Open Fever Reaches Wirral Schoolchildren

• Tuesday, 11 July 2006
• Mark Robinson
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With The Open Championship returning to Hoylake for the first time in 39 years next week, children all across The Wirral peninsula have been given the opportunity to involve themselves in one of the world's biggest sporting events.

A joint venture by the R&A and the Golf Foundation has resulted in 136 children from 21 schools in the region being invited to the R&A's Junior Golf Centre on Thursday July 20th, the tournament's opening day. The children have been asked to bring their plastic golf clubs along with them, which will enable them to take part in several games designed by the two organisations.

The competition is the final stage of the 'Road to The Open' initiative, which has been implemented in many schools in the district since Easter. Golf lessons have been combined with more traditional classroom-based lessons, which have encouraged the children to discuss the impact that The Open will have on the region as a whole. 'Road to The Open' is the brainchild of local PGA professional Chris Gill, who has been assisted by the ex-Everton footballer Derek Mountfield.

Other events that have taken place on The Wirral in the run up to the tournament include a Super Festival for Tri-Golf. 100 children took part in this event in March, which was organised by Wirral Borough Council. Elsewhere, at Greasby Junior School, pupils became so excited by The Open that their teachers cut their very own Tri-Golf course into the school grounds.

"The local children have clearly loved their first taste of golf," said Dawn Tolcher of Wirral Borough Council.

"Tri-Golf Activator training has been given to several teachers, so many more children will benefit in the time to come."