VISITORS to Stamford Park in Tameside can now enjoy a w-hole new experience, thanks to the reopening of a refurbished crazy golf course.
The nine-hole course has been brought back to life with the help of some young people on the Tameside Futures scheme.
It’s a project that supports 16 to 18 year olds – or up to 24 depending on criteria – who are not currently in education, employment or training.
Over the summer, 11 young people worked alongside The Growth Company to design and build new obstacles, ramps and features for the course, while also picking up practical skills and teamwork experience along the way.
For Dylan, 18, from Ashton-under-Lyne, the project has become more than just a summer activity – he now helps manage the course.
“It was great to be a part of the volunteering team and now keeping the course clean and tidy, which involves coming down every day to the park,” he said.
“I’ve enjoyed meeting the people who have said the course has brought back memories back to them, with a couple of older people coming up to me saying I remember when it was up there and now it’s here!”
Another young volunteer added: “We created the ramps and the gold assault course from scratch, chopped them down, painted them and came to stack them up.
“This involved setting it up together, it feels like it has made a great change to the community because people are now out playing golf. My favourite part is seeing people play on the course.”
The course is open daily during cafe hours – 10am to 4pm in summer and until 3pm in winter, subject to the weather – with a round costing £3 per person. Clubs and balls can be collected and returned at the Cafe Pavilion.
Councillor Leanne Feeley, Tameside Council’s Executive Member for Lifelong Learning and Culture, said: “It is fantastic to see such a brilliant activity open up in one of our local parks that is open to not only families but young people and anyone that would like to have a bit of fun.
“I’d like to take the time to thank the young people who were involved in refurbishing the course and creating obstacles, it looks great!”