Golf Central

William who?

When it comes to the trilby, nobody does it better than our pal over at Savile Row, William Hunt. God of golf's greatest fashion item, Hunt has done for the trilby what… well we can't think of anything, but turning up to a golf course with one of these humdingers on your nut is as good as driving a Ferrari into an NCP car park.

So what's it all about?

Glad you asked. It's about given aspiring pros the opportunity for sponsorship and the chance to win funding to make that oh so daunting step up onto the European Tour... and looking the business.

Everyone's a winner, then?

Not quite. Held at the luxurious Buckinghamshire Golf Club, the Trilby Tour is a good old fashioned, winner-takes-all dogfight. After 18 holes of what will be no doubt be top notch golf, the four top players will face each other in a three hole playoff. One lucky bleeder will walk away with twenty grand to spend as he pleases, a car to drive off in, a full William Hunt and Callaway staff contract as well as a few other bits and bobs. Not bad then…

Three hole playoff? Sounds exciting

Yeah, we're well looking forward to it. This, however, is a playoff with a difference; one for golf’s old-timers as it were. Hunt’s vision and flavour for the playoff is to take it back to the golden age of golf, filmed in a manner reminiscent of when the Watsons and Nicklaus’s of this world battled it out in sudden death shootouts. Can’t ask for more than that, really.

Take it this is the tour's first year?

Have you been living on Mars for the last year or something, sunshine? 2008 is the tour’s second year, so get with it. Last year's was held at Stoke Park, and following a stellar five under 66 in qualifying, Steve Cowle from Hampshire wasted no time in winning the first playoff hole by nailing an absolute monster putt to clinch the inaugural title.

Stoke Park? Trilbies? Where have I seen that before?

James bond in Goldfinger, perhaps? Indeed, Hunt's trilbies were massively influenced by Sean Connery's classic headwear from the greatest scene of the greatest Bond film ever. As William himself says, "I've always worn a trilby to play in, and if it's good enough for James Bond, it's good enough for me."

This thing sounds right up my alley. Shame I'm not a pro...

Fear not young trilby lover, because Hunt’s really got a treat up his sleeve (or in his hat) this year. 2008 sees the launch of the Amateur William Hunt Trilby Tour, and so long as you've got a handicap of 18 or better and a spare £250 for entry, the world is your trilby as they say. And, before I forget, that £250 gets you a full William Hunt outfit to wear on course.

Bargain. Right, I'm off the to the range to practice

Easy, tiger. You’ll need to know the dates if you want to play won’t you? 28th-29th July, seeing as you’re asking. See you then, and for now, we’ll leave the last word with Mr.Hunt himself: “Let’s stamp out the baseball cap… and bring in the trilby.”