This results from the Ryder Cup European Development Trust agreeing to support an initiative of the European Tour to provide free coaching to the public at many events during 2009.
Up to ten PGAs will, in the coming months, be offering free golf lessons to members of the general public, funded by Ryder Cup profits and operated by Provision Golf, at European Tour events staged in their country.
Large, inflatable practice nets will be erected at the heart of the tournament village and PGA professionals from that country will provide a ten-minute videobacked lesson to individuals of any age group and both genders, wishing to take advantage of the opportunity.
This is considered to be a comprehensive way in which Ryder Cup benefits can be spread as widely as possible in accordance with the basic purpose of the trust fund.
The ‘travelling, portable academy’ facility will be in operation at the Estoril Open de Portugal on 2-5 April while other PGAs who have also already enthusiastically accepted the opportunity to participate include Austria and Italy and more will inevitably follow. The free coaching clinic will also be in evidence at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth (21-24 May), and the tournaments at two forthcoming Ryder Cup venues, Celtic Manor (4-7 June) and Gleneagles (27-30 August).
In an exceptionally busy period for the RCEDT committee, several more schemes around Europe have been approved pending the completion of precise details and are expected to be rubber stamped soon.