Children at Rednal Hill junior are crazy about golf since a new nine-hole course was built in their grounds. The Birmingham school has become the first state primary in Britain to have a golf course.
Headteacher Graham Catt, a golf enthusiast, came up with the idea after he introduced Tri-Golf - mini-golf for primary children - into the school.
Pupils were so keen they played with the clubs at lunchtime as well. This motivated Mr Catt to get a nine-hole course built, with support from the local authority and a golf development officer, for less than pound;1,000.
The course is 309 metres long, with the furthest hole at 59 metres, and has fairways, greens and even a bunker, recycled from an old long-jump pit. The 316 pupils, aged seven to 11, are now using it to play Tri-Golf with plastic clubs and sponge balls.
Mr Catt added: “The putting and striking skills are covered in key stage 2, so it’s something different for children to do in PE.”
Their best course record was set by 10-year-old Amber Leek on the official opening day. Mr Catt, with a handicap of “just off 16”, said: “She got 35, one under par, which is fantastic.”
