Pros supporting new Irish Open Skills initiative

** Irish Open Championship director, Antonia Beggs, with John Roche, Director of Golf and Business Development, Confederation of Golf in Ireland (CGI) and the Irish Open trophy

The PGA in Ireland is supporting the Irish Open Golf Skills Challenge, a new event designed to help young golfers under the age of 15 focus on the key skills of the game.

The competition, conceived by the European Tour and the Confederation of Golf in Ireland (CGI), is designed to help children under the age of 15 to develop their putting, chipping, iron play and driving in a team environment and is open to golf clubs throughout Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

The winners of the all-Ireland competition will have an opportunity to go to the pro-am at this year’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open hosted by the Rory Foundation at Royal County Down where they can watch the players practice and meet some of the world's top golfers.

Split into two categories – U15 Boys and U15 Girls – clubs across the country are being asked to enter one team in each category.  Each team will consist of four players with each player designated to a certain skill.

Boys teams must have a minimum combined handicap of 64 while the girls teams must have a minimum combined handicap of 80.

Regional finals will take place at the GUI Ulster Branch Provisional Academy at CAFRE Greenmount Campus in Antrim (April 25), The Heritage Golf Club in Laois (April 26), Ballykisteen Golf Club in Tipperary (May 2) and Galway Bay Golf Club (May 9) with the National Final taking place at the GUI National Golf Academy in Kildare on May 16.

“We are thrilled to be working alongside The European Tour to launch the first ever Irish Open Golf Skills Challenge,” said John Roche, Director of Golf and Business Development, Confederation of Golf in Ireland (CGI).

“All national finalists participants will receive a certificate and a golf clinic with a PGA professional, and the fact that the winning teams will get to meet some world class players and watch them practice at this year’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open in May is a real once in a lifetime opportunity to push teams to give it their best.”

Clubs can still register their teams at www.cgigolf.org/junior-convenors which also contains more information on the competition and how it works.