Fore! Inventive Astbury golfers are cooking on gas by driving The Race To Dubai in the direction of Marton

Astbury Golf Club, in Congleton, has come up with a novel way of rewarding their best players.

Even some non-golfers know about The Race To Dubai. It’s a series of tournaments Europe’s tour professionals play across 24 countries and five continents in a lengthy season leading to the crowning of the DP World Champion at a final play-off event in November.

Now Astbury have drawn on that concept and added their individual spice to the recipe.

Just like the professionals, Astbury’s club golfers compete in a series of designated events over the course of their season which count towards an Order of Merit (OOM), in Astbury’s case starting every April.

For the first time this year, the Astbury OOMs for both men and ladies are called The Race To La Popote, a casual fine dining restaurant in nearby Marton.

The prize for each No 1 player at the end of the season will be a free meal for two at the only Michelin Guide restaurant in the Congleton area.

The chef and co-owner, Joe Rawlins, enjoys his sport. He was brought up in Wilmslow and played junior cricket as an off-spinner for Alderley Edge.

Joe also became a 15-handicap golfer at the Styal club, having been encouraged to take up that sport at the age of four by his late grandmother Margaret Rawlins, who played off scratch.

When Joe was a pupil at Hillcrest Grammar School in Davenport, his cookery teacher told him he would never be good enough to become a chef.

That was long before Joe and Gaëlle Radigon, his partner in life and the restaurant, spent more than nine years together in Paris.

Joe was taught by chefs who had learned their trade at the feet of the world’s finest on the banks of the Seine.

Astbury Golf Club manager John Mort has an expert’s appreciation of the value of communications having spent nine years as tournament director and then managing director of the Ladies European Tour.

He’s an R&A referee who has officiated at the Women’s British Open and four Solheim Cups.

John said:

“We are excited about the La Popote sponsorship. Throughout the 2024 season we shall be emailing regular updates on the men’s and ladies’ OOM standings to all our members.

“What happens on and off the course are important parts of being a member of our golf club, including excellent play.

“I’m sure the various competitions which count towards the rankings will generate fun and interesting stories.”

The designated OOM events involve Astbury’s major tournaments plus monthly medals and stablefords. 

John added:

“I am confident our members will keep a keen eye on their email inboxes for all the latest news on the OOMs and we look forward to spicing things up this summer with our Race To La Popote, working with Joe Rawlins.”

The Astbury OOMs organisers are the competition secretaries of the ladies’ and men’s sections, Lesley Rhind and Rob Denham.

Rob, a software developer, is a former Great Britain baseball international.

Lesley used to run DP Sportswear in Congleton with her husband Gordon and has played golf in America, Spain, Portugal, France and Italy.

The idea for the sponsorship came from a member of the Astbury board and the club’s honorary competitions secretary, Graham Barton.

Pictured - Michelin Guide chef Joe Rawlins is pictured in the kitchen at La Popote.

Photographer: Bob Howell.