Junior Golf Passport tees off in Ireland

Junior golf in Ireland is set for a boost with the launch of the Golf Foundation's Junior Golf Passport (JGP).

The scheme is aimed at assisting pros and clubs to develop a structured programme to keep their participants engaged for longer and meet the needs of the club.

Its introduction to Ireland follows the success of JGP's in England and Wales.
Brendon Pyle, chief executive of the Golf Foundation, - an enthusiastic supporter for developing junior golf in Ireland - has backed the initial establishment of 50 programmes for PGA in Ireland members to implement, with training days taking place in mid-November, at Lough Erne on the 14th, Ballyneety on the 15th and Castleknock on the 16th.

There are still spaces remaining for those wishing to take advantage of the programme, for more details see http://www.juniorgolfpassport.org, http://www.golf-foundation.org or contact Jussi Pitkanen, PGA Coach Education & Development Manager (Ireland) at jussi.pitkanen@pga.org.uk

Below are the findings from a recent Junior Golf Passport PGA Professional Survey

• Over all 81% of PGA pros rate the Junior Golf Passport as excellent or good.
• Ease of using the website - 74% said good or excellent
• 55% rated the updating process on line as good or excellent with 35% rating it as 'fair'
• 34% of PGA pros think it increases communication between Pro's and parents
• Only 13% are logging in every 2 weeks
• 83% of pros said it take less than 30 minutes per week to keep the online up to date
• 63% pros say parents think it's good or excellent
• 84% of pros rate the content of the JGP as good or excellent
• 38% think it has progressed their junior skills since running the JGP
• 83% rate the ease of delivering the JGP as good or excellent
• 70% of pros are using the provided lesson planner
• 70% of pro's are using the provided games cards
• 53% pros are using the provided skills cards
• 53% pros rate the JGP to teach mixed ability groups as good or excellent
• 60% of pros have run a festival and of those 77% said it was useful
• 64% think the JGP has added value to their programme (Good or excellent)
• 78% think the training workshop provided everything they needed to run the JGP (Good or excellent)