Coaches play a crucial role in the development of golf and also in the lives of the golfers they coach.
Good coaches ensure that individuals participating in golf have positive experiences in the game and are therefore more likely to continue their involvement into the future.
High quality coaches are knowledgeable, competent and confident in their abilities and can greatly assist players in achieving their goals and aims.
Good coaching is an integral part of the development of any player in any sport and the PGA aims to ensure that all golf coaches are appropriately trained and qualified to coach at their chosen level. Through the implementation of a high quality coach education structure, the PGA can provide a comprehensive coach development pathway that provides relevant training to individuals and professionals with an interest in coaching - whether the interest be as a volunteer assisting with local club sessions right through to a highly qualified master coach.
In July 2002 the Government published 'The Coaching Task Force' report into coaching in the UK. One element of the report was the recommendation of the development of a national certificate for coaching that would aim to standardize the levels of coaching qualification delivered within the UK; in other words, a Level 1 coach in golf will be educated to a similar standard to a Level 1 coach in football, netball, rugby etc. The UK Coaching Certificate (UKCC) is the resulting development, and for golf has meant the introduction of a clear structure and standard pathway for the development and education of golf coaches, which has been guided by the UKCC criteria for development.
The sport of golf has tasked the PGA with the responsibility for Coach Education and Training, and during the past year, the PGA has reviewed their existing coach education structure and is now in the process of developing a new, coach centred education system that meets the needs of coaches and, ultimately, players. The finished pathway will include qualifications based on the following descriptors:
What the qualified coach will be able to do
Level 1 - Assist more qualified coaches, delivering aspects of coaching sessions, normally under direct supervision
Level 2 - Prepare for, deliver and review coaching session(s)
Level 3 - Plan, implement, analyse and revise annual coaching programmes
Level 4 - Design, implement and evaluate the process and outcome of long-term/specialist coaching programmes
Level 5 - Generate, direct and manage the implementation of cutting edge coaching solutions and programmes
For example, a new Level 1 Coach will be able to work with a more senior coach (i.e. Level 2 and above), to assist in the delivery of coaching programmes within a club. For example, this could be a series of junior sessions in which a senior coach needs assistance due to large numbers in a group.
The new coaching qualification courses at Levels 1 to 3 will be officially launched in January 2007. These qualifications have been finalized and are currently awaiting UK Coaching Certificate Endorsement, having been submitted to a panel of experts through sportscoach UK. Achievement of this endorsement will demonstrate that the new golf coaching qualifications meet the standards for coach education set nationally through the UKCC.
The new qualifications will be accessible to both existing PGA professionals and also others within the golfing community who demonstrate potential coaching abilities (for example teachers, club volunteers etc).
For further details and booking information, please email coaching@pga.org.uk
Download the Levels 1 - 5 summary of qualifications