PROFESSIONAL golf is being offered to youngsters in North Durham.

Durham County Academy coaches Mark Rayson and Brian Ridley will run a programme for six to 16-year-olds at the Beamish Park Hotel and Golf Academy, near Stanley.

They hope to create a higher standard of junior golfer, faster.

Mr Rayson said: “In the time I have been working with juniors I’ve not seen a golf club get the recipe right yet.

“I see golfers going to lessons, but not training or competing.

“I see golfers practicing, but not competing, and I see players competing, but not training, engaging in learning to improve their game in what is a multi-skilled sport.

“What we have created is much the same as you would expect in any other sport.

“We will waste no time in introducing the children to the game and the course where all the fun is.”

The academy starts in the week of Monday, April 21.

An open and enrolment evening will be held at Beamish Park Hotel on Monday (April 14) at 6.30pm for children and their parents, For more information call Mr Rayson on 07927754952 or e-mail him at mark@markraysongolf.com