A revolutionary way of learning new skills and increasing the level of enjoyment a golfer gets from their game has been launched in association with one of golf’s most visible and iconic brands, Sky Sports.
Embracing the modern age of internet video streaming, web chat rooms and social media, and drawing upon the vast experience and expertise of the some of the game’s foremost coaches and teachers, The Sky Sports Golf Academy is set to change the way golfers interact with their coaches forever.
Owned and operated by My Sports Academy Limited under a license agreement from BSkyB, owners of the Sky Sports brand, Sky Sports Golf Academy is an online instruction service developed to provide a platform for the very best coaching talent to offer detailed yet broad instruction to all levels of golfers, whether they be absolute beginners or aspiring tour professionals .
The Sky Sports Golf Academy – www.skysportsgolfacademy.com – calls upon the services of some of the biggest and best names in the world of coaching, including regular Sky Sports’ studio analysts Denis Pugh and Simon Holmes, as well as the youngest ever PGA Master Professional, Jonathan Yarwood. Although this trio of exceptionally talented teachers needs little introduction, it’s safe to say that between them they have coached some of the finest exponents of the golfing art, including six-time Major winner Nick Faldo, eight-time Order of Merit winner Colin Montgomerie, US Open champion Michael Campbell, Ryder Cup stars Eduardo and Francesco Molinari, and countless other tour winners, as well as elite level amateurs and national and international teams.
Their unrivaled expertise, combined with their superlative communication skills and their comprehensive, yet easy-to-understand way of coaching makes them the perfect fit for the Sky Sports Golf Academy.
The simple-to-navigate site offers users exclusive access to a wide range of specially produced video content, involving all of the aforementioned coaches, and other specialist experts in their relevant fields – all with the aim of helping golfers improve their game and therefore providing more enjoyment through better performance.
As Simon says: “One of the things most amateurs struggle with is maintaining a level of consistency in their practice routines. Tour pros receive constant feedback from their coaches to keep their swings on track, and practice the same drills that help them to take their game onto the golf course. Every golfer has strengths and weaknesses and the Sky Sports Golf Academywebsite will help golfers understand where those weaknesses are and provide easy-to-follow tips, drills and strategies to help get their game back on track.”
Once registered on the site, as either an Academy Member (which is free), or Full Member (which involves either a quarterly or annual subscription), golfers will have access to a whole range of video content, which is delivered based on answers to specific questions. Dependent on their membership status, golfers can immediately use the site to improve all areas of their game. The site intuitively assesses a golfer’s ability and enables them to move between topics and score themselves in tests, so they progress as they improve. The video content will be continually expanded and updated to incorporate the latest and current thinking in golf coaching, advances in golf technology, and mental and physical preparation techniques that will enable the users to keep step with the game of golf as it evolves.
The site also has numerous interactive elements to it, including a Rate My Swing section, where members can upload their own swings and, through integrating these into their own social media activities and preferences, have them rated by fellow users and visitors to the site.
The Sky Sports Gol fAcademy was founded by James Gray, a management consultant, whose passion for sport, and golf specifically, led him to look at ways of channeling the support and enthusiasm for the game, achieved through broadcast and live events, to benefit all fans and participants of the game. Sky Sports Golf Academy will take advantage of the constant evolving media platforms, devices and connectivity both at home and when mobile.
“In order to bring this idea to reality, it was essential to identify a situation where there was sufficient scale, reach and levels of audience interest in order to prove the concept,” says James. “Sky Sports have a dominant position in the broadcast of live and elite golf in the UK, and their broadcasts use some of the most respected and successful coaches. Golf is a technical sport played by individuals who recognise the need to practice in order to improve. The Marrying of Denis, Simon and Jonathan’s expertise, the Sky Sports brand, and an accessible and user-friendly website, creates the ideal platform to improve members’ golf and as a consequence their enjoyment, whilst trying to attract more people to the game of golf”
The Sky Sports Golf Academy www.skysportsgolfacademy.com