WORLD-CLASS mini golf players will assemble at the “spiritual home” of the sport next month to compete for its most coveted trophy.

The World Crazy Golf Championships will take place at Hastings Adventure Golf from June 7 to 9, where professionals will go head to head for the £1,000 winner’s prize, the largest in mini golf.

For the first time in the tournament’s history a junior competition will also run for children aged eight to 14 on June 7.

Simon Tompkins, of Hastings Adventure Golf, said it was “thrilled” to introduce the new category alongside the pro and novice tournaments.

He said: “The three separate competitive categories, professional, novice and junior, help make the championships even more inclusive. So get the putters polished and start practising.”

Last year’s champion Marc Chapman said it was “a great personal ambition” to win the prestigious tournament after previously finishing fourth three times since 2010.

Alongside the professional and junior competitions, there is also a novice category for players who are taking part in their first championship, with the winner nabbing £500.

And for those who aren’t so confident about their skills, prizes will be given out for the best-dressed contestant and “personality of the competition”.

This is the 17th year that Hastings Adventure Golf has hosted the global championships.

The tournament has been held at the course since 2003, when Welshman Tim Davies won the first of his record five championships.

In 2013 Hastings was rocked when 18-year-old Czech student Olivia Prokopová became the only female winner of the tournament.

Competitors can enter the 2019 tournament via the Hastings Adventure Golf website www.hastingsadventuregolf.com/book