On Saturday 16^th November we were delighted to welcome back Aaron Rai to 3 Hammers Golf Complex for a Q&A and golf clinic with our academy juniors on the back of his recent maiden PGA Tour victory.

Aaron began his golfing journey many years ago here at 3 Hammers Golf Complex when he was just 4 years old and since then it has been fantastic to watch and follow Aaron’s journey which has led to multiple wins on the DP World Tour, his maiden victory on the PGA Tour and a career high ranking of 20^th in the world.

Whilst Aaron is now based in the USA, he is often found practicing his putting, short game and swing around the complex when back visiting his family in Wolverhampton. During his most recent visit Aaron was kind enough to take part in a Q&A Session and Golf Clinic led by our Academy Director Rob Bluck to discuss his journey so far with our Junior Squads and give them the opportunity to watch Aaron hit shots and discuss his practice routine and the work he puts in to reach the top of the sport.

We kicked things off with some questions from our Juniors regarding what it’s like to play on tour and the pressures this brings. It was also extremely informative to find out more about the daily routine of a tour player and the amount of time which goes in  to perfecting his game in between competitions.

Aaron also discussed how his golfing journey began right here at 3 Hammers as a beginner golfer trying golf for the first time. One of the highlights was taking part in a competition ran by 3 Hammers in partnership with the Express & Star called ‘Search for a star’ which Aaron won and we think it’s safe to say that we certainly did find a star.

Following on from the Q&A it was time to head to the range for the opportunity to watch Aaron hit some shots and see his swing up close. Our juniors along with their parents were blown away by his swing and his ability to shape shots as requested by our juniors. Aaron also discussed and demonstrated his pre shot and practice routines which enables him to get in the zone when playing to ensure there are no distractions. This was extremely informative for everybody involved and to see a tour player hitting shots was a memorable experience.

The final part of the session was held on the Par 3 Course where Aaron used to spend many hours every day dialling in his wedge shots which is now one of the strongest parts of his game. 5 of our Juniors challenged Aaron to a flood lit Closest to the pin challenge on our 15^th Hole. Aaron set the bar high hitting first and with some very nicely controlled backspin finished around 3ft from the hole. This meant it was now over to the juniors to see if they could beat him. We had some very good attempts to get inside of Aaron’s shot and for a moment we thought we were going to witness a hole in one when Jack Youlden hit a perfectly measured shot which brushed the hole cup to finish a few inches from the hole and take the win. This was a great achievement and Jack can now say he beat the current world number 21 in a closest to the pin competition.

Following on from the session all involved expressed their gratitude to Aaron for giving up his own time to spend the afternoon with us here at 3 Hammers and share his advice and experiences with us. We hope that the visit has inspired our Juniors that anything is possible with hard work and dedication.  Everybody here at 3 Hammers is extremely proud of everything Aaron has achieved and we hope he has many more successful years playing at the highest possible level.

It is fitting that during British Heart Week a live-saving defibrillator, which

was purchased using funds raised by customers of the 3 Hammers Golf Complex, arrived on site at

the award-winning venue in Coven, Wolverhampton. Customers at the venue were inspired to raise

money for the device after hearing the remarkable story of 3 Hammers’ customer and local

businessperson Kevin Threlfall whose life was saved by a defibrillator after suffering a heart attack on

a local golf course.

“I have no doubt that this defibrillator will save lives,” commented former Wolves Director Threlfall.

“I know from my own experience that having access to this equipment and the relevant training is

essential. Without it I would not be here today! Every sports venue should have a defibrillator, so I

would like to extend a huge thank you to the 3 Hammers customers and staff, who really should be

congratulated for raising the funds necessary to buy this live saving equipment.”

Staff at the 3 Hammers have undergone specialist training to use the defibrillator, which has also

been registered with the British Heart Foundation’s national database. ‘The Circuit’ connects

ambulance services and 999 callers to the location of the nearest defibrillator device when there is a

cardiac arrest emergency.

“The defibrillator that we have here isn’t just for our customers, it can be used by anyone in the local

community,” explains Ian Bonser owner of the 3 Hammers Golf Complex. “For every minute that

passes the survival rate of someone suffering a cardiac arrest decreases significantly, which is why it

is so important to increase the number of golf and other sports venues who have this specialist

equipment and training available. We are hugely grateful to everyone who contributed to the

fundraising efforts.”