2006 proved to be the most successful year to date for the English Golf Union (EGU) and English Ladies’ Golf Association (ELGA) Junior Club Coaching and Free Golf Coaching initiatives with the highest ever number of golf clubs taking part.
The EGU and ELGA have provided financial grants to clubs to run junior coaching and free taster coaching sessions for beginners for a number of years and in 2006 it has been one of the key England Golf Partnership initiatives.
Over 700 golf clubs signed up in 2006 for the Junior Club Coaching programme, a 20% increase from 2005, with 9,323 boys and 1,855 girls receiving coaching.
The interest in the Free Golf Coaching beginner’s initiative was an even bigger success, showing a 72% increase in clubs participating, 331 clubs in total, compared to 2005. Feedback from the clubs who participated showed 7,683 new golfers received a free taster session of which 48% were adults and 52% juniors.
Richard Flint, Golf Development Manager commented, “It is great news to see an increase in the number of golf clubs taking advantage of funding and support from the EGU and ELGA. We are looking for this positive trend to continue and even more juniors and beginners having the opportunity to take part in 2007.”
For 2007 the EGU and ELGA funding has increased with a total grant of £400 now available for clubs; £150 for junior coaching, £200 for beginners taster sessions and an extra £50 funding to those clubs who complete both schemes. Already this year 500 golf clubs have registered for the Junior Club Coaching Grant and over 300 for the Free Golf Coaching Grant.
Both schemes are delivered by PGA professionals at each participating club, who provide the very best in golf tuition. The PGA professionals are qualified to teach how best to swing a club but also are well versed in the rules and etiquette and are experts in golfing equipment.
Information on the 2007 schemes, along with comments from clubs who have already participated, can be found on the ‘For Golf Clubs’ section of the EGU website, www.englishgolfunion.org and then click on ‘Funding and Grants’.