Harmison seeking golf stars of future

Posted by Simon Honeysett on Aug 1, 08 10:43 AM in Sport

DURHAM fast bowler Steve Harmison may be surplus to requirements as far as the England Test XI are concerned, but he has been doing his bit for golf.

Harmison, who plays off a handicap of 10 at Longhirst Hall, has officially opened the club's Connect Effect YoungStar Academy and said his club's mission is to find youngsters good enough to make it as Tour golfers.

He was joined at the opening by Chris Robinson, the founder of the Northumberland Junior Golfing Association, Wayne Tyrie, the new club professional at Longhirst, and younger brother Ben.

Harmison the elder, a big hitter on the golf course, came under the eagle eye of Tyrie, who has a revolutionary teaching method called the Connect Effect.

This provides golfers with a body-powered, straight shooting mechanism, based on simple physics. Tyrie, over 20 years a PGA professional, has developed a method which he says enables all students of the game to hit the ball consistently much straighter.

There are now 100 junior members at Longhirst and Tyrie hopes they will benefit from his method, so repetitive he can hit the ball with his eyes closed.

Harmison said: "I hope Wayne's methods will help to discover players who will eventually match or better the success of my fellow Ashington sportsman Kenneth Ferrie and play on the PGA European Tour or the US PGA Tour.

"I'm a big believer in all kids getting outdoors and playing sport or other games, so the academy has that added benefit."

Earlier this week, double European Tour winner Ferrie announced he will be playing in The Rock, which starts at Matfen Hall on August 25.

The Connect Effect Academy will begin at Longhirst Hall, where there are two courses - the Lakes and the Dawson - on August 18.

Graham Chambers, Longhirst's Golf Course Manager said: "We're a very progressive club with our flourishing junior section and the academy is another positive move forward to help develop the games of our young golfers."

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