Penn are on course for a bright future

The well-appointed club that spreads out across the scenic Penn Common will have one eye of the future.

It stages the Wolverhampton and Dudley Primary Schools Putting Championships throughout the summer term.

Families can also get into the swing of things on Monday, May 30 (2pm-7pm) with a Family Putting Challenge, with golf and family meal-deal vouchers up for grabs.

The club are also hosting two prestigious individual events. The Inaugural American Golf Seniors Championship starts on Friday with 84 players from all over the country taking part.

The top three pairs will qualify for the national final at the Belfry later in the year.

Then to conclude National Golf Month, Penn will be the host venue for the England Golf Midland Region Ladies Final Medal on Sunday May 29.

A field of 120 players from across the Midlands will tee off in an 18-hole stroke play competition. The top 10 progress to Grand Medal Final Week in August.

The packed schedule will add to secretary Mick Woodhouse's increasing workload but he is more than happy to help the club build towards a bright future.

Woodhouse is especially keen to increase the number of youngsters at the club.

He has forged a partnership with numerous schools across Wolverhampton that sees him and the club's qualified PGA coaches run sessions.

Woodhouse, who will be teeing off in the Seniors Championship on Friday, said: "Golf clubs going out to put sessions on at schools is quite a unique thing.

"We go to quite a lot of schools across the Wolverhampton area and we are planning something similar in Dudley.

"We deliver sessions and it's really enjoyable. The Tri Golf is very popular because it caters for players of all abilities.

"We are trying to attract young members to the club and any budding golfers can come along and join our academy."

The academy offers a pathway from beginner to professional under the guidance of academy director and club professional Mark Butler and junior organiser Adam Robinson.

Woodhouse added: "Mark Butler is our club professional and he runs the Mark Butler Golf Academy at Sedgley.

"The youngsters can go there and have some sessions with Mark and then, hopefully, join our club. That's the pathway we are trying to create."

One of Penn's former juniors, James Willis, is flying the flag for the club on the professional scene.

Woodhouse said: "James Willis started as a junior here and he has just turned professional. James is from Sedgley and he used to play county golf for Staffordshire and got a scholarship in America.

"That's an example of the pathway open to young players. A lot of our members started off as juniors here, and some have gone on to be captain of the club."

Eight-handicapper Woodhouse was a keen cricketer, with Wightwick before catching the golfing bug.

He has been a member of Penn since 1988 and, along with a hard-working committee, is determined to drive the club forward in what is a competitive business.

He said: "We are trying to look after the club's future. Forging links with locals schools is an important step.

"It's great for the club to be staging the American Golf Seniors Championship and the England Golf Midland Region Ladies Final Medal.

"Staging events such as those is testament to the quality of our course and helps raise the club's profile. We have a membership of around 500.

"We are doing OK. We are stable and that's not a bad position in today's market, because it's very competitive.

"It's a lovely environment here and we are also planning to refurbish the club. We have a very good committee here, so we are moving in the right direction."

The schools and family putting competitions are sponsored and supported by the Golf Foundation, so there is no charge for instruction or entry into the competitions.

Any schools or families wishing to enter and take part in the competitions can do so by contacting the club on 01902 341 142 or e-mail secretary@penngolfclub.co.uk.