ELITE golfers in Herefordshire will hope to be a step ahead of their rivals after being kitted out with new equipment.

Fist-team players of the Shropshire & Herefordshire team have been supplied with Titleist tour golf bags and Footjoy clothing by Herefordshire-based golf equipment supplier OnlineGolfBrands.

The kit will will be used in Midland League matches, as well as other representative fixtures, over the next three years.

Jonathan Devereux, county captain of the Shropshire & Herefordshire team, said: "This is a huge boost for all the team and it certainly puts a spring in the step of the players when they head to the first tee with top quality equipment and clothing."

"We want to be as professional as possible and this certainly helps towards that.

"We are grateful to OnlineGolfBrands for their support and we are hoping this is the start of a long-term relationship for the first team and, potentially, other teams in the Shropshire & Herefordshire Union.”

OnlineGolfBrands - which is headed up by Burghill Valley professionals Keith Preece and Andy Cameron – recently opened a golf superstore on Whitecross Road in Hereford, and the men at the helm are hoping the sponsorship helps produce local players who can emulate the likes of Major champions Ian Woosnam and Sandy Lyle, as well as Ashley Chesters who recently finished tied 12th in The Open at St Andrews.

“We are delighted to be sponsoring the Shropshire & Herefordshire first team and are looking forward to supporting them over the next three years," said Keith Preece, from OnlineGolfBrands.

“We are always keen to put something back into the game locally and when we became aware the county team were looking for some assistance we decided we wanted to help.

“We hope the new equipment we have provided helps the players focus fully on their golf.

“We hope our support can help inspire some of the current players to follow Ashley Chesters’ lead and we are really excited to see how the elite county players develop over the next few years.”