The junior members of Houghton-le-Spring Golf Club are set for an exciting year as the club continues its drive to increase participation and enhance its offering to young players.
Since 2016, the club’s junior section has more than doubled to 40 members with a new fee structure in place offering free membership to all qualifying children until the age of 16.
Now led by junior liaison office Graeme Willis, the junior section has also got their own unique club kit, including hoodies and reusable stainless steel water bottles for the junior team – which is part of the club’s wider drive to reduce single use plastics on the course.
“It’s a really exciting time for junior golf at Houghton-le-Spring,” said Graeme. “The committee has been incredibly supportive of the junior section and have welcomed our ideas to support its development.
“We have four groups within our junior section – starting with the Wee Wonders, who play on our par three course using larger holes and going right up to our junior league players. This year we have our youngest ever junior captain, 12-year-old Jacob Willis, and we’re looking forward to lots of fun events throughout the year.”
The juniors have met regularly throughout the winter months, including a session at Caddyshack in Durham, and will have a series of 19 club competitions this summer. They will also be part of the club’s junior open in August and have the opportunity to play in the North East Junior Golf League.
