Television star Dennis Waterman and snooker ace and commentator Willie Thorne will head a celebrity line-up when the Chateau des Vigiers Pairs Challenge takes place in the south-west of France this summer.
Some of the top names in sport and showbusiness will gather at Chateau des Vigiers Hotel, Golf and Country Club, situated in France's Purple Perigord region, for the four-day charity event in aid of children's charity Sparks from June 25-28.
Hosting the event will be Waterman, one of the leading actors on the small screen over the last 30 years and star of top series including The Sweeney, Minder and New Tricks, and Thorne, known as snooker's Mr Maximum having hit nearly two hundred maximum 147 breaks during his career in practice. And golfers across the UK are being invited to join them in the 36-hole pairs tournament over Chateau des Vigiers' 27-hole golf course, which is set amidst plum orchards, oak woods, lakes and vineyards and was designed by world-renowned architect Donald Steel.
The event, which costs £700 per pair to enter and is a two-ball better ball format, will include three nights' bed and breakfast in four-star accommodation, welcome and presentation dinners including wine, two rounds of tournament golf and team and individual prizes.
In addition, the luxury resort is also offering unlimited golf to those guests that wish to play extra rounds during their stay.
Bernard Pétine, managing director at Chateau des Vigiers, said: "Last year's event was a huge success for everyone involved and we're delighted to be able to stage it again in aid of such a worthwhile cause.
"The format lends itself perfectly to the facilities and location that we have here at Chateau des Vigiers and we are hopeful that we can build on the success of 2009 and make this a regular event in our golfing calendar."
Waterman and Thorne both played in the inaugural pairs challenge at Chateau des Vigiers last year when £15,000 was raised for Sparks and Dan Smith, golf events manager for the charity, is optimistic they can beat that figure in June.
Smith said: "Chateau des Vigiers is a fantastic setting and lends itself perfectly for an event like this.
"Dennis Waterman has been going to Vigiers for years and loves the place. The wonderful thing about the tournament is that it's all very relaxed and is great fun for everyone.
"We were blessed with some amazing weather last year when 23 pairs took part. We couldn't have wished for any better then and are looking forward to another successful event."
For further details on reserving a team in the event, please contact Dan Smith at Sparks on 020 7340 0685, or email him at dan@sparks.org.uk .
For more information on Chateau des Vigiers, go to www.vigiers.com or e-mail reserve@vigiers.com
Chateau des Vigiers offers 87 hotel rooms, two restaurants, a 27-hole championship golf course and extensive practice facilities, tennis courts, luxury spa and beauty centre.
The third of the resort's nine-hole golf courses, the 3,575-yard par 36 La Vallée course, opened to widespread acclaim in April 2008 while the luxurious four-star hotel 'Relais des Vigiers' was officially unveiled six months later - nearly doubling Chateau des Vigiers' accommodation.
The 'Relais', the final phase of Vigiers' redevelopment work, has been designed specifically with golfers, families and business people in mind.
Each room offers a balcony or terrace with magnificent views overlooking the 450-acre estate while, as well as having three conference rooms, the new hotel also has a bar, breakfast room, swimming pool and fitness room.
Chateau des Vigiers is easily accessible from the UK with airports including London Gatwick, Birmingham, Leeds, Edinburgh, Southampton, Exeter and Edinburgh all flying direct to either Bergerac or Bordeaux.
Issued by Andrew Tremlett Associates. For more details, please contact Andy Tremlett on 07775 842716 or Pete Simm on 07747 012539, or e-mail ajtrem@aol.com or simm_6@msn.com
