Will bike noise sink golf tournament?

This year the golfing community celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Volvo World Match Play Championship, in this historic year the London Golf Club will hold this prestigious event. The event winner could take home a healthy prize fund of £650,000, split in to four groups the sixteen man field and the overall winner will be decided over the weekend, on the picturesque course based in Ash, Kent. However, another International event is taking place on the same weekend, within close proximity to the course.  Two miles away there is an exciting ribbon of tarmac which attracts some of the most talented drivers and riders from across the globe. Whether it’s two wheels or four, large crowds flock to the Brands Hatch circuit looking for thrills and spills, and no more so than on the weekend of the British Superbike Championship. This year, larger than normal crowds are expected, the title has come down to the wire and this is the decider, the last shot at glory and fame (this season).

Despite the international coverage, which is a great benefit for the local community, some are worried that the weekend could to turn in to a logistical nightmare. Concentration is key for the world class golfers, needing silence when taking a shot; this may prove to be an obstacle for the competitors this weekend due to the Superbikes racing less than two miles away.  The TV coverage for the Championship may be impaired because of the bombardment of noise from the two wheeled furies that will be battling for pole position at intervals throughout the day.

Other than the A20 linking both venues, most of the roads which surround the competitions are small lanes. To try and avoid a traffic nightmare the organisers of the Match Play have created a Park and Ride service, on Wrotham Hill, to help reduce difficulties.

There is no park and ride facility service set up for the motorsport spectators but any of the thousands who will view the racing can park and even  stay overnight in the many acres of land surrounding the venue.

Let’s hope that this does not deter the championships from returning to the local area next year. But perhaps they should check their diaries first.