Club offers children an escape from crime
7th November, 2011 by Colin Victor
Caversham Heath Golf Club in Henley has teamed up with the police to offer wayward children a route out of petty crime.
The club is offering two days of golf tuition to children that a local community support officer believes are so bored that they are engaging in acts such as starting fires.
The officer, Colin Boyes, approached the club after he found children as young as 11, playing the game on common land.
He said: “At its core golf has a standard of behaviour that lends itself to positive development.
“Personal skills such as honesty, integrity, courtesy and respect are all present, regardless of the level of competition. Golf teaches young people to use good judgment and be responsible for their actions. It also encourages the highest level of sportsmanship.”
The club currently offers scholarships to pupils from two local secondary schools and two local primaries.
James Morley, junior organiser, said: “We are actively trying to get more juniors to play golf.
“Children are the future of golf and the more juniors we have playing the game, the greater the chance we have of producing more players like Luke Donald.”