BIRTHDAY celebrations for Royal Ascot Golf Club got underway with a whole week dedicated to festivities.

The club, which relocated to its home in Winkfield Road from Ascot Heath 10 years ago, celebrated the anniversary of the striking of its first ball a decade later on Saturday, August 1.

To mark the anniversary, a competition was held involving 16 teams representing every section of the club, with contests in driving, chipping and putting.

Winners across the week of celebratory competitions included Mackenzie Joyce, 11, who triumphant in the Junior Stableford and Derek Cummins, Chris Raven, Andrew Walker in the Senior Stableford.

Anthony Hooey was crowned number one in the Senior Citizens Cup and Adam Reading and Mick Mills came out on top in the August medal.

Teams representing the 35 clubs against which Royal Ascot play matches against competed against each other on the Thursday of the celebratory week and the week ended with a Friday night social.

As well as the competitions, the club raised more than £1,000 for the Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance service through raffles and auctions.

In a community letter to the club’s members, club captain Roger Wing, said: “Thank you to everyone who made the 10th anniversary celebrations of the new course so successful and memorable.

“144 players at our Roll-Up Groups Day established the spirit of the week to include everyone who wished to play from all sections of the club.

“This carried through the week to embrace our guests and teams from the clubs we play matches against. It concluded with 96 players in the Friday night social playing on both nines followed by a grand barbecue and finishing with the prize-giving.

“So many people, members friends and staff made their individual and collective contributions to the events.”

A commemorative tree was also planted by Mr Wing and ladies captain Tina Kilmister and the club’s former captains 10 years ago Norman Barker and Margaret Wallace.