The Peewee Tour still starting golfers off

But the Shropshire & Herefordshire Peewee Tour has helped hundreds of children to lay the foundations for an active lifestyle, as well as an enduring love of golf.

The competition, which began in 2003, aims to provide a gentle introduction into the sport of golf for very young players.

And having just completed a 13th season, organiser and Shropshire & Herefordshire Union of Golf Clubs' immediate past president Mike Roberts has been reflecting on its legacy so far.

He said: "The tour has been a huge success with nearly 80 players playing this year, and we have had great success over the years.

"We've had, at least, six players playing internationally at various age levels for England and Wales.

"About 90 per cent of the county's various Under 18s teams are ex-Peewee players and we have had players in both county first and second teams.

"However, the real success is that we provide many youngsters and their families with great and enjoyable golf days out in the summer holidays.

"It's in the wonderful Shropshire and Herefordshire countryside, with lots of fun and also introducing a little gentle competition as well as good physical exercise."

The series, which consists of five nine-hole competitions each year, has no minimum age for competitors – the youngest competitor so far was four – and caters for girls up to Under-13 and boys up to Under-11.

That limit is relaxed, though, to allow boys aged between 11 and 13 to play providing they have a handicap of 29 or more. And it is not just in the age groups that the rules are relaxed.

Roberts said: "We have child-friendly rules which were designed to ensure that children and families enjoyed their involvement in each event.

"It's such as the ability to drop away from hazards for a one-shot penalty should the player wish.

"We want them to get round the course without any tears having had a happy time, but also experiencing a little element of competition."

The Peewee Tour is organised into seven age categories with boys playing in five age divisions from Under-eights to Under-13s and girls in two, from Under-10s to Under-13s.

Roberts said: "The players only play against children of their own stature.

"It's, obviously, a bit unfair if you have a seven-year-old playing against a nine-year-old because they won't be able to hit the ball as far and it could be a bit demoralising."

That would defeat the entire objective of the tour, which runs every summer and was initially thought up in 2002.

Roberts said: "The main purpose of the Tour was to encourage young children into golf, provide a little fun and friendly competition in the safe and pleasant surrounds of our golf clubs.

"This would also give an early insight into a game which lasts a lifetime and hopefully provides a feeder ground for county teams."

A county development committee decided to set up the Peewee Tour after seeing the format work successfully in Nottinghamshire.

After observing how the Nippers Tour had been run in the East Midlands, the first Peewee Tour was launched in Shropshire the following year

Fewer than 20 players took part in the inaugural event which was played at Oswestry, Brockington Grange, Patshull Park and Shifnal.

But since then it has grown to see as many as 90 at its peak and numbers remain healthy today.

Players receive plenty of incentives just for taking part with everyone given a Peewee badge dated with the year in which they played, while special performance badges are also awarded for good efforts.

For the more competitively-minded, there are chances to experience the thrill of victory and the competition has just crowned its latest seven champions.

Zachary George and Matthew Sennett shared the Under-13s boys title, while Sam Gwilliams won the Under-11s crown, Harri Matthews topped the Under-10s and Edward Muttit-Jones the Under-nines.

There was a three-way tie in the Under-eight boys, with Jack Tomlinson, Stanley Lin and Isaac Jones all finishing level on points.

Xyra van der Merwe took the Under-13 girls crown and Seren Ramsey the Under-10s.

The final round of the competition took place at Bridgnorth Golf Club with previous events at Arscott, Oswestry, Shifnal and the Grove.

A selection of the tour's highest fliers will represent the county in the annual Ryder Cup-style match against the best from the Nottinghamshire Nippers tour.

The Notts Nippers will visit Shrewsbury Golf Club on Thursday for the latest edition of the tour finale.

For some competitors, the Peewee Tour will become the launchpad for regional and even international success.

Rob Burlison, who now plays as a top men's amateur out of Enville in Staffordshire, went on to captain England at Under-16s level.

Jack Singh Brar, Daniel Pickering, and Jamie Pickering have also been picked for international junior honours and Aaron Rai is now a professional.

Roberts and a team of volunteers – Judith Thornell, her mother Maisey and SHUGC chairman of junior golf Charles Sievewright – will roll out the 14th season of the series next summer.

That's where there could be another name added to that list.