Golf in Warwickshire has received a £25,000 boost to develop the sport and introduce more people of all ages and backgrounds to the game across the county over the next three years.
The Warwickshire County Golf Partnership (WCGP), an alliance between the Warwickshire Union of Golf Clubs (WUGC), the Warwickshire Ladies County Golf Association (WLCGA) and the Warwickshire PGA has been awarded an initial £10,000 grant, following the approval of its development plan by the England Golf Partnership. An additional £15,000 development funding has been secured for 2010 and 2011.
Over the next three years, WCGP will be implementing its development plan, delivering a host of initiatives for newcomers and lapsed players, as well as fuelling interest amongst local golf clubs and driving ranges.
Its sole purpose is to encourage more men, women, boys and girls of all ages to take up the game and play golf regularly. Initiatives will include a series of free taster sessions aimed at both adults and juniors with the launch of a Warwickshire Golf Month which swings into action for Easter 2009.
The Partnership has also invested in a range of golf equipment for newcomers to use at the series of events, enabling people to ‘try before they buy’.
Details of the development plan were announced to golf clubs at a launch event held recently at West Midlands Golf Club. Members of the public were also treated to a taster of what’s in store over the next 12 months with free golf lessons from a team of six PGA golf professionals.
Commenting John Stubbings, chairman of the Warwickshire County Golf Partnership said, “2008 represents a milestone in Warwickshire golfing history, as the three county associations have come together to encourage more men, women, boys and girls of all ages to take up the game and play golf regularly.
“Exciting times and a lot of hard work lies ahead, as the partnership looks towards to implementing its development plan. Everyone should be given a chance to have a go at golf and our campaign to develop the game across Warwickshire sets out to do just that.”
John Stubbings also paid tribute to Sharon Healey, regional development officer at the England Golf Partnership who has played a huge part in helping Warwickshire secure the grant by delivering a successful development plan.
Prior to forming the partnership, each respective organisation developed the game from an independent perspective, but now it’s definitely a case of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts.
As part of the plan the Warwickshire County Golf Partnership has developed a website with the help of Stratford-upon-Avon based web designers, ‘A Trouble Halved’ and further details can be found on www.wcgp.info
Warwickshire is now one of 26 county partnerships in England, formed to develop golf for the good of the game.