England’s Golf Coast The Western Lake District is set to host the English Golf Union’s oldest championship competition, The English Amateur Championship, which is being held between 30th July 2012 - 4th August 2012 at Seascale and Silloth-on-Solway golf clubs.

The format for the first two days of the English Men’s Amateur Championship is 36 Hole Stroke Play, the field will split into two for the first two days, with half playing at Silloth-on-Solway, the other half playing at Seascale Golf Club, before switching round on Tuesday.

After which the lowest 64 scores and those tied for 64th play in the next round of the match-play knockout. Silloth-on-Solway will host the entire series of knock out matches, with every match of each round consisting of 18 holes, culminating in the final, which is to be played over 36 holes, on Saturday, 4th August.

Established in 1892 Silloth-on-Solway was originally laid out by Davy Grant, with able assistance from prominent Scottish professionals Willie Fernie and Willie Park, who helped to help establish the reputation of the course.

The course is ranked as Cumbria’s premier course, ranked 21st in England and 54th in the UK. Silloth-on-Solway golf course is a Championship links of over 6,641 yards, which has been laid out over the sand-hills, touched by some of the great classical golf architects, but mostly moulded by nature herself.

Hazards consist of heather and bent; whin and broom; heroic bunkers and sandy wastes. Fairways are always wider than they seem from the tee, and having been laid with springy Cumberland turf, invite courageous fairway woods and crisp iron shots. Greens are subtle, firm, fast, and deadly true. Founded in 1893, Seascale golf links was designed by Willie Campbell and George Lowe.

The course is a traditional links which is maintained to the highest standards offering golfers of all levels of ability an ideal place to test out their skills.

Seascale is ranked as Cumbria’s second best course and 80th in England, also featuring in The Rolex World’s Top 1000 Golf Courses publication. Seascale golf course is described as a splendid natural links course, laid out over 6,495 yards, with undulating greens that are excellent all year round.

You will need both length and control here to score well. Superb views of the Lakeland fells and out across the Irish Sea to the Isle of Man make this a real hidden gem of a course. Katie Read West Cumbria Tourism Manager said: ‘’The Western Lake District has so much to offer and we boast a fine selection of golf courses, the best known are Silloth-on-Solway and Seascale.

They both have a long and enviable reputation and this is reaffirmed, as they prepare to host The English Amateur Championship 2012, during which both courses will be showcasing what the Western Lake District has to offer, offset by the dramatic Lakeland Fells and Irish Sea Coast.’’