The Duke of York opened the new Amida Golf Course and golf teaching academy on Wednesday 20th May 2004.

The Duke of York watched a group of 6-16 year olds participate in the very first lesson to be organised by Amida as its Young Masters Golf Programme gets underway.

His Royal Highness also looked on as the Girls’ and Boys’ Young Masters Golf Champions make the inaugural drives - activating Amida’s promise to open up the short game to all ages and abilities.

Aimed at girls and boys from six to 16, the 'Young Masters Golf' Junior Programme is based on a series of modules, covering everything from equipment to etiquette. Under the guidance of its Golf Pro, Suzy Watt, Amida will be placing itself wholeheartedly behind this programme by offering youngsters a structured training programme at the Amida Golf Teaching Academy. Designed to attract more young people into the game and to keep them motivated, Amida’s programme will develop and fine tune skills at a pace suited to ability in an exceptional teaching environment at Amida Golf.

The opening of Amida Golf coincidentally heralds a centenary celebration too, revealing a varied history. Opened in 1904 as Fulwell Golf Club, the original course was later used as farm land as part of the ‘Dig for Victory’ programme in World War II. After the war, the site reverted to Council ownership and remained as informal open space until it was reconstructed in 1975, becoming the new 9 hole public Twickenham Golf Course. Two football pitches and a cricket square were also provided on the site and these survived until the driving range was built in about 1992.

In the past six months a £500,000 upgrade has been undertaken by Stax leisure Limited to develop Amida Golf. Three new USGA greens have been introduced, six greens re-laid, four holes and all of the tees redesigned, two water features enhanced, an extensive programme of planting (including 50 new trees) and a new irrigation system has been put in place. The result is a 2,700-yard Par 35, mature tree-lined parkland course which is undoubtedly one of the finest Nine Hole courses in the South East of England.

Accessible to members of the public, Amida Golf is set within a prime 70 acre site, between Twickenham and Hampton and located next to the Amida Racquets & Fitness Spa which features a five-star resort-style spa; revolutionary 200 station state-of-the-art gym; four group exercise studios; 25 metre swimming pool; four squash and three badminton courts; 10 outdoor Grand Slam tennis courts. Amida Racquets & Fitness Spa is open to members (who will be entitled to preferential rates at Amida Golf) and Day Spa visitors only.

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