Teeing up sessions to beat youth boredom

Bored teenagers are being taken off the streets with golf classes as the owners of a Sedgley course fight back against anti-social behaviour.

Ward councillors have welcomed the move by the owners of Sedgley Golf Centre, which comes after yobs caused damage at the venue earlier this year. Golf course owner Helen Willis, aged 50, said the new sessions introduced by her husband Peter had "taken a lot of teenagers off the streets".

She said: "We've had no more incidents since we started the Saturday morning sessions. The response from the kids has been excellent."

Mr Willis is determined to be a good neighbour and recently held a barbecue for 80 youngsters at the golf range to get them interested in the sport and keep them occupied. He has even introduced low speed golf balls to stop them flying over into neighbours' gardens after receiving complaints from residents. Earlier this year, yobs went on a wrecking spree at the centre causing thousands of pounds of damage.

Stunned staff arrived at work to find all 19 automatic teeing machines, worth around £10,000, had been smashed.

A resident living near the range in Sandyfields Road raised the alarm after hearing loud noises coming from the site.

But when police officers arrived the vandals, who also damaged a van belonging to the golf club, had already fled.

The green at Dudley Golf Club was also churned up by a motorbike rider in a separate attack.

Sedgley ward councillor Michael Evans said: "It's nice to see young people behaving so well. "Peter's doing everything he can to work with the neighbours. He needs a pat on the back.

"All I can say is thank you to him."

The hourly sessions cost £5 a head and youngsters get a free bucket of balls for the driving range.