PGA trio teed up for talented teens

PGA Advanced Fellow Professional Jeremy Bennett has been appointed as the new lead coach for England Golf’s national boys’ squad.

Windlesham Golf Club-based Bennett, who will start in September, is currently the Wales ladies’ coach and has worked with major winners Sir Nick Faldo (above left), Seve Ballesteros and Bernhard Langer, as well with Rory McIlroy and Oliver Fisher while they were part of Team Faldo and the Faldo Series.

Two more PGA Professionals have also been selected by England Golf with Dorset’s Martyn Thompson becoming coach for the girls’ South West regional U16 squad and Worcestershire’s Sam Johnston taking up the same position with the West Midlands U16 girls’ squad.

Nigel Edwards, England Golf’s performance director, commented: “England Golf is committed to providing excellent coaching to help our players develop the skills they need to perform at the highest level.

“We are delighted to welcome these coaches to our team and look forward to working with them to achieve even greater successes for our players.”

Bennett has been the Wales ladies’ coach since 2008 and has steered them to three Home Internationals wins – after the team had won the title only one other time in 100 years.

Bennett added: “I have enjoyed every minute with Wales, bringing tears of joy and creating history which is my main goal. Now I am looking forward to the new challenge with the England U18 boys and I relish the chance to create more history with them.”

Bennett was an England international in his amateur days and went on to play on the European Tour for 11 years and was Rookie of the Year in 1981.

Since specialising in coaching he has worked with the Surrey county men’s team, steering them to two national championship wins, and spent four years with the elite players in Team Faldo. Three players he worked with – Oliver Fisher, Rory McIlroy and James Heath – all reached the top of the world amateur rankings.

Thompson, who becomes the coach to the South West regional U16 girls’ squad, is the head PGA professional at Parkstone Golf Club.

He is the head coach to the Bournemouth University golf teams and has held the same position with the Dorset Golf Partnership and the Dorset County Golf Union.

He coached Dorset teenager Georgia Hall during 2012/13 when she won British girls’ and ladies’ championships, two youth Olympic medals and was ranked top amateur in Europe and fourth in the world.

Johnston, who has been appointed as coach to the West Midlands regional U16 girls’ squad, is the head PGA professional at Fulford Heath Golf Club.

He is the lead County Academy coach for Worcestershire and Herefordshire and is responsible for the design and implementation of the programme. He is an assessor for members of England Golf U18 regional squads who are working towards the AASE qualification.