The Golf Foundation is currently working with a network of Active Primary School Coordinators across Scotland to make the game of golf more accessible to young people in schools.
With the remit of bringing more physical activity and healthy living into young people’s lifestyles, many of the Active Primary School Coordinators in Scotland have embraced the Golf Foundation’s Tri Golf Initiative as an effective means of achieving their targets.
Three such coordinators in North Lanarkshire, Andrew Jackson, Susan Wright and Leigh have recently embarked on a large-scale golf development programme with their primary schools. In conjunction with North Lanarkshire Leisure, they have worked with sports coaches qualified as Tri Golf Activators, to bring golf to 600 children in 15 primary schools.
Commenting on the success of the scheme, Active Primary School Coordinator for the Motherwell district, Andrew Jackson said, “The response to the Tri Golf Initiative in schools has been tremendous. We have focused on the positive values that golf brings such as honesty and respect for an opponent, and have illustrated golfing heroes past, present and possibly future by using school notice-boards to show pictures of Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Colin Montgomery alongside photos of the pupils themselves playing golf.”
Kate Martin has responsibility for the Carnoustie cluster of primary schools and has formed a close link with the PGA professionals at the famous Open Championship venue. Training has been given to teachers from her schools on the Tri Golf Initiative and follow-on opportunities are offered free of charge at Carnoustie.
Active Primary School Coordinator for the Crieff and Auchterarder area, Gillian Young, is now into her second year of working with the PGA professional at Crieff Golf Club and delivering Tri Golf taster sessions to 12 rural primary schools. Gillian said, “For a non-golfer like myself, the Tri Golf Initiative has been easy to use and deliver and the pupils have really enjoyed the experience. We have also trained 15 local teachers, parents and school caretakers so that several of the schools now have their own Tri Golf kits.
David McLaughlin, the Active Primary School Coordinator for the Dunbar cluster of schools in East Lothian, has trained 25 teachers, community police officers and club volunteers to become Tri Golf Activators. He is also a key member of the successful East Lothian Junior Golf Partnership and has introduced over 500 young people to golf himself through Tri Golf taster sessions in primary schools.
Scottish Development Officer for the Golf Foundation, Brendon Pyle, said, “By providing subsidised Tri Golf resources and training within schools followed by a link to local golf clubs and PGA professional coaching, the Golf Foundation is forming strong partnerships at a local level and working with education to provide structured golfing opportunities for more young people across Scotland”.
For further information about the Tri Golf Initiative or support from the Golf Foundation, please contact Brendon Pyle on 07765 258330.
The Golf Foundation www.golf-foundation.org