La Grande Mare awarded 2019 men's golf inter-insular

But never the blue riband team event of the annual season.

Although the decision – made by the Guernsey Golf Union – is described as 'deserved' and a 'shot in the arm for La Grande Mare', by Dave Jeffery, its long-time leading player and now club president, it won't sit well with many officials and leading players based at the Royal Guernsey and L'Ancresse where the annual match against Jersey has been played every other year since the contest's inauguration in the 1950s.

Among the dissenters is Danny Vennard, the current Guernsey non-playing captain.

'It just isn't long enough,' he said.

'I understand what the GGU are trying to do, but the course is not long enough for a championship event like this.

'Also, I am very disappointed not to have been consulted on this potentially happening.'

Jeffery defended his home course: 'Some will no doubt say that La Grande Mare is not long enough to host an inter-insular, or that the course is not up to scratch.

'All I would say in response, is that whilst La Grande Mare has nine par threes, four of them play in excess of 180 yards from the tips. So very similar to L'Ancresse.

'As for the rest of the shorter holes, they are all well guarded by bunkers or water, or both. And par threes are widely regarded as the hardest holes to play in par.

'I know that we will be doing our upmost from here on in to prove the doubters wrong. We have been given a fantastic opportunity to showcase La Grande Mare and I would be very surprised and disappointed if we did not present a golf course in tip-top condition come September 2019.'

• More in Thursday’s Guernsey Press.