NATHAN NEWTON has seen a golf youngster’s dream come true – an unforgettable day playing golf with his hero, England’s Ryder Cup star Lee Westwood. Nathan, aged seven, from Whitby, Ellesmere Port, won his place walking the fairways with the superstar at the final of the Lee Westwood Golf Academy at Lindrick, Worksop, after beating tough competition from other youngsters at a regional academy at Knutsford earlier this year. “It was a great experience,” he said. “I saw the way he played and he saw me play and said I was playing quite well and to keep it up.” Nathan has been hitting golf balls from the age of three. His mother agrees he is obsessed with the game. “That’s an understatement,” she said. “He always watches golf on television and he would play every day, given the opportunity. He got an injured ankle at the weekend but was still desperate to play. “He has always been very co-ordinated and all he has ever wanted is to play ball games. He’s not interested in cars and tool kits, that kind of thing.” He plays four or five times a week in the summer. He has a chipping net in the back garden where he practises, with clear instructions from his parents to play away from the direction of the conservatory. When he was three he was taken to a shop in Chester where he was to be bought a present and immediately decided he wanted a set of plastic golf clubs. Back home Nathan hit the balls with such precision his dad decided he should have a real, cut-down set of golf clubs. “The bag was bigger than him,” his mum recalls. He played with his granddad Tony at the Sandfield and the Foregolf Driving Ranges at Chester, where he had his first golf lessons. Aged six, he won his age group in the regional round of the HSBC Wee Wonders Competition at Upton-by-Chester and finished second in the British Junior Golf Tour at Celtic Manor. While many golf clubs have a lower age limit of eight, Upton accepted Nathan at the age of six. And his mother is grateful for the attitude, support and encouragement her son has received there. Upton’s junior organiser Jenny Turner says: “Often there is a problem that clubs will not accept youngsters until they are eight years old. I think that is wrong, which is why we will take them on their merit.” Upton has about 60 juniors, including about one third aged 11 or below and Turner organises regular six-hole competitions for the youngest. At seven, Nathan is the youngest but there are others not much older. The Lee Westwood Golf Academy provides for youngsters of all abilities to become familiar with golf and develop at their own pace in the surroundings of their local top flight golf course. Boys and girls entered at the nine academies based around the country. Nathan entered at the Knutsford academy; the youngest there and in a three-day programme faced different golf challenges, including, driving, pitching and putting and also golf rules and etiquette. As the winner there he joined the winners from another eight regional academies to play with Westwood. Westwood, who played six holes with each of three groups of three boys, said: “It has been a busy summer for me and the academy and finals days have been a particular highlight. It was great to play with the finalists who were all exceptionally good. “I was impressed by every one and hopefully the day helped to improve all of them. It is really encouraging to see that the next generation of golfers has the academy to help them develop.” Mrs Newton said: “We just cannot give Lee enough credit, taking the time to spend with these children. He is so genuinely nice, genuinely interested and spent a lot of time with the children.” The boys were measured for a Ping driver and putter, although because of his age Nathan will wait for his until next year. Meanwhile, like others, he has some other mementoes of his day, including a Lee Westwood signed hat and golf balls. He also has the lasting memory of the biggest golf day of his young life, playing a few holes with his hero. “I want to be like him,” he said. | 
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