The Golf Foundation’s new Junior Golf Passport, endorsed by the Professional Golfers’ Association, is to be launched officially at The Golf Show in Harrogate.
During The Golf Show, the Foundation will be guests of event organisers the PGA, Foremost Golf and TGI Golf Partnership, and will be exhibiting the Junior Golf Passport to PGA Professionals, with 6,000-plus PGA members qualified to attend the event (8-10 October).
The Golf Foundation team will create a special presentation of the radically enhanced Junior Golf Passport on stand and as part of the seminar programme during the three-day show. 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.
During the show, all PGA Professionals can register their interest in the Junior Golf Passport, which is expected to help retain many more youngsters in golf clubs; children who have been introduced to the game through school and community projects.
PGA Pros who opt to work with the Junior Golf Passport and who register for this in October can take advantage of a special offer introductory rate of £75 for the year. From November onwards the cost will be £100 for the year.
The Golf Foundation, the charity that makes golf and its benefits more accessible to youngsters from all backgrounds, worked closely with the PGA in the development of the Junior Golf Passport. The scheme is the official junior learning programme for the England Golf Partnership and Golf Development Wales.
Mike Round, Chief Executive for the Golf Foundation, said: “As we are launching an initiative that can be so beneficial to PGA Professionals, who are at the heart of their club’s coaching programme, we were delighted to be invited by The Golf Show organising team to present the new Junior Golf Passport in front of what is the perfect audience – so a huge thank you to The Golf Show team.
“We have been delighted with the feedback from PGA Professionals for the new Junior Golf Passport, which took the spirit of wanting to help youngsters to learn from its old paper-only predecessor, while significantly enhancing the whole learning package for the next generation of youngsters.
“We believe this will inspire young people and their families to engage with golf while offering the PGA Professional a powerful new coaching resource and income stream. Our team wants to communicate to every PGA Professional at The Golf Show because October is the perfect time to plan ahead for 2014 coaching.”
Professionals are encouraged to follow progress on Twitter at @jnrgolfpassport, and they can see more at www.juniorgolfpassport.org
PGA Professionals not present at The Golf Show can register through www.juniorgolfpassport.org from 1st October.
“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 were the first to use the new resource as part of their overall club coaching 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.
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.
HSBC Golf Roots and Golf Foundation www.golf-foundation.org