21 countries were represented at the event and were brought together under the umbrella theme of youth golf and to time with the EGA’s European Team Shield Championship.

With subject matter such as working with federations, junior player development, high performance in youth golf, junior academies and coaching relationships, the event has already received hugely positive praise:

“The feedback we’ve received so far has been excellent – really first class,” said Confederation of Professional Golf Director of Education & Membership, Tony Bennett.  “With the format we have it is very interactive and rather than just have ‘talking heads’…this has been an opportunity for the delegates to really dig into the minds and souls of the speakers.

“Coaches Circle is a ‘mastermind’ group where coaches are of a like-mind but also a like-task, having similar things to do in terms of dealing with players, national teams, etc., are given an opportunity to work together, bounce ideas off each other… and perhaps give a bit of support.”

The education event continued its tradition of selecting some of the best speakers from across the continent and further afield to educate, inform and discuss the subject matter of youth golf.

“We always take the view that we have lots of good speakers and lots of good people in Europe, and with that in mind you don’t always have to go for celebrity teachers,” added Bennett.  “There’s lots of good work getting done out there every day on every driving range somewhere in Europe.  Those people are working with the players at the sharp end and understand what is going on.  So we felt as though we could put a very good group of people together from that background.”

For more information on the Coaches Circle visit http://eur.pe/2015CoachesCircle

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For more information about the Confederation of Professional Golf, visit cpg.golf, follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the Hashtag #CoachesCircle, or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

As the world’s best golfers compete in the 144th Open Championship in St Andrews this week, major organisations from the European golf sector have gathered with researchers at the University of St Andrews in an effort to better describe the health benefits of golf, and to explore ways to increase participation across the EU.

The new GoGolf Europe project has successfully secured co-funding from the European Commission under Erasmus+, the EU programme for Education, Training, Youth and Sport for 2014-2020. The project will unite five European countries – the Czech Republic, Estonia, France, the Netherlands and Portugal – in a three year initiative designed to test innovative new access pathways to golf for European youth while also documenting the unique health benefits which the sport can provide to all people.

Richard Heath, General Secretary of the European Golf Association (EGA), the organisation leading the project, commented: “Europe has excellent capacity for golf with over 6,700 courses and some 7.9 million citizens already playing the sport. Nonetheless, we are facing significant challenges in effectively engaging young people to take up the sport and we are actively seeking innovative new solutions for growing youth participation.”

In conjunction with the EGA, the project will unite the National Golf Governing Bodies of the five participating countries alongside the Confederation of Professional Golf, the European Observatoire of Sport and Employment and the University of St Andrews as the official research partner. Alongside the funding support from the European Union, co-financing will also be provided by the PGA European Tour and the EGA.

Dr Rehema M White, of the University of St Andrews’ Sustainable Development Department, said: “Europe is currently experiencing a crisis in physical inactivity and we are going to focus on showcasing and documenting the particular contributions which golf can make to overcoming these worrying trends. The GoGolf project unites an excellent group of partner organisations with real potential to deliver positive and impacting change for the industry and we are very much looking forward to collaborating and providing support from the research perspective over the next three years.”

Current rates of physical inactivity are worryingly high, as evidenced by the recently published 2014 Eurobarometer report on Sport and Physical Activity which found that:

• 59% of EU citizens never or seldom exercise or play sport at least once a week
• Almost three-quarters of EU citizens (74%) say that they are not members of any club, a 7% increase since 2009.

Alongside the GoGolf Europe project mobilisation meetings taking place during The Open in St Andrews this week, representatives from the University of St Andrews will also take part in further meetings concerning the growing global research agenda around the health and wellbeing benefits of golf participation. One such area of synergistic collaboration will be with scientists at the University of Edinburgh.

“Amongst all sports, golf offers a unique suite of health opportunities.- Dr White

Dr White continued: “Amongst all sports, golf offers a unique suite of health opportunities. The aim of our research is to help us understand how to encourage young people to take up sport in general, and golf in particular, to improve their health and wellbeing.

“In Scotland we are lucky enough to have an existing network of golf clubs and courses, providing a mix of facilities. Anyone can pick up a club and chase their ball across the windblown and sheep grazed Askernish Golf Course on the Isle of South Uist, or around the green fairways of well-established Banchory or on one of the many urban courses scattered across Glasgow and Edinburgh. Visitors are offered a diverse choice of facilities around the country. Perhaps best of all, golf has one of the broadest age brackets – from 8 to 80 years old.”

More information on the GoGolf Europe project can be obtained by contacting the EGA office at info@ega-golf.ch

The Europe 2020 strategy, which outlines the European Union’s vision for the 21st century, included sustainability as a key driver for economic growth and resource efficiency.  In this context, the GoGolf Europe project’s ambition to grow the sport of golf in a sustainable way is in line with, and contributes to realising, Europe’s 2020 vision.

The GoGolf research project is funded by the European Commission under Erasmus+, the EU programme for Education, Training, Youth and Sport for 2014-2020.  It will be implemented over three years.

The GoGolf project aligns with Golf Europe’s strategy to promote golf as a growing sport, valued as a force for good in European society.  Golf Europe is a group of Europe’s major golf stakeholders collaborating to develop the sport and enhance golf’s contribution to European society.

The European Golf Association (EGA) represents the sport of golf throughout Europe and works on behalf of 46 member countries and their respective National Golf Associations. Approximately 7.9 million European citizens play golf in an industry that contributes over €15.1 billion to the European economy.

In conjunction with the EGA, the project will unite the National Golf Governing Bodies of the five participating countries: the Czech Republic, France, Estonia, the Netherlands and Portugal, alongside the Confederation of Professional Golf, the European Observatoire of Sport and Employment and the University of St Andrews as the official research partner. In addition to the funding support from the European Union, co-financing will also be provided by the European Tour and the EGA.

Click here to download the ‘2014 Eurobarometer Report on Sport and Physical Activity’

For more information, please contact the Golf Europe office: info@ega-golf.ch

Grogan returned to BlackSeaRama Golf & Villas for the final round of the Pro-Am having taken the Individual Professional title almost exactly 12 months ago, and managed to convert his overnight lead into a win with a closing one-under 71 for a six-under (209) total.

“The greens were absolutely fantastic today,” said Grogan.  “They were very quick and a real credit to the greens staff; they must have given them a shave down and they were like lightening to be honest.”

“I think the courses suit my game but the wind does too…I’m used to hitting punch shots etc. because of where I come from.  I drove the ball fantastically well this week – Thracian was one of the best days I’ve ever had on a golf course driving the ball.”

“We brought two teams this year…every single one of the players is just blown away by how good this place is, and we’d recommend it to anyone, it’s absolutely fantastic.”

Grogan began the day with just a single shot buffer over eventual second place Marco Bernardini (PGA of Italy), which was immediately recovered by Bernardini after he opened with a birdie.  But Grogan’s round got up and running when he made birdies at holes three and six to move to a total of seven-under through the turn.

Three regulation pars followed but a birdie two at 13 moved him well ahead at eight under, by which time Bernardini has already closed with a double-bogey at 17 and a single-bogey at 18 to end his challenge with a 74 and a three-round total of 213 (-2).

Despite a double-bogey on the 18th hole, Grogan was able to close with a four shot advantage over the field and become a two-time Confederation of Professional Golf Sanctioned Event winner.

In the Team Pro-Am competition PGA of Bulgaria Chairman, Richard Lane, and his amateur teammates of Andon Tushev, Liubomir Tushev and Kasimir Balakovo [pictured above] finished with a final round 87 points to give a combined total of 260 points (-44).

Honourable challenges from the chasing teams meant that Team Lane’s victory was by just a single point.  A final 90 points from Professional, Danilo Kraljevic (PGA of Serbia), who also took third place in the individual, along with team mates Boris Damjanovic, Aleksander Demic, and Jasna Damjanovic, gave them second place on countback with 259 points (-43), ahead of Grogan and his amateurs, Michael Gustke, Megan Kelly, and Heiko Van Bergen, who took third.

For full final Individual Professional and Team Pro-Am results visit: http://eur.pe/2015BlackSeaRama

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For more information on the Confederation of Professional Golf visit the Tournament Hub Page, follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter search the Hashtag ‘#BlackSeaRama’, or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

For more information on BlackSeaRama Golf Club visit www.BlackSeaRama.com.

Round 2 of the 7th Vivacom BlackSeaRama Pro-Am took place at venue of the 2013 Volvo World Matchplay, Thracian Cliffs, a course that is known around the globe for its incredible views, layout and challenge.

But Grogan seized the opportunity early on with a birdie at the par-five second hole and followed it up with another at par-four seventh.  But he did not take his foot off the gas with three more birdies on the back nine until a sole bogey on the notoriously tricky par-three 18th hole.

“I started off great even though I was playing the holes against the wind,” explained Grogan.  “It’s a fantastically tough course anyway, but I just thought ‘get it round in level par’.  I managed to hole some birdie putts and a few par putts and thought it would be a bit easier coming back down wind…and I managed to get some close and hole a few.  The game plan for tomorrow is to just attack it!”

In second place is first round leader, Marco Bernardini (PGA of Italy), who found it a bit more of a struggle with four bogeys, two birdies and a two-over 74 for a four-under par total (139).  Standalone third place is the PGA of Greece’s, Panos Karantzias.

In the Team Pro-Am competition it was Richard Lane (PGA of Bulgaria) and his team of Andon Tushev, Liubomir Tushev and Krasimir Balakov who edged ahead after being in the four-way tie through the day before – 86 points (-14) and their first round 87 points gives them a combined 173 total (-29) and a three-point lead.

For full Round 02 results visit: http://eur.pe/2015BlackSeaRama

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For more information on the Confederation of Professional Golf visit the Tournament Hub Page, follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter search the Hashtag ‘#BlackSeaRama’, or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

For more information on BlackSeaRama Golf Club visit www.BlackSeaRama.com.

Bernardini’s start was good from the off at the par 71 Lighthouse Golf & Spa Resort, with two opening pars followed by three birdies in a row to take him to three under par through the turn.

Further birdies at holes 10 and 12 and an eagle at the par-five 16th allowed him to gain another four shots – but a single blip bogey on 18 caused him to lose one of them, ending on his 65 total.

Second place currently falls to Turkey’s Ulas Karatas after a turbulent two-under 69 that consisted of one eagle, four birdies, a bogey and a triple-bogey at the par-four last.

PGA of Greece Professional, Panos Karantzias, and PGA of Great Britain & Ireland Professional and defending champion, Jonathan Grogan, lie in third place after both carding two-under par 70s.

The Team Pro-Am tournament has already been a competitive affair with four teams of the 24-strong field tied for the lead with Ulas Karatas (PGA of Turkey), Richard Lane (PGA of Bulgaria), Veselin Savoyia (PGA of Bulgaria), and Craig Phillips (PGA of GB&I) each on 87 points (-15).

For full Round 01 results visit: http://eur.pe/2015BlackSeaRama

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For more information on the Confederation of Professional Golf visit the Tournament Hub Page, follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter search the Hashtag ‘#BlackSeaRama’, or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

For more information on BlackSeaRama Golf Club visit www.BlackSeaRama.com.

The Championship is the Association’s flagship full 72-hole individual strokeplay tournament and is the flagship event of a now 13 event-strong tournament calendar, the most comprehensive in the Confederation of Professional Golf’s 25-year history.

24 PGAs have their qualifying events in place, and when complete, the leading eligible players will qualify to compete at the Championship for a prize fund of €60,000 and the prestigious title.

Along with the qualifiers from Member Country PGAs, the Championship will this year come with the added boost that the ‘Passport to Pravets’ banner provides – each of the eligible winners from the other Confederation of Professional Golf Championships and Sanctioned Events on the calendar will also qualify to compete.

Already confirmed to play from this category are 2015 Kempinski “The Dome” Pro-Am winner, Liam Bond (PGA of Great Britain & Ireland), along with 2015 Golfbreaks.com Pinehurst Pro-Am winner, Simon Edwards (PGA of Great Britain & Ireland).

Also returning again after Top-10 finishes in 2014 are Laurent Poncelet (PGA of France), Paul Archbold (PGA of Germany) and Zeke Martinez (PGA of Italy).

PGA Professionals can contact their PGA to find out more on qualifying for the Championship.

2015 UniCredit PGA Professional Championship of Europe Qualifying Events

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For more information on the 2014 UniCredit PGA Professional Championship of Europe visit the Tournament Hub Page, follow @PGAsofEurope and search #PassportToPravets on Twitter, or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

IGD have been the distributor for SNAG EMEA for the past 6 years, working with several partners worldwide to grow the SNAG products and programme in excess of 30 countries. SNAG is often a major feature at tour events, exhibitions, parks, school programmes, corporate events, tournaments and charity fun days. This expansion has contributed to the Starting New At Golf global presence and will continue to thrive over the coming years.

Many achievements were succeeded amidst the IGD and SNAG partnership; the last year provided an ultimate year for golf and its focus on junior development. The SNAG influence culminated through South Africa pushing forward with PGA’s to increase participation levels, Russia introducing SNAG into the national school curriculum, alongside Israel becoming engaged with SNAG in most major areas to help it build an identity in the Middle East.

Christian Piott, of Golf Sport Agentur stated:

‘I have been involved with SNAG for several years and have witnessed a lot of its successes, the GSA team are committed to working hard and growing quickly with the great foundations of learning that have been put into place. Our benchmark partnership with the German Golf Federation will help us to achieve our aim of making SNAG the first point of entry for golf development worldwide, a perfect case study to develop with the PGA’s of Europe continuing our corporate Partnership.’

International Golf Development is in the process of refining its business propositions, as part of this IGD will help to oversee the management of GSA’s partnership with SNAG over the next 5 years. International Golf Development is thrilled to mark the legacy of SNAG EMEA’s progression by passing the baton across to Christian and the Golf Sport Agentur team.

IGD Director, Guy Higton stated:

‘I’d like to give a massive thank you to all of the distributors, suppliers, coaches, volunteers and beginners that believed in making the SNAG vision a reality. If it wasn’t for those that stuck by us the SNAG movement would be a mere shadow of what it is today, we are incredibly proud of what we have achieved and believe this is a perfect opportunity for GSA to build on the SNAG legacy in preparation for golf becoming part of the Olympic agenda in 2016.’

International Golf Development and i-KAN GC continue to work hard to refine its business activities, realigning its industry interests and developing new concepts in preparation for 2016. We wish Christian and his team the best of luck in the future.

For More Information on SNAG Golf Visit www.SNAG.golf

For more information on the 2015 Coaches Circle Visit the Event Hub Page: http://eur.pe/2015CoachesCircle

PGA of Austria President, Manfred Krainz, along with Vice President, Florian Haempel, and General Secretary, Sönke Niklas, joined Confederation of Professional Golf representatives for the single day visit to discuss a variety of subject matter.

During discussions, the PGA of Austria’s operations, membership and education processes were detailed with a view to increasing the knowledge and understanding of how they operate and also areas in which the Confederation of Professional Golf can focus on and assist with further.

“The main reason [for the visit] is to see and learn,” explained Krainz.  “We wanted to see all of the history where the game of golf has been based and comes from and to take as many ideas as we can to carry home to improve golf in our country.

“The main point was to improve the relationship between the PGA of Austria and the Confederation of Professional Golf.  As always we had very supportive and very positive talks with Ian [Randell] with new ideas put in and new support that we can carry home.  I think the strength of the relationship and the improved conversation between us is the main thing we will take home with us.”

The series of tournaments form the largest event schedule in what is now the Association’s 25-year long history.

For more information on any of the events click the relevant links. For tournament enquiries please contact Confederation of Professional Golf Event Administrator, Jo-Jo Hamer Philip at jjhp@CPG.com.