Luke has happily agreed to sponsor the new U12 championship which will be played annually at either one of his former home clubs. Likewise he has agreed to donate the cup and provide an additional prize to the winner and his immediate family. We will introduce this tournament in 2008 when we will also form an U12s side for matches against rival teams.

From school to club, from county to country

If you are not already a regular golfer and would like to have a go, there are several ways of making a start;

The BB&O Golf Partnership was formed in July 2005 and includes the amateur men's and ladies' associations of Berks, Bucks and Oxon as well as the Berks, Bucks and Oxon PGA. The aim of the partnership is to promote the development of golf at club level and to encourage more people to take up the game and, for those who are already golfers, to remain in the game for life. It is funded - mainly - by the English Golf Union and the English Ladies Golf Association.

The BB&O Golf Partnership works closely with the Golf Foundation to introduce golf into schools. A PGA professional will go into a school to take a number of 'taster' sessions to allow students the opportunity to try golf. For those who wish to take up the game, the Golf Partnership establishes links between a school and a local golf club so that students can progress from being coached in school to club-based coaching. If you want to find out more about the BB&O Golf Partnership and its activities, look on their web site or email them with your question.

Another way to get into golf is to make contact with your local club and see if they have a cygnets section. This is a way of joining a club for a small fee in turn for limited (supervised) playing and coaching opportunities. Many clubs have Junior starter sessions during the Summer Holidays.

That is until you are ready to make the jump and join the club proper as a junior member. Once you are a member you should work on getting your handicap down through coaching, practice and observation. Your immediate aim should be to play for your club.

Some clubs are part of a league system (see leagues) and they have regular matches. Towards the end of the season the league winners battle it out for the Bert Yates and Wellham Weston trophies and they enter the Daily Telegraph competition which has its finals in La Manga in Spain. So if you are fortunate enough to belong to a club that is a league member it offers you great opportunities to play competitive golf at a more advanced level. If your club is not a league member than try and persuade your club's junior organiser to join a league.