Fleming Park has plenty to offer golfers of all abilities. The relative shortness of the course is ideally suited to the higher handicap player, while the trickiness of some of the holes is a challenge to the more advanced golfer. BOB BRUNSKELL dips into the club's illustrious 30-year history to find out more...

FOR one week of the year Fleming Park used to be a little corner of Europe for some of the great lady golfers of the day like Laura Davies and Trish Johnson.

The 4,367-yd Eastleigh course staged the European Ladies Tour's Bloor Classic for ten years - no mean feat for a municipal course still in its infancy.

It wasn't that long ago in 1974 that Fleming Park first opened its doors as a nine-hole course, with fabled club professional David Miller very much the driving force in its early development, which saw nine more holes added in the 1980s when it became the home of the Bloor Classic.

These days it doesn't stage European Tour events any more, but the facilities have improved dramatically. DC Leisure, who manage the course for the local council, have spent heavily-improving greens, fairways and bunkers and the last, perhaps most important touch was added three years ago - a spacious two-level clubhouse with restaurant, bar and changing facilities.

Golf manager Ian Warwick, who Miller took under his wing early in his career, returned for a second stint at Fleming Park last year and has cast his cap at attracting more casual golfers to the course.

Relatively short in length, it is kind to beginners and high-handicappers, but what it loses in length, it makes up for as a test in golf.

Warwick says it demands a good level of accuracy and for that reason suits the experienced player as well.

Membership currently stands at 450 but Fleming Park has introduced some attractive deals to attract players on a daily basis.

Weekday fees are set at £12 going up to £15 for weekends, which is as competitive as anywhere in the area. During the summer for just £6 you could play as many holes as you liked after 5pm.

Warwick has a staff of three professionals, Richard Benfield, Louis Royowski and Emma Weeks, with teaching a high priority. The club's junior coaching scheme has already spawned Matt Tarrant, who qualified for the Nick Faldo Series early in the summer.

Fleming Park was built on a relatively small area of woodland and parkland and retains those features today. Two of the most demanding holes come right on top of each other - the 358-yd dog-leg tenth followed by a testing 160-yarder which has water right and trees left.

Warwick says: "We started out with nine difficult holes and arrived at 18 fairly easy ones aimed at the beginner, but still a good test for the more experienced player. And after all the work that has been put in on the course I've never seen it look better."

For those looking to broaden their sporting horizons, Fleming Park have a corporate membership scheme which enables members to enjoy the swimming and gym facilities at the adjacent Fleming Park Leisure Centre.

FLEMING PARK FACTFILE

SITUATION: Magpie Lane, Eastleigh. From Leigh Road into Passfield Avenue then right into Nightingale Avenue and right again into Magpie Lane.

COURSE: 18-hole public pay-andplay, which is short but challenging. Suitable for beginners, who are welcome.

COURSE RECORD: Don Cox 63.

GREEN FEES: Weekdays £12, weekends £15.

MEMBERSHIP FEES: Seven-day unlimited play £355. Five days £210.

AVAILABILITY: Handicap not essential. Tee times available up to 14 days in advance.

SOCIETIES: Welcome by prior arrangement.

FACILITIES: New clubhouse with bar, cafeteria and changing rooms. Club professional Ian Warwick.

TELEPHONE: 023 8061 2797.