Top award for golf coaches who grow the game

Two PGA professionals with a modern and exciting approach to attracting new golfers and encouraging regular players have won a top award from England Golf.

Scott Rusbridge (above left) and Tom Hide (right) run their Coastal Golf Academy at four clubs in north Essex - Frinton, Millers Barn, Harwich and Colne Valley – and aim to inspire golfers of all ages and backgrounds to play the game and become members.

Their approach supports the aims of the England Golf strategic plan, ‘Raising Our Game,’ which calls on all who care about the sport to work together to create a brighter future for the game, including more members, more players and stronger clubs.

The pair, recognised by the Golf Foundation last year, were presented with the Participation Award by Jennie Price (centre), the chief executive of Sport England, at a gala dinner at the England Golf annual conference at Hinckley Island Hotel in Leicestershire.

Rusbridge said: “It’s an honour to be recognised by England Golf and it’s a reward for our efforts which makes us even more enthusiastic to carry on.”

Hide explained the philosophy of the Coastal Golf Academy: “Over the years at Coastal Golf we have tried to create a friendly, relaxed environment for people to play golf in.”

The Coastal Golf Academy reaches out into the community, working with local groups and schools and they run Golf Foundation Golf Roots Centres at each of their four venues. They have even bought a minibus to transport juniors and students so they can enjoy the golf club experience.

They run Get into golf courses and over 100 people have become regular players in the last two years. Last year they launched a junior tour to offer more competitive opportunities for youngsters, and they have started an apprenticeship scheme to offer opportunities to other aspiring young coaches.

Helen Tarttelin, the Essex County Development Officer, said: “They take a modern approach to their coaching and are continually looking for new and exciting ideas to help attract adults and juniors into golf and encourage regular participation, ideally leading to some form of membership.

“They have exposed a huge number of people to golf who wouldn’t ordinarily have been able to have an experience of the game.”

She added: “CGA are without doubt a driving force behind recruiting and retaining new members and producing regular golfers of all ages, genders and backgrounds at the clubs they are associated with.”