One year after opening his first Junior Golf Academy, Spanish star Sergio Garcia has returned to PGA Catalunya Resort, Barcelona, to celebrate the anniversary.
The Ryder Cup star conducted golf clinics with local school children and a group from Consorci Sant Gregori in nearby Girona, an organisation that helps individuals with special educational needs.
PGA Catalunya Resort’s impressive practice facilities, which include a 2,000 square-metre putting and chipping green utilised by academy students, provided the ideal stage for Garcia to give the masterclasses.
These were followed by a three-hole exhibition match between El Niño and the youngsters who have benefitted from the expert coaching available throughout the year at the home of Spain’s number one golf course*.
Since it was inaugurated in November 2012 in collaboration with Fundación Sergio Garcia, the academy has given children from all walks of life the opportunity to play golf, develop their skills and maximise their full athletic potential. It fulfils two key objectives; to find and coach the best young golfing talent of the future and, through specifically designed ‘Golf Adapted’ teaching techniques, to help individuals with physical and learning disabilities enjoy golf.
Commenting on the success of the Junior Golf Academy’s young golfers, Sergio Garcia said: “The progress made by these youngsters in just a year is impressive. With the highest quality of coaches and practice facilities available here, there is great potential to develop stars of the future, as well as introduce a new generation to the joys of the game.
“Spain has a strong history of developing golfing talent, which I am proud to be a product of, and it is pleasing to be giving back to Spanish golf with this JuniorGolfAcademy.”
Julio Delgado, CEO of PGA Catalunya Resort, a European Tour Destination, said: “Sergio was an exceptional junior golfer himself and has proven to be an inspiration for new golfers across the globe.
“It is crucial to offer structured development programmes to these young golfers to help protect the future of the game, and the success of this facility will help ensure participation in Spain continues to grow.”
PGA Catalunya Resort and Sergio Garcia Junior Academy www.pgacatalunya.com
* As ranked by Golf World’s influential Top 100 Courses in Continental Europe and voted by top100golfcourses.co.uk