Hagley Golf Club’s Ellie Perks (right) receives her England Golf Hero’s Handshake Award from the scheme’s young ambassador Emily Furniss.

WORCESTERSHIRE teenager Ellie Perks has become the latest recipient of England Golf’s Hero Handshake Award.

Fourteen-year-old Ellie received the award for the tireless voluntary work she has done supporting several charities.

That included working as an ambassador for the Golf for Disabled Children charity at her home club – Hagley Golf Club, near Stourbridge – and helping the Dwarf Sports Association UK and Little People UK.

Incredibly, despite all that charitable work, the teenager has also found time to get her handicap down from 54 to 19 during the last year, and is set to play in this month’s English Disability Open at Stoke by Nayland, in Essex.

“She’s an inspiration to us all,” said Gareth Snelgrove, the head PGA professional at Hagley, who runs the Golf for Disabled Children sessions.

“I don’t know what we’d do without her. From the outset, she’s been incredibly enthusiastic, both about improving her own game and encouraging other children with disabilities to take up the game.

“She’s one of the best ambassadors we could have had and her ability to strike a golf ball really has to be seen to be believed. She’s very special.”

Ellie took up golf at the age of seven when her father, Martin, took her to Hagley – and she has been playing ever since.

Her long-term goal is to become a professional and to show people that having a disability shouldn’t stop you from doing what you want.

“We’re all very proud of her,” said Mark. “Ellie loves helping other people and is also working very hard to improve her own game.

“What she has done with her own golf in the last year is incredible and I’m sure she will continue to improve.”

“She’s very determined,” Mark added. “When she sets her mind on something, she normally gets it done. She’s an inspiration to a lot of people.”

“Obviously, winning this Hero’s Handshake Award is a big achievement for me,” said Ellie, after receiving the award from England Golf Young Ambassador Emily Furniss, at a ceremony at her home club.

“First of all, I’d like to thank Keith James and Gareth, who run the Golf for the Disabled charity at Hagley for the help and support they have given me over the years.

“It’s been fun working as an ambassador for them and helping to get other people into the game,” added Ellie.

“Volunteering is one of the things I love doing. It’s great being able to help other people, so it means a lot to be recognised in this way.

Golf is also very important for me. It makes me feel independent and it’s a game for all,” she said.

“Anyone can play, it doesn’t matter whether you’re tall or short or in a wheelchair.”

The Hero’s Handshake Awards are run by The Young Ambassadors, a group who represent England Golf and the Golf Foundation.

They aim to recognise and celebrate what young people are achieving in golf outside of just the competitions.

They will be handing out a Hero’s Handshake award each month. Follow then on Instagram @getgolfing and tell them about other heroes you know.

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JOSEPH Linel became the fourth Frenchman to lift the Reid Trophy denying Worcestershire’s Hugh Adams chance to become the first player to win the English Boys’ Under 14 Open Strokeplay Championship, back to back in its 25-year history.

The big-hitting 13-year-old, from Biarritz, posted a six-under par 54-hole aggregate of six-under despite a closing two-over par 74 at Stoke-on-Trent’s Trentham Golf Club.

Linel was made to fight all the way by Adams, from Hagley Golf Club, who closed with a four-under par 68 to get within three shots of catching the tall Frenchman.

It also proved to be a good final day for Harry Malin, from Bognor Regis, who fired four birdies over his last nine holes to card a 70 and finish tied for third place alongside Doncaster’s Joshua Berry on two-under.

Essex’s Harley Smith, from the Rayleigh Golf Club, performed well in both the McGregor Trophy and Carris Trophy in what is his first season playing in national junior events.

And Smith did it again by finishing with a 68 to share fifth place with Huddersfield’s Dylan Shaw-Radford on level-par.

Italy’s Lorenzo Lombardozzi also shot a 68 to finish in a share of seventh place alongside compatriot Luca Memeo and Prestbury’s Frank Kennedy two shots further behind.

Linel started the final day with a five-shot lead after opening rounds of 66 and 70, but bogeyed the first hole on his way to carding his highest score of the championship.

“I didn’t play as well today but my chipping was good which helped me,” Linel said. “I’m very happy. This is the biggest tournament I have ever won.”

The previous French winners of the Reid Trophy were Stanislas Gautier (2007) Antoine Kuoch (2013) and Alexandre Lasalarie (2015).

Past winners also include Friford Heath’s Eddie Pepperell, Toby Tree, Bradley Moore, Oscar Sharpe and Kent’s Jonathan Bell.

Final scores can be found here.

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