The inaugural First Friday Golf tour launched at Hawkstone Park, Shropshire in 2005.
The Beginning
Every journey has a starting point, and for First Friday Golf, that beginning was at Hawkstone Park in Shropshire. What started as a group of friends gathering for a golf weekend has grown into a cherished tradition spanning more than two decades.
The 2005 tour laid the foundation for everything that followed - the competition, the camaraderie, the evening entertainment, and the shared memories that have defined First Friday Golf.
Hawkstone Park
Hawkstone Park Golf Centre provided the perfect venue for the inaugural tournament. With two championship courses set in beautiful Shropshire parkland, the facility offered everything needed for a competitive golf weekend - challenging holes, excellent conditions, and quality facilities.
The courses tested every aspect of the players’ games, from accuracy off the tee to touch around the greens, setting a high standard for future tour venues.
Martin Griffiths - The First Champion
Martin Griffiths earned the distinction of becoming First Friday Golf’s first-ever champion, claiming victory in this historic inaugural event. His name will forever be associated with the beginning of the tour, and his victory set the competitive tone for all the championships that followed.
Martin’s win demonstrated the quality and competitiveness that would become hallmarks of First Friday Golf, with the championship decided by skill, strategy, and nerves of steel down the stretch.
A Tradition Begins
Beyond the golf itself, the 2005 tour established the traditions that have endured - the friendly competition, the evening gatherings, and the shared experiences that make First Friday Golf more than just a tournament. Twenty years later, those same values continue to define every tour.
Martin Griffiths’s victory in 2005 marked the beginning of the First Friday Golf tradition - a legacy that continues to this day.