Arriving hot foot straight from the BMW Championship at Wentworth, former World No 1 golfer, and Ryder Cup team player, Lee Westwood paid a quick visit to Stoke by Nayland Hotel, Golf & Spa on Bank Holiday Monday, where he officially opened the new golf and education purpose built centre at the venue’s Driving Range – before flying back to Florida later the same day.

Lee was greeted on the 18^th tee where he then played a fantastic iron shot off the renowned 18^th tee of the Stoke by Nayland Gainsborough Course across the lake, along with Golf School students Simon La Font, Joseph Fryer and James Lanigan. Even after a 2 hour journey and no warm up, his ball landed just a couple of feet from the par 3 hole in front of the hotel, caught on camera by BBC, ITV, Sky Sports and European Tour film crews who were all keen to capture the moment.

After that he competed against some of the students on a TrackMan launch monitor at the Driving Range in front of a crowd of impressed students and their parents, before cutting the ribbon to officially open the new learning complex at the school, signing the official plaque, and taking a tour of the new premises.

Lee said, “I would like to thank everyone for the warm welcome I have received at Stoke by Nayland today. I am delighted at the facilities we can offer the students at the Lee Westwood Golf School and impressed by the professionalism and dedication of our team.  The Golf School at Stoke by Nayland is exactly the type of facility I had envisioned when I set out to enhance the students’ ability to improve their golf and academic learning simultaneously. Thanks and well done to everyone involved.”

The family owned Stoke by Nayland Hotel and Golf complex is home to one of just two Lee Westwood Golf Schools in the country - the first having opened in Cheshire in September 2010 and the Essex branch then opened a year later in September 2011.  Around 40 students from all over the world aged 16+ are currently enjoying the course at our Essex school and benefiting from state-of-the-art facilities at the brand new £400,000 purpose built centre at the hotel’s 30 bay driving range. These include a Golf and Education complex with a custom indoor putting green, two classrooms, indoor ball simulation room and Trackman computerised practice system.

The students also make use of the two championship golf courses at the venue. They have come from countries such as Singapore, USA, Mauritius, Guatamala, Russia and all over Europe and the UK.

Simon Dainty, coach at the Essex School said “Lee is a strong and passionate role model for the school and continues to provide support and input to the students – just last week at Wentworth he took time out of his practice round to coach and guide them in a lengthy bunker session. The students aspire to reach his level of professionalism and performance. What a brilliant experience for our students to learn from such a golfing legend. We all look forward to his next visit.”