Boost for Doncaster as world’s top golfers set to play

Doncaster Council chiefs are hopeful that world golf stars could soon be teeing off after The European Tour organisation backed plans for a new golf destination at Rossington Hall.

The Rossington Hall Golf Developments (RHGD) scheme, backed by Doncaster Council, will see the site transformed into a golf complex and resort under the European Tour Destination banner.

A tournament quality 18-hole golf course will be built on the near 500-acre site, along with a 9 hole club course, clubhouse, leisure facilities and 500 homes.

An outline planning application is expected to be submitted later this year. Golfers teeing off within the next two years.

Ros Jones, Mayor of Doncaster, said: “This is tremendous news for Doncaster. Last year, Yorkshire welcomed the Tour de France and it would be another boost for the region to welcome top golfing stars in the future.

“It’s a real feather in our cap that Doncaster has been chosen as part of the expansion of the European Tour Properties exclusive network of world class golf destinations.

“Rossington Hall is the ideal location for tournament golf, with Doncaster Sheffield Airport and the national motorway and rail network on its doorstep.

“Doncaster is already home to the oldest classic horse race in the world - the St Leger - and international golf will bring further top quality sport to the town and the region.

“Doncaster is on the up as a tourist destination with visitor numbers to our wide range of attractions going from strength to strength.”

David MacLaren, director of property and venue development at The European Tour, said: “We are delighted to offer our support to The Rossington Hall golf project and hope to bring both a long-term relationship and top flight professional tournament golf to the venue once it is developed. We see huge potential with both this development and the region and look forward to a prosperous partnership.”

A spokesperson for Rossington Hall Golf Developments said: “We believe that the development will bring with it immeasurable economic benefits for the area as well as help to secure the long-term future of the Northern Racing College who are already based at Rossington Hall and are an important Doncaster asset with whom we look forward to working closely with in the future. Further details of the development will be announced jointly by RHGD and The European Tour in due course.”

The College is one of only two dedicated training providers for the horse racing industry in the UK.

Access to the golf complex will be from a proposed link road from junction 3 of the M18.

* Yorkshire’s golf courses are among the best in the country but big tournaments don’t come round very often these days.

Ganton (1949), Moortown (1929) and Lindrick (1957) have all hosted the Ryder Cup.

More recently Fulford Golf Club, York, hosted 23 consecutive European Tour events in the 1970s, 80s and 90s.

In the 1980s, three Leeds clubs hosted the Car Care Plan International, which was a European Tour golf tournament.

It was hosted by Moortown, Sandmoor and Moor Allerton. In 1983 and 1984 it was won by Nick Faldo who went on to become world numner one.

Current European Tour players include Sheffield’s Danny Willett, 27, and Malton’s Simon Dyson, 37,