The English Golf Union (EGU) and English Women’s Golf Association (EWGA) have made improvements to their popular National Skills Challenge and secured an exciting prize sponsor for 2010.
This year leading golf brand FootJoy have lent their support to the National Skills Challenge, providing prizes for boys and girls who reach the Regional and National Finals.
The National Skills Challenge supported by FootJoy has been developed for young golfers and is designed to be challenging at all levels and above all is intended to be fun. The Challenge is a series of 10 activities, covering the five golfing disciplines of putting, chipping, pitching, bunker play and full swing. This is an online initiative with free resources for golf clubs, all designed to improve standards in junior golf while making practice more enjoyable for youngsters taking part.
A number of positive changes to the 2010 programme have been made as a result of feedback from PGA professionals and the experiences of Challenge Organisers at clubs taking part. These include ensuring activities continue to inspire and challenge, reducing the number of official Challenge events to help with organisation and scheduling and the introduction of Regional Finals before the National Final in September.
In addition, the National Skills Challenge website has been redesigned to be more interactive, while official literature has been updated to be more helpful to Challenge Organisers.
Richard Flint, EGU/EWGA Golf Development Manager, said: “The National Skills Challenge is an exciting and innovative coaching resource for golf clubs to use. We are delighted that FootJoy have chosen to show their support of the initiative and I am sure this will be appreciated by the young players as they are rewarded for their efforts.”
FootJoy are providing the prizes for the Regional and National Finals, plus gifts for all youngsters taking part in these stages. Around 130 children in the Regional Finals all receive a FootJoy glove, while group winners will take home a pair of FootJoy shoes and a dozen Titleist golf balls. Every child at the National Final wins a FootJoy cap and sleeve of Titleist balls, while group winners receive a Titleist Vokey wedge.
Richard Fryer, European Marketing Manager for FootJoy said, “We know that the National Skills Challenge helps provide an easy and fun way for junior sections to improve their skills and increase their enjoyment of the game. We are looking forward to this year being the most successful to date and are delighted to be involved.”
In an additional incentive for clubs to register, FootJoy Tour Ambassador Ross Fisher will be providing a signed print, addressed to the junior section that gets drawn out of the hat from all registrations.
The EGU and EWGA recommends that golf clubs integrate the National Skills Challenge supported by FootJoy into their own club coaching programme, to provide encouragement for juniors to improve and develop their game in a fun environment.
The first Skills Challenges are running until 2nd May with Regional Finals in August and the National Final on 11th September. Find the full list of dates and more information at www.getintogolf.org/skills.
The EGU/EWGA National Skills Challenge supported by FootJoy is an initiative jointly provided by the EGU and EWGA via England Golf’s ‘Whole Sport Plan’ for golf and is an integral part of England Golf’s vision to ‘Grow the Game’.