Last updated at 16:55, Thursday, 15 November 2012

THINK what it would be like to be a professional golfer. Imagine winning one of the Majors or sinking the winning putt in the Ryder Cup.

PGA professional Paul Rawlinson

Only an elite bunch of supremely talented players ever achieve those kind of dreams of course – but many, many others worldwide play the game to a decent standard, through a combination of hard work and dedication.

So why not you?

If you are serious about your golf, have time on your hands and the single-mindedness necessary to put in the practice, then you could be in the frame for a very special prize in our Masterstroke competition.

Teaming up with Furness PGA professional Paul Rawlinson and Furness Golf Club, we are offering one lucky reader the chance to improve their game considerably.

The prize on offer is a year’s worth of free golfing lessons under the expert eye of Paul, plus unlimited golf balls to practice with on the driving range at the Fairway Hotel.

And to help to put all your hard work into practice, the winner will also get a year’s free membership at Furness Golf Club, one of the best links courses in the North West, and a club steeped in history and currently celebrating its 140th anniversary.

Plus, we’ll throw in a year’s supply of balls courtesy of Bridgestone and a year’s supply of clothing courtesy of Greg Norman apparel.

It’s a prize worth £2,500 and it could be yours.

So what’s the catch? The simple answer is, there isn’t one.

All you have to do is collect the tokens printed in the Evening Mail over the coming weeks and attend one of the trials held at the range at Fairway hotel, Barrow.

Those selected qualify for an X Factor style competition to decide the winner. The lucky entrant will also get to pen a regular column in the Evening Mail detailing their progress on the fairways and greens.

In fact, you even win just by entering as every entrant receives a half price voucher for a lesson with Paul. If your potential and enthusiasm shine through, then this golfing dream could become reality for you.

Launching the Masterstroke competition Paul said: “This is something we’ve been working on for a year, and now it’s happening I can’t wait to start.

“I’d definitely enter if I could and I’d encourage anyone to do so. A golfer or a total beginner can win, that’s the beauty of it.

“The prize is fantastic, someone is going to have a great season in 2013.”

And Alyson Wood, Furness Golf Club’s first woman president, echoed those thoughts, saying: “It’s a great prize to win and we are delighted to be involved in this competition.

“As a long-established local golf club we want to do our bit to encourage as many people as possible to take up the game, and this is a fantastic opportunity for the lucky player who wins.”

* Don’t miss next Thursday’s Mail for the first token and more details of entry requirements and rules.

First published at 16:06, Thursday, 15 November 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk