In a deal that must sound like music to his ears, Darren Clarke has agreed to serve as a “global ambassador” for a famous rock-’n’-roller’s golf club in Shropshire, England.
For the next three years, the winner of the Open Championship in 2011 will be promoting The Astbury, an increasingly popular golf venue created just four years ago by K. K. Downing, the lead guitarist for Judas Priest. Downing says that his arrangement with Clarke will be “crucial in helping The Astbury become the international destination it deserves to be.”
The club, which opened as Astbury Hall, features a 6,500-yard course designed by Downing, who had an opportunity to play most of the world’s greatest golf courses during decades of touring. The track was the butt of many jokes when it opened, but today it usually gets the last laugh.
Next, Downing plans to build “a Darren Clarke village” on his 300-acre property, along with “the biggest, best, and most futuristic spa in Britain.” In the future, he may also add a third nine.
