TP Tour announces early-season schedule

The TP Tour returns in 2013 and will continue its policy of staging events at the best golf courses in the country

The TP Tour returns in 2013 and will continue its policy of staging events at the best golf courses in the country.

The third season of the professional tour will get underway at Hankley Common Golf Club on the 6th March, and the season-opener will be followed by a Charity Pro Am at The Grove two days later.

The next stop for the tour will be former Ryder Cup and Women's British Open host venue Walton Heath.

The TP Tour has grown in size and stature over the past two years and has an impressive array of past winners, including 2012 double senior major champion Roger Chapman, Jamie Spence, Paul Broadhurst and Stephen Dodd.

Further events will be taking place throughout March and April at renowned locations like The Berkshire and Worplesdon Golf Club. The first 36-hole even of the season will be staged between April 9-10 at Moor Park's High Course.

This season, TP Tour ambassador and former Ryder Cup golfer Ronan Rafferty will compete in all events and pro-ams before joining the European Senior Tour in 2014.

Open Championship venue Royal St George's is the next event on the roster (April 22), before tournaments at Hanbury Manor, North Hants and Liphook.

The UK Grand Final takes place at the Buckinghamshire Golf Club from October 21-22.

Nick Bonfield
Features Editor

Nick Bonfield joined Golf Monthly in 2012 after graduating from Exeter University and earning an NCTJ-accredited journalism diploma from News Associates in Wimbledon. He is responsible for managing production of the magazine, sub-editing, writing, commissioning and coordinating all features across print and online. Most of his online work is opinion-based and typically centres around the Majors and significant events in the global golfing calendar. Nick has been an avid golf fan since the age of ten and became obsessed with the professional game after watching Mike Weir and Shaun Micheel win The Masters and PGA Championship respectively in 2003. In his time with Golf Monthly, he's interviewed the likes of Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Jose Maria Olazabal, Henrik Stenson, Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood and Billy Horschel and has ghost-written columns for Westwood, Wayne Riley, Matthew Southgate, Chris Wood and Eddie Pepperell. Nick is a 12-handicap golfer and his favourite courses include Old Head, Sunningdale New, Penha Longha, Valderrama and Bearwood Lakes. If you have a feature pitch for Nick, please email nick.bonfield@futurenet.com with 'Pitch' in the subject line. Nick is currently playing: Driver: TaylorMade M1 Fairway wood: TaylorMade RBZ Stage 2 Hybrid: Ping Crossover Irons (4-9): Nike Vapor Speed Wedges: Cleveland CBX Full Face, 56˚, Titleist Vokey SM4, 60˚ Putter: testing in progress! Ball: TaylorMade TP5x