Harburn Golf Club professional Stephen Mills and clubgolf Level 2 coach Macrina Crawford with girls from the club’s girls-only clubgolf coaching course. Image by Rob Eyton-Jones.Harburn out to encourage more girls to play golf
Harburn Golf Club, one of the first clubs in Scotland to join forces with the national junior golf programme, clubgolf, has started a new initiative to encourage more girls to play golf.
Over the last five years the West Calder club has transformed its junior membership and coaching through clubgolf, the partnership between the Scottish Golf Union, the Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association, the Professional Golfers' Association, the Golf Foundation and sportscotland created as a legacy following Scotland’s successful bid to host the Ryder Cup.
By having its PGA Pro, Stephen Mills, fully involved, the Club is ideally placed to coach children from complete beginner to advanced levels of the clubgolf programme.
In a thriving junior set up, the solitary blemish was that the number of girls attending weekly coaching was heavily outnumbered by boys.
It’s a statistic the Club, its Pro and its volunteer coaches have been quick to remedy. Last month Harburn held an open day for girls and the interest was so great that it has started a weekly girls-only coaching session.
“We have fewer than 30 girl members but we want a lot more so this is our ladies’ initiative for recruiting more,” said Harburn member and clubgolf Level 2 coach, Macrina Crawford.
“Twelve girls came for our open day and 11 have come back for the coaching which is an eight week course running through to the end of the year.
“Some of the girls had never picked up a club before and probably never had the chance to play golf until now. Our aim is to make it fun, they all get along very well because it’s an all girl group and they are learning better as a result.”
Through clubgolf partner, the Golf Foundation, Harburn was awarded a discretionary grant for £500, which supports Stephen Mills’ involvement in the girls coaching.
“Girls only coaching is certainly a good way to keep them involved,” said Stephen. “We are trying to make it a sport for everyone and we recognize that girls’ participation in golf could be a lot better.
“Some of these girls have already joined the Club which is very encouraging. We plan to run another girls coaching course in the spring and will get them out playing and hopefully get them handicaps.
“We’ve been giving clubgolf coaching for a number of years. It’s working in all levels and our members are very supportive. clubgolf is a great idea, especially getting golf into schools, which gives children who might not have had it the opportunity to play.”
This year some 38,000 P5 children were introduced to the game at school through the clubgolf’s introductory game, firstclubgolf. Over 1400 of them were from West Lothian.
“firstclubgolf is very popular with the children in my schools with over 100 children having an introduction this year,” said Lucy Goddard, Active Schools Co-ordinator for the West Calder area.
“Girls are one of our target groups to engage with more activity so it’s great that Harburn is promoting coaching for girls.
Rob Eyton-Jones
clubgolf Media Manager
http://www.clubgolfscotland.com/
Over the last five years the West Calder club has transformed its junior membership and coaching through clubgolf, the partnership between the Scottish Golf Union, the Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association, the Professional Golfers' Association, the Golf Foundation and sportscotland created as a legacy following Scotland’s successful bid to host the Ryder Cup.
By having its PGA Pro, Stephen Mills, fully involved, the Club is ideally placed to coach children from complete beginner to advanced levels of the clubgolf programme.
In a thriving junior set up, the solitary blemish was that the number of girls attending weekly coaching was heavily outnumbered by boys.
It’s a statistic the Club, its Pro and its volunteer coaches have been quick to remedy. Last month Harburn held an open day for girls and the interest was so great that it has started a weekly girls-only coaching session.
“We have fewer than 30 girl members but we want a lot more so this is our ladies’ initiative for recruiting more,” said Harburn member and clubgolf Level 2 coach, Macrina Crawford.
“Twelve girls came for our open day and 11 have come back for the coaching which is an eight week course running through to the end of the year.
“Some of the girls had never picked up a club before and probably never had the chance to play golf until now. Our aim is to make it fun, they all get along very well because it’s an all girl group and they are learning better as a result.”
Through clubgolf partner, the Golf Foundation, Harburn was awarded a discretionary grant for £500, which supports Stephen Mills’ involvement in the girls coaching.
“Girls only coaching is certainly a good way to keep them involved,” said Stephen. “We are trying to make it a sport for everyone and we recognize that girls’ participation in golf could be a lot better.
“Some of these girls have already joined the Club which is very encouraging. We plan to run another girls coaching course in the spring and will get them out playing and hopefully get them handicaps.
“We’ve been giving clubgolf coaching for a number of years. It’s working in all levels and our members are very supportive. clubgolf is a great idea, especially getting golf into schools, which gives children who might not have had it the opportunity to play.”
This year some 38,000 P5 children were introduced to the game at school through the clubgolf’s introductory game, firstclubgolf. Over 1400 of them were from West Lothian.
“firstclubgolf is very popular with the children in my schools with over 100 children having an introduction this year,” said Lucy Goddard, Active Schools Co-ordinator for the West Calder area.
“Girls are one of our target groups to engage with more activity so it’s great that Harburn is promoting coaching for girls.
Rob Eyton-Jones
clubgolf Media Manager
http://www.clubgolfscotland.com/
Labels: clubgolf
posted by Colin |
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