THE Captains’ Drive In took place at Settle on Sunday but this year it did more than welcome the start of a new season.

It also marked the beginning of a new era of partnership with Giggleswick School and the renaming of the club as the Settle and Giggleswick Golf Club.

The three captains, Frankie Eccleston, Kate Dinsdale and Peter Morton managed a combined yardage for their three drives of 586 yards, certainly one of the longest totals in recent years.

Eccleston, the club captain, said: “The club has being working with Giggleswick School over the previous three years to bring about great improvements to the course and, with a new long-term partnership agreed, this process of improvement will continue.

"Combine this with the picturesque setting and members and visitors alike can enjoy a great round of golf.”

Kate Dinsdale, the Ladies’ Captain, said: “We have managed to buck the national trend by increasing membership and visitor numbers and it is great to see pupils from Giggleswick School, together with juniors from the local community, playing on the course.”

“The renewed optimism and pride in the club has seen the reinstatement of some long lost events such as the Seniors Open which will be taking place in May,” said the Seniors’ Captain Peter Morton.

The club was founded in 1895 and the club is certainly alive and putting!

There was a great turnout for the ' drive in' with new and old members keen to support the incoming captains.

Despite the competition being a team event it was appropriate that Eccleston produced the round of the day.

Together with John Read and Ian Plimmer, Eccleston's team were comfortable winners, having a four-point cushion over their closest rivals, the team of Mike Elstub, Anne Morton and Peter Wroe.

The winning team's performance certainly did justice to the superb condition of the course .