Good turn out for National Street Golf

Three Hammers Golf Complex in Coven was selected to hold the event, which pitted eight four-strong regional finalists against each other to find a national champion.

Street Golf is a format of the game that has been developed to introduce youngsters to the sport regardless of whether they have access to traditional golf courses or not.

It can be played in an urban or inner city environment, including youth clubs and football pitches.

Many of the youngsters involved in the finals, who were all aged 12-14, had never played on a real golf course until the final.

Three Hammers academy director Rob Bluck said: "For a lot of the children the final was their first time at a golf club and they did so well.

"It just goes to show that you don't need to be part of a golf club or having regular tuition on a golf course to be able to play the game."

The competition has been supported by The Golf Foundation, HSBC Golf Roots and Sport England as well as Premier League 4 Sport.

And the majority of the finalists added to the spectacle by playing in the football shirts of their local teams.

Midlands Premier League outfits Aston Villa and Stoke City were represented along with Southampton, Derby County, Blackburn Rovers and Cardiff City, who took the title, as well two sides from Claydon School in Suffolk.

The Three Hammers was chosen to host the event because of their work with young people through the club's academy as well as their facilities.

Ian Bonser, owner at Three Hammers, said: "We were delighted to host the final for such a prestigious national event.

"As our own Junior Golf Academy continues to go from strength to strength we are keen to encourage youngsters across our region to get into the sport of golf. Street Golf is a fantastic way to do that."

The club will also host the Wolverhampton City Tri-Golf final tomorrow where they will welcome more than 60 children, aged under eight, from 10 different Wolverhampton schools.