A REPORT funded by the Royal & Ancient has reported how golfers in the UK spent £4.3bn on their sport in 2014, accounting for 14 per cent of all consumer spending on sport.

And golf paid £990m in taxes to the government according to the independent report published by Sheffield Hallam University’s Sport Industry Research Centre (SIRC).

It was suggested more than half of consumer spending on golf, £2.2bn, was channelled through almost 3,000 golf clubs across the country.

The statistics pinpointed how golf equipment and clothing accounted for £939m of consumer expenditure and golf related tourism, events and accommodation a further £775m. The golf industry in the UK also employs 74,480 people with a third employed directly by golf clubs in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Martin Slumbers, chief executive of the R&A, said: “Golf is the first sport in the UK to evaluate its contribution to economic development in line with the government’s ‘Sporting Future’ strategy and these findings give us an important economic baseline for the golf industry against which we can measure future growth.

“There is plenty of room for optimism that golf can maintain and develop its position as one of the most popular sports in the UK, particularly in the year when it makes its return to the Olympic Games in Rio.”

ROCKLIFFE Hall is launching a Wee Wonders academy for potential golfing stars of the future.

The Hurworth course is holding a selection day at the golf club on Wednesday, March 30 when pros will choose between 8-10 youngsters to join the junior programme.

It will be open to any child golfers in the area, aged between 6 and 12, and will run from mid-day to 2pm. Anyone interested should call the golf club on (01325) 729980 to book a place.

Those selected will be offered coveted membership of the golf club at a special annual rate of only £120 with no joining fee. Each child will also receive one hour of coaching a week including sessions in the academy, classroom sessions in the clubhouse and time on the golf course.

FOR the fourth year in a row, a Black Cats team led by former Sunderland player Martin Scott managed to lift this year’s Konect Derby Cup in a local derby tee off.

The 2015/16 cup saw 22 teams of Sunderland and Newcastle supporting golfers go head-to-head to win the renowned title in the build up to Sunday’s Tyne-Wear tussle in the Premier League.

The day, organised by The Konect Group, was the fourth of its kind, and has seen numerous former North-East footballers team up with amateur golfers over the past four years for a day full of friendly rivalry.