Leading European Seniors Tour golfers are to give up their time during high-profile tournaments to help the Golf Foundation promote the sport to youngsters and their families.
The European Tour has been a strong supporter of the Golf Foundation. With shared beliefs in the importance of looking to the future for the good of the game as a whole, The European Tour will assist the Foundation’s development team in setting up player clinics at six European Seniors Tour tournaments in the 2008 schedule.
At each event, senior professionals will be on hand to show groups of local youngsters the basics of the golf swing and impress them with their shot making skills.
The majority of youngsters involved will be connected to Golf Foundation initiatives that create formal links between schools and golf clubs and promote the structured learning programme the Junior Golf Passport.
The programme of clinics will be held at the following tournaments: the Ryder Cup Wales Seniors Open, the Irish Seniors Open (both in June), the De Vere Collection PGA Seniors Championship, the Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters (both in August), the Weston Homes PGA International Seniors, and the Scottish Seniors Open (both in September).
Andy Stubbs, managing director of the European Seniors Tour, said, “We are absolutely delighted to lend the European Seniors Tour’s support to the development of the game of golf, and to witness the experience of the past masters being handed over to a new generation of young players.”
Mike Round, chief executive of the Golf Foundation, said, “It must be inspirational for a youngster to gain advice from a top Tour professional and then watch how he can shape and control a golf ball. The boys and girls involved will then be able to show their friends at their schools and clubs what they have learned.
“The Golf Foundation’s presence at the events will mean we can help promote the positive benefits of the sport to the many families present. We are very grateful to The European Tour for this opportunity, which is a strong show of support for our aims and objectives in junior grass roots golf development.”
The Golf Foundation will also enjoy a presence at a number of European Tour events this summer, thanks again to the support of the Tour and its staff. Details on these junior activities will be released soon.
European Tour www.europeantour.com
Golf Foundation www.golf-foundation.org