THE Bolton Golf Association inter-club league will get under way next week when the area’s top club teams start their challenge for a place in the league championship finals next September.

Newcomers Hart Common – the first addition to the BGA since 1958 when Hindley Hall and Regent Park joined – make their debut in League A of an association that now comprises 14 clubs.

Captain of Hart Common, David Battersby, and his team captain, Dave Cooksey, are looking forward to the challenge but know they could face a tough baptism.

“We are sure that our players will be given a stern test in our first year,” they said in a joint statement, “but we hope that our pre-season efforts will help us make a reasonable impact.”

The recent draw put together several of the most successful clubs into League B, including last year’s four semi-finalists – Regent Park, Bolton, Old Links and Turton.

Old Links will be looking to make amends for their failure to make the final last year. Having been close on several occasions, their last success was back in 2008 when they took the title, defeating Deane by a narrow margin.

Reigning champions, Regent Park, will be in determined mood to get off to a good start in their first match against visitors Great Lever while runners-up Bolton, who look to have a strong team this year, will host Dunscar in their opener.

Chorley will feature in League A and after a poor season last year by their standards, they can taste a window of opportunity having seen the draw separating them for many of the top rivals.

The Hall o’ th’ Hill club will face Westhoughton in their opener and Harwood will host local rivals Breightmet, which is always an interesting encounter. Deane will visit the 2004 champions Horwich in their first match.

League A: Breightmet, Chorley, Deane, Harwood, Hart Common, Horwich, Westhoughton.

League B: Bolton, Dunscar, Great Lever, Hindley Hall, Old Links, Regent Park, Turton.