Young guns lead way at Sandwell

Sandwell’s burgeoning youngsters will compete at Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire – the home of English golf – in August, after showing their mettle at the county event.

And they are not the only club side to have enjoyed success over the past year.

The ladies’ scratch team were promoted a division, and the men’s team won the West Midlands League.

It has been an excellent 12 months all-round, and club captain Angus McKenzie said: “It’s been a very impressive year.

“There is no real pressure from the top on our teams – but their enthusiasm and team spirit are enormous.

“We’re absolutely delighted with all the success that they’ve had, we couldn’t be happier.”

The team of junior captain Caprice Sanders, Maisie Welborn, Joe Westwood, Noah Birch, Kate Smith and Jensen Berridge have done Sandwell Park, and Andy Sanders, very proud.

Sanders is the junior organiser and is delighted with the growth over the past few years.

“They’re going to go and represent Staffordshire at the national finals,” he said.

“It’ll be a team of three plus a reserve so now we’re looking to get that selection right.

“We started with seven junior members in 2016, and now we’ve got 23.

“We’re treating it as an academy. We’re keen to develop and recruit more youngsters.

“We’ve got three boys and three girls on the Staffordshire player pathway, so there’s that progression.

“And it’s great in a social aspect as well, learning manners and respect.

“I’m so proud of what they’ve all achieved, and we just want to keep it going.

“We want to increase numbers as much as we can.”

Of the youngsters, Birch has been a mainstay – staying in the set-up while the club have bolstered their ranks.

“Noah has been around for three or four years, and he’s been joined by a lot more juniors over the past couple of years,” said McKenzie.

“It’s been great, just how much our junior section has come along.”

But why have Sandwell Park put themselves on the map over the past year?

McKenzie, actually, attributes a lot of the success down to their course on Birmingham Road, West Bromwich.

He insists the traditional layout has helped the youngsters improve their game and, as a result, become better equipped for competitions at other courses. “A fair amount of it is down to the work of the staff we’ve got here, maintaining a challenging course which brings out the best of us,” said McKenzie.

“Robert Lydon, the course manager, has kept the greens in excellent condition all year. The current layout of the course dates back to the 1920s, and the course itself goes back to the 1890s.

“There used to be rifle competitions here in the 1800s before it was a course, so there are a few mounds on the course that represent old rifle butts so it’s a unique course, which hopefully more people will come and try out over the next year.”

He added: “We look forward to having more visitors, and hopefully more members, as we look to build on the success over the past year.”

Sandwell Park are searching for new members in all categories.

If you would like to know more about the club and get involved yourself, visit www.sandwellparkgolfclub.co.uk