As European golf celebrates a famous Ryder Cup victory it is appropriate that the governing bodies of amateur golf in both England and Ireland should take advantage of the unprecedented media coverage of the game to re-state their commitment to the promotion of junior golf.
Two of England’s greatest golfers have endorsed the new Junior Organiser’s Handbook just published by the English Golf Union and English Ladies’ Golf Association.
The EGU & ELGA Junior Handbook is designed to challenge some existing practices and guide golf clubs on how best to encourage and promote junior golf in the future. It contains best practices, conclusions and recommendations drawn from the results of research conducted by the English Golf Union and the English Ladies’ Golf Association.
The Handbook covers a wide range of topics, from recruitment through to World Class Performance, and embraces important topics such as child protection, further education, membership fees, coaching, the organisational structures within golf, handicapping, rules and etiquette.
“This Handbook will help those involved at the sharp end of junior development to provide a positive and encouraging atmosphere for young people in golf clubs,” said Laura Davies CBE.
“I am delighted to support and endorse the English Golf Union’s and English Ladies’ Golf Association Junior Handbook. I believe that this Handbook will strengthen junior structures within golf clubs in England,” said Nick Faldo.
The Handbook has been produced to help encourage golf clubs to promote junior golf, which is the main objective of the English Golf Union and English Ladies’ Golf Association within the England Junior Golf Development Plan.
All golf clubs in England affiliated to the EGU and ELGA will receive two copies of the Handbook. Paul Baxter EGU chief executive stated,’’I beseech clubs to consider its contents carefully, with an open mind, and with the resolve to take action.”
The Junior Handbook is a working document and will change to reflect the evolution of the game and the needs of junior golf. Comments for additions or amendments are invited to ensure that this continues to be a key resource for golf clubs.
For more information on the Junior Organiser’s Handbook:
Richard Brown EGU Junior Development Manager rbrown@englishgolfunion.org
Kirstie Jennings EGLA National Girls Development Officer kjennings.elga@btinternet.com
Charter for Junior Golf launched in Ireland
Two years ago the Golfing Union of Ireland and the Irish Ladies Golf Union established a working group comprised of people with an active involvement in under-age golf in Ireland. Its brief was to examine junior golf within the clubs of Ireland and to compile a Charter for Junior Golf.
The Charter, which also has the full support of the PGA Irish Region, is a defined document setting forth the aims and principles of a united group – the unions, branches and districts and the golf clubs.
It is the intention of the GUI, ILGU and the PGA Irish Region to assist clubs in ensuring that sufficient young people are attracted to the game so as to guarantee the future of golf in its current, healthy state.
The Charter for Junior Golf contains a summary of background information, identifying key issues. It offers advice to clubs on how to establish, run and maintain their junior sections, develop junior talent and provide coaching and other golf education for all junior members in a safe environment.
The Charter attempts to cover the entire range of a junior golfer’s potential development, from pre-club starter schemes through to representative golf and elite coaching at provincial, district and national levels.
The GUI and ILGU recognise the clubs’ important role in developing the game for the future and the crucial role of the junior organiser and junior committee within these clubs in co-ordinating and driving forward this process. They further recognise that clubs have the sole right to determine the best way forward for their junior members. Nevertheless, it became clear to the unions, from approaches made over the years on the subject, that efforts had to be made to provide information and guidance and this is the spirit in which the Charter has been prepared.
Copies of the Charter for Junior Golf will be distributed to all golf clubs over the coming weeks and the working group has arranged a series of information meetings throughout the country to which every club’s captain, lady captain, hon. secretaries, junior officers and club professionals have been invited to attend.
Golfing Union of Ireland www.gui.ie
Irish Ladies’ Golf Union www.ilgu.ie