Inclusive coaching workshops aim to bolster disability golf

01/03/2016

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A crack team of PGA tutors are gearing up to deliver a series of workshops across the country to develop coaches delivering disability golf coaching.

The courses will run in April and are aimed at equipping PGA pros with the skills and confidence to coach people who have a disability.

The updates Inclusive Golf Coaching workshop 1, which runs from April 11-15, is designed to introduce professionals to the basic principles of inclusive coaching and building coaches confidence in working with disabled participants, it includes a practical coaching opportunity with disabled participants, allowing coaches the opportunity to put what they’ve learned into practice.

The following week (April 18-22) will see the rollout of a brand new workshop delivered as a follow on to the first workshop. This seminar gives more impairment specific information to coaches looking to further their understanding in this area.

In preparation to deliver the workshops, PGA Advanced Fellow pro Pete Ball (Barlborough Links), PGA Fellow pro Mark Taylor (Alvaston Hall), PGA Fellow pro James Morrow (Chartham Park), PGA Fellow pro Craig Thomas (The Golf Academy), PGA Fellow pro Richard Edwards (Oswestry) and Allan Martin (Buchanan Castle) underwent a two-day course in the Midlands in February, organised by PGA regional coach development officer Danielle Thomas.

Ball is a strong advocate of growing golf’s inclusivity and the benefits of the IGC workshops.

“We have worked on ICG 1 and the programme has been lengthened to give people more time to understand how to make their sessions more inclusive.

“All the coaches we work with are qualified PGA pros and know how to coach, but this is giving them the additional confidence in coaching to a broader range of golfers.

“They could be coaching anybody. It could be an amputee, someone with learning disabilities, sight or hearing impairments, it’s about being inclusive and gaining people’s confidence and getting those who used to play back into golf or introducing people to golf who never thought of it as a sport they could play.”

Taylor also extolled the virtues of the course and what they will be delivering when they hit the road.

“It’s a great step forward in giving fellow professionals a wider education on inclusive and disability coaching,” he said.

“We cover the day to day impairments that coaches may encounter and provide some fundamentals and guidelines to work from. Hearing, visually impaired, autistic spectrum but also looking how to support professionals with their business strategy as disabled and inclusive golf coaching can become an important factor in a revenue stream, so empowering pros to look at what is around them locally and what they can do in the community and the impact that has.

“As a development officer for England Golf as well, we see more clubs becoming engaged in community and making these links for inclusive golf. I think people with disabilities are going to be open to sporting opportunities. There is a niche for golf because of the social implications in bringing people together. It can provide respite for parents and carers and lot we can do to engage a whole audience of people.”

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The IGC workshops are backed by England Golf, which is looking to increase participation amongst disabled groups, with PGA pros vital to achieving that.

The active people survey by Sport England revealed 74,000 people with a disability play golf every week, while England Golf’s 2014 survey indicated 14,500 disabled golfers are members of golf clubs.

Jamie Blair, England Golf’s disability manager, is looking for these figures to increase by opening up the game.

“Disability golfers are a key part of the game and exist in large numbers already but we want to grow the game as well,” he said.

“That is through clubs having a PGA Professional who can deliver, to as many as possible, a quality experience.

“Disability golf is a key part of our county delivery. We’re looking at having three hub clubs in each county delivering a high quality experience, from coaching, disability awareness, the physical access and all the things that make it a great experience that other clubs can then learn from and develop.”

Bookings are open for both courses – ICG1 can be booked online (click on the venue information), with ICG2 via 01675 470333 (ask for member education) or emailing cpd@pga.org.uk. Each course is £42 and accrues 25 CPD points.

IGC 1 Schedule