Senior Pro's Provide Golf Tips for our Aspiring Young Players
The European PGA Seniors Championship recently held at De Vere Slaley Hall, Northumberland, provided the perfect setting for young people from Northumberland to learn a few top tips from the players themselves, in a number of organised clinics, just a pitching wedge away from the main action of the tournament. With years of experience between them and an array of worldwide tournament victories, players included Stuart Smith (Scotland), Tony Charnley (England), Jerry Bruner (USA) and Mark Belsham (England) who were all on hand to provide tips on a variety of golf shots including both the long and short game.
Organised by the Golf Foundation, young people were selected from Northumberland Sport's 'Sport Unlimited' programme, an exciting national programme, targeting 'semi-sporty' young people as part of the Government's drive to get more young people involved in sport outside of school between the ages of 10-19 years.
Tour player Stuart Smith said: "I think it is fantastic that these youngsters from down the coast in Alnmouth have been provided with this opportunity because at this age they are very impressionable and if you give them the impetus and provide the opportunity to play more and practice more, who knows they may strive to play on the tour. I think it's tremendous and should be encouraged more, which me and the boys are dead keen to support because it's good for the tournament and good for the local area."
Neville Duncan, Sports Development Manager for Northumberland Sport said: "Northumberland has seen over 7,000 young people participating in Sport Unlimited activities across the county since the programme began in September 2008. This year, young people will be given the opportunity to attend over 150 different activities representing over 20 sports.
Golf is one of these sports on offer and by working with the Golf Foundation and local clubs we have now been able to reward those young people that have a 100% attendance at the sessions provided."
John Wood from the Golf Foundation said: "We were delighted with just how much commitment the players put into these clinics. They're clearly all passionate about wanting to help these youngsters and they offered some great advice. They were so enthusiastic it was actually difficult to call time on each session! We can't thank them enough."
Northumberland Sport will continue to work closely with other sports and organisations to offer similar incentives for young people. In addition to these incentives all the young people who take part in activities across Northumberland during 20010/11 and attend a minimum of 6 sessions are being entered into a draw to win an iPod Touch other prizes worth up to £100. This is just another way we are trying to encourage young participants to attend enough sessions to inspire and motivate them to continue in the activity following the end of their chosen programme of activity.
