JUNIOR golf is thriving at Carus Green Golf Club and the Carus Green junior team donned new team polo shirts and jerseys, received courtesy of sponsors Atlantis Kitchens, for its home matchplay fixture against Kendal, on Saturday.

The sponsorship is one of several initiatives encouraging juniors at Carus Green.

There was a strong turnout of members this weekend for the launch of Carus Green's youth academy, at which specific coaching from Carus Green professionals Dave Turner and Nick Barron is available under the Coaching For All schemes run by the Junior Golf Foundation and the English Golf Union.

Carus Green have also developed a special relationship with Seascales Golf Club which involves taking a young squad there to experience the 'championship' course, with their hosts paying return visits to Carus Green's tighter course which presents its own challenges, and where there is a state-of the-art driving range on which to practise.

Help of free transport via a minibus from Lakes Village Taxis of Bowness has been forthcoming and the firm has also provided cash and a trophy for an annual competition to be contested in September.

Meanwhile, the juniors will be competing for a newly instituted Junior Club Championship for the Dennis Taylor Trophy, backed by Windermere Auto Centre, at which more than £400 in prizemoney will be on offer.

Junior organiser at Carus John Salton said: "These are exciting developments for Carus Green where juniors can take advantage of a first-class facility.

"It's early days but the signs are that the support is there to eventually create a school of excellence in South Cumbria which will help enhance our junior players' prospects."