A PIRATE themed adventure golf course was officially opened in Maldon on Monday.

Crowds turned out to see Councillor Ron Pratt open the Pirate Bay Adventure Golf Course in Promenade Park, Maldon.

The course has been in the pipeline for two and a half years, but is now complete and ready for people to play.

Speaking at the ceremony, Martin Devine, Director of the course’s parent company South West Adventure Golf, said how proud he was to finally have the project finished.

He said: “We are very pleased to bring this new attraction to the wonderful Promenade Park and the Maldon District.

“It has been an exciting project, and although there have been one or two challenges along the way, we are very proud of the course.

“I particularly want to thank all those involved, the councillors in supporting the project initially during the planning phase, and a great many MDC council worked who have helped to bring this project to fruition.

“We sincerely thank you for your support.”

Martin then handed over to Councillor Pratt who opened the course saying: “I too am very excited to see this project finished.

“It looks fantastic and I can say having played it, it plays fantastic too. I would like to congratulate Martin and Adam for their persistence and achievements here.

“Promenade Park is a great asset to the people of Maldon and the Council is committed to bringing new attractions and events to the area and attracting new visitors.”

After the official ribbon cutting ceremony which took part on the 18th hole, the course was opened for guests to play a round.

Councillors, family, friends, everyone put down their champagne and grabbed a putter and a ball and took to the greens.

The 18-hole course played brilliantly, with each hole offering a new challenge.

As well as being littered with people, the course is also littered with pirate themed objects, from pirate ships to stockades, from water features to cannons.

The seventh hole sees you joined by a talking pirate, while the 13th hole forces you to play inside a shark’s mouth.

There is currently a competition running on Pirate Bay’s twitter, @piratebaymaldon, to name the pirate ship which surrounds the fifth hole.

The winner will be selected by a panel of pirate-themed-golfing-boat-names experts, and will be rewarded with free golf for four people throughout August.

The course is floodlit and so open all year round. In the summer months, between May 1 and September 30, it is open from 9am to 9pm on weekdays and 9am to 8pm on weekends.

From October 1 to April 30 it closes at 7pm on weekends.

A round on the course costs &8 for an adult, £5.50 for a child between four and 14, and is free for children three or under. A family ticket is available for £22.