Oulton Hall’s Eddie, 7, Is Eagle Ace
Seven year old Eddie Claughton from Oulton Hall is the Eagle Ace at Leeds Golf Centre
A seven-year-old junior golfer at Oulton Hall is celebrating after scoring his first hole-in-one … at a different course.
Eddie Claughton, a pupil at Swillington Primary School, is one of around 150 juniors taught weekly at Oulton Hall by coach Thomas Devine. And the tuition clearly paid dividends when he visited Leeds Golf Centre to play the 12-hole Oaks Course, holing out with his tee-shot on the 123-yard third.
Eddie, who has been playing golf at Oulton Hall for three years, won a set of custom-fitted golf clubs last year as a result of his performances in various events across Yorkshire. And, this year, he’s started playing with his father Peter, a three-handicapper, and has completed his first two 18-hole rounds.
Dad Peter explained: “On the Oaks he hit driver and it bounced and rolled on up into the hole. He was delighted. He doesn’t have an official handicap yet, but plays off 12 in the Tiger Cubs at Wike. He’s a big fan of European Tour pro Eddie Pepperell and just really enjoys playing golf.
“We play together occasionally now, which is great, really good father-and-son time.”
Devine, who is the director of Oulton Hall’s FUEL golf (FUture ELite) programme, added: “It really is quite an achievement to get a hole in one at seven-years-old. Congratulations to him. He’s got a bubbly character and always plays with a smile on his face. For me, that’s so important at a young age if we want to keep children in the game for life.”
Oulton Hall, near Leeds, features 27 holes designed by leading golf course architect Dave Thomas and outstanding practice facilities, boasting the north of England’s leading golf performance centre.
Along with Oulton Hall’s renowned golf academy, the top venue offers a range of other facilities aimed at fine-tuning your swing, while the Claret Jug course restaurant is the ideal place to re-energise after a long day on the course. Its unique 18th-century former family mansion is the perfect choice for a hotel, with landscaped gardens, sweeping spiral staircases and a state-of-the-art spa.
