Playing any competition at your home club is special but the chance to take part and qualify for one of the state's top tournaments makes the upcoming NSW Regional Open Series event at Dubbo Golf Club all the more special for Lachy Jones and Craig Mears.
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Teenage talent Jones and Dubbo Golf Club pro Mears have both confirmed they'll be taking part in the series, which will stop in the western area in early September.
The dates of the 2020 regional series were confirmed this week, with Dubbo one of six courses to host a tournament.
The events will attract some of the state's best players, with top three in each of the regional events earning passage through to the NSW Open.
In addition to that, the professionals taking part will also battle for a $50,000 prize per event.
"It will be a lot of fun," Jones, who played in the 2018 NSW Open, said.
"The course in great condition so hopefully I'm hitting them well.
"I've been seeing Craig and getting lessons and I really think I'll be hitting them well by then."
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The qualifier is yet another marquee event for Dubbo Golf Club after it hosted the hugely successful NSW Women's Open, an event which attracted players from all over the world, earlier in the year.
And while so many other venues and industries have been struggling through the COVID-19 pandemic the Dubbo club has been making the most of it by attracting a huge amount of new members in recent times as well as making ongoing improvements to the course.
"It's fantastic.To have another major event here at Dubbo in one calendar year is great for Dubbo and our club and the sport," Mears said.
"And it's fantastic for someone as young as Lachy to participate and hopefully quality as well."
The other open qualifiers will be held at Moruya, Queanbeyan, Tweed Heads, Coffs Harbour, and Albury although the latter's date is yet to be confirmed amid more positive COVID cases in the southern region.
The event will involve roughly 80 professionals and 40 elite amateurs competing over 36 holes and the top three who go through to the NSW Open can be amateur or professional.
Jones played at the 2018 NSW Open after qualifying via a regional event at Moree.
And while he's likely to lead the charge for the western area again at this year's Dubbo Open, Mears is also in the hunt and he hopes more players throw their hat in the ring too.
"I'm sure we'll receive a lot of support form members who'd like to see us go really well and while Lachy's young I'm sure he'll carry a lot of experience into the event as well and I'm positive he'll go quite well," Mears said.
"It would be great to get some from around the district from Orange, Mudgee, and Parkes."
After events at Moruya and Queanbeyan the action heads west with a pro-am to be played on Monday, September 7 before the two-day Dubbo Open qualifying tournament.
The eyes of the state's golfing community will be on Dubbo then and that's something Mears has become used to.
"I've had calls from pros within industry nearly all year on the back of work we've done on course and funding we've received and how the [NSW Women's] event was held and how we've been able to attract it so it's been a huge coup for our club," he said.
"I've been at the club for 21 years and the amount of money we've been able to put back into the facility, not only the course but the clubhouse as well, has been great for the club."
The first of the NSW Regional Open Series is at Moruya on the last weekend in August while the NSW Open runs for four days from November 28.
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Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
