The all-new Golf Foundation ‘Junior Golf Passport’ will soon be available to all PGA Professionals, having been trialled successfully by 110 PGA Pros over the summer.
The Golf Foundation, the charity that makes golf and its benefits more accessible to young people from all backgrounds, has radically enhanced the Junior Golf Passport, with support from and endorsement by the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA). The scheme is expected to help retain many more youngsters in golf clubs who have been introduced to the game through school and community projects.
The striking, colourful and easy-to-follow scheme is supported by a major new interactive website (www.juniorgolfpassport.org) designed to appeal to youngsters, while offering PGA Professionals a significant coaching and business resource.
‘Designed by coaches for coaches’, the Junior Golf Passport features leading thinking from coaching Professionals and after a ‘soft launch’ in April, 110 PGA Pros in seven different regions were the first to use the new resource as part of their overall club coaching programme over the summer.
90% of those who responded to an initial feedback survey rated the new scheme as good or excellent and 85% gave the content an equally high rating. One respondent commented, “A main selling point has been how easy it is for parents to understand that their children will be engaged in a holistic coaching programme. This has definitely made the new JGP a more attractive product.” Another commented that, “This has made retention much greater.”
Youngsters and their families have been able to start learning with their Professional coach and follow a positive programme to help them develop in all areas of the game.
Golf’s leading governing bodies have given their support to the Junior Golf Passport. In addition to the PGA endorsement, it is the official junior learning programme for the England Golf Partnership and Golf Development Wales.
The Junior Golf Passport will be launched officially in October. PGA Professionals are now being invited to pre-register their interest for the scheme and follow its progress on Twitter at @jnrgolfpassport.
Mike Round, Chief Executive of the Golf Foundation, said: “I am delighted to say that feedback from the PGA Professionals first to use the Junior Golf Passport has been very positive across the board. The improved scheme was a long time in development because there are so many things to get right in a physical and web-based resource that offers a comprehensive aid to both the child and the PGA Professional. Thanks to the PGA and all our coaches we were able to utilise a great amount of knowledge and produce a learning programme that will be exciting for the young person new to the game and that also has great functionality for both the coach and student working together.”
Golf Foundation Marketing Manager Sarah Tennyson was the Project Leader for the new Junior Golf Passport. Sarah said: “We can’t wait to share the improved scheme with the wider PGA coaching family through the golf club network. In the weeks ahead we are hoping to generate plenty of interest among Pros on social media in the build up to our big launch in October, with more details on this launch soon.
“We are particularly grateful to the 110 PGA Pros who took the leap of faith and teed off with the new Junior Golf Passport. Their feedback has been really important as it now allows us just to make some final polishes to the resource ready for the full launch.”
The Junior Golf Passport is part of the Golf Foundation’s HSBC Golf Roots programme that has attained strong success in the school and club networks, all of which is underpinned by clear ‘Skills for Life’ content in every activity. The Foundation has taken Tri-Golf and Golf Xtreme golf formats into thousands of schools and the Junior Golf Passport will strengthen the Golf Foundation’s work in clubs.
PGA Professionals who would like to pre-register their interest in being part of the new Junior Golf Passport can contact the Golf Foundation on 01992 449830, or see www.golf-foundation.org.
Junior Golf Passport www.juniorgolfpassport.org