England Golf Partnership shortlisted for top award

The England Golf Partnership (EGP) has been shortlisted to receive a top award for a PGA-supported coaching programme which involves around 2000 talented young golfers.

The EGP’s County Academy Programme (CAP) will be in the spotlight at the finals of the UK Coaching Awards 2013 on Tuesday 3 December, when it will be one of three contenders for the Coaching Intervention of the Year award.

The programme is run through the national network of County Golf Partnerships, which grow the game at grass roots level, and it offers coaching to youngsters with the potential to move into county age group squads and beyond.

It embodies The PGA’s ‘Right Coach Right Place Right Time’ philosophy and, over the past five years has helped to increase the number of youngsters involved from 700 to 2000.

The coaching workforce - currently 360 PGA professionals and 140 qualified volunteers – has been supported and developed to meet the needs of the players, widen the base of the England talent pathway and create lifelong golfers.

Jonathan Wright, The PGA’s Coach Education and Development Manager (England), said: “This approach has allowed CAPs to increase the opportunity for young players to be involved with an England golf talent programme for the first time.

“CAP has provided a legacy that encourages professional, assistant and volunteer coaches to communicate and work with each other to develop their skills to meet the wants and needs of the players.”

The strategy has created a well-supported workforce of more appropriately qualified and skilled coaches. It has also helped more women volunteers to get involved and is continually monitored for improvements.

Achievements include more players reducing their handicaps, becoming new club members, aspiring to continue up the talent pathway. There are also an increasing number of participants who say they now see themselves as lifelong golfers.

The EGP’s County Academy Programme will be challenged for the coaching intervention award by StreetGames UK and the Welsh Football Trust.

The EGP brings together the amateur governing body, England Golf, and The PGA to grow the game with the support of the Golf Foundation and Sport England National Lottery funding.