the superb St Pierre courses. It is so worthwhile to organise this annual national event which provides such valuable income to the Society to help our many UK beneficiaries"
