Maybe you’ll be surprised, but based on the numbers from a Player’s First survey, the primary reason why people would take more lessons is that their PGA professional is pedagogical and contributes to a positive environment in the club.

Mats Bjørkman, responsible for PGA education in Denmark:

“Carol Dweck describes the fixed and growth mindset, she proves that if you have a fixed mindset, you will tend to be afraid of failing, avoid challenges where you are not guaranteed success, and in particular, you obsess over not looking stupid. A person with that mindset does not book a lot of lessons, and if he/she does, the experience could easily be a fiasco.

“As a PGA Professional, it is a good idea to focus on using a growth mindset. Of course, you’re already doing it on behalf of your students. But it is a good idea to educate, describe and explain to your customers the difference between the two mindsets. If you are a good role model for your customers and colleagues, you are becoming a person that people would like to spend time with. A person’s mindset can be quite stable, but they are only built on beliefs, and they can be transformed through awareness and focusing on the right things.

“Like the research, my experience has repeatedly shown that a growth mindset promotes a healthier attitude towards training and learning. If you preach a growth mindset, your clients will become more open towards feedback and develop a better ability to handle difficult challenges. Last but not least – they will achieve significantly better results over time! And as we know from Players First the third most important reason for the player taking lessons is that they experience improvements in their game!”

Source: Players first; Carol Dweck: Development Psychologist and author of the book, “Mindset.”

As the first ever Golf and Health Week takes place from 15-19 April, EDGA is to show its support of golfers with disability through a unique and fun ‘pledge and PLAY’ day, completing some 2019 golf holes in 24 hours. 

Golf and Health Week is a collaborative campaign, coordinated by The R&A, which will run across digital and social media channels using the hashtag #GolfHealthWeek and include content focused on highlighting the physical and mental health benefits of playing golf and projects being delivered by golf bodies and clubs.

EDGA, a supporter of #GolfHealthWeek, is an international not-for-profit organisation whose mission is to help people with impairment to play, succeed and enjoy golf. The 17th of April is dedicated to golf for those withdisability and EDGA is backing the campaign to raise awareness of golf being a viable sporting option for all.

A new EDGA driven ‘pledge and PLAY’ initiative is aiming for players, staff, officials, coaches, volunteers, and friends of EDGA, anywhere in the world, to play a grand total of ‘2019 holes’ on the 17th of April. Look out for #EDGAPledgePlay, before, during and after the 17th April, on social media.

There is no cost to get involved in ‘pledge and PLAY’, simply visit www.edgagolf.com/pledgeplay, pledge the number of holes that you intend to play, log your details, your name, the course you are going to play, the people you intend to play with, and if possible the starting time.

On the 17th, all EDGA asks is that you enjoy your game, confirm the number of holes you played and send a photo/video of you and your partners as you play the course. If you like you can send a few words about your day (you will have the option to upload a photo, video or short story to the EDGA website). EDGA will have a live ‘Hole Counter’ on the day and as holes are confirmed they will be added to the running total.

Tony Bennett, President of EDGA, said: “We at EDGA are delighted to be supporting Golf and Health Week. This dedicated campaign to raise awareness of the health benefits of golf is a wonderful opportunity for golf to send a strong message that golf is good for you. We hope all friends of EDGA will support our pledge and PLAY efforts to play 2019 holes together on the 17th of April, the day when we are marking the importance of the sport for existing and brand new golfers with a disability. Please help us to achieve our goal of 2019 holes – your support is crucial!”

Focusing primarily on Great Britain and Ireland, Golf and Health Week will be co-ordinated by The R&A with the support of – along with EDGA – the European Tour, the Ladies European Tour, The Professional Golfers’ Association and the Golf Foundation, as well as national associations including England Golf, Scottish Golf, Wales Golf, the Golfing Union of Ireland and the Irish Ladies Golf Union. A number of other organisations have also expressed interest in supporting the week.

For those who wish to support pledge and PLAY (which is totally free) please visit www.edgagolf.com/pledgeplay now!

You can find #EDGAPledgePlay and meet the EDGA community across our social media platforms: Facebook: @EuropeanDisabledGolfAssociation, Twitter: @edgagolf, Instagram: @edga_golf

When we meet new clients, we usually go in with one opinion formed from what we know at that point, which is usually based on touchpoints such as their website or some marketing collateral we’ve seen. But once we meet the people behind that business, that opinion always changes – and usually for the better. This makes us want to work with them and we end up building up wonderful relationships with people. Through our Brand thinking™ process we get to know more of the people behind the organisation, from the top to the bottom. We learn about what they love about the company, what frustrates them and how they live the brand on a day-to-day basis.

The more we do this the more we see the real value in making sure the people in your company live, breathe and are the brand. From the moment your customers speak to one of your staff members on the phone they are forming an opinion of the brand and building an emotional feeling towards your business. Making sure your staff are on the same page as the brand will make this process a lot smoother.

However, it can be dangerous to impose a brand ethos on your team, especially if it’s not who they are or not what they believe in. The comments from them to your clients excusing the colour palette or strapline will soon creep in and undermine everything you’ve worked so hard to build.

That’s why it’s essential to build your brand around the kind of people who work for it and the kind of customers you want to attract. It’s easier for smaller businesses that have a small team, which is why we see so many of them winning when it comes to genuine brand and social content. But all businesses can follow some simple guidelines to ensure their brand works from within:

Listen

First you really need to listen to your team and find out what makes them tick. Finding out what they’re proud of in the company and what they’re not so proud of is really important to finding a brand that will work for them. Maybe there are some brands that they really admire or aspire to.

Build a story

Your brand needs a story. This doesn’t have to be like a kids’ book, it’s important to have a clear message and ethos that everyone can believe in and get behind. It needs to be genuine so that people will believe in it.

Champion heroes

Use the wealth of knowledge and personality from within the team to create brand heroes. All of your content doesn’t have to be authored by the CEO, it can be from other members of staff throughout the workplace hierarchy. Using your internal experts to show your expertise will not only empower your team, but it will make you look like a clever bunch. A website blog is a great place to do this.

The power of attraction

Showing what kind of people and company you are helps the business to grow in the right direction, with the right people. Communicating the kind of internal culture you have can show prospective employees and clients what it would be like to work with you. This may be a turn-off to some people, but they’re not your target market. You need be genuine though, otherwise people may be disappointed.

The big reveal

A big brand reveal is a great way to excite and enthuse your team. Communicating the outcomes of everyone’s efforts to the team you can give a big injection of inspiration. Showing how it will help them and how it represents them will win them over. Using fun visual aspects of the brand internally can keep the inspiration going.

Know the limits

You need to know when to push back. It’s great to get the whole team involved in the process, but you must not lose focus of what the business is and who its target market is. Some decisions need to be decisive and not by committee.

FIVE KEY POINTS

1. Our brains are built to learn the best when we’re operating at the edge of our abilities, outside of our comfort zones, and when we make a lot of mistakes.
2. Understanding that we can improve our abilities (having a growth mindset) is the key to learning. The most successful people in the world have this all figured out. They’re master learners, or as we like to call them – “Butt Kickers.”
3. Most of us struggle with learning because of our fear of failure, looking bad, and resistance to change. This mostly comes from a part of the brain called the amygdala aka “The Lizard Brain.” The Lizard Brain acts as an internal force driving us to have a fixed mindset.
4. The Lizard Brain is the brain of a wild animal. It’s hardwired to seek safety, avoid risks, and to fit in. This protected us back in caveman times, but now it keeps us from learning as much as we could.
5. As much as we would like to, we can’t kill the Lizard Brain. However, we can learn to dance with it and use it as a compass to show us we’re on the right path.

SPECIAL THANKS

We would like to give a HUGE shout out to Seth Godin for helping us out with the interview. He’s been one of our biggest inspirations through all of this and it was an absolute honor to speak with him. Thanks Seth!

Also, he just published one of the most unique and inspiring books I’ve ever read. Grab a couple of copies of Your Turn HERE – You’ll absolutely love it!

FREE POSTER

Screenshot it, download it, copy and paste it – it’s yours! Use it as a reminder of how learning really works. Feel free to post on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter!

Having carded three 38-point rounds and a 34-point round over the past four days at Lake View Resort & Golf Club, Springfield Royal Country Club and Banyan Golf Club, the German’s final round at Black Mountain Golf Club was the best of the week with a four-under par 40 points, totalling 188 points (-8).

“I have had a fantastic time here, I played some really good golf and surprised and impressed myself at some points,” said Günther. “Thailand itself has been a highlight, I love being in Asia, growing up here and now coming back after many years then it almost feels a little bit like coming home when I step foot on Asian soil.

“I think the team have indulged in the culinary delights that Thailand has had to offer heading out to the markets a couple of times. It has been an experience being out here and I am quite sure that my amateurs enjoyed it and hopefully they’ll want to come back as well.”

10-shots back in second place is the PGA of Australia’s Craig Stickling, whose closing round of 35 points (+1) was just enough to stave off the PGA of Greece’s Henrik Engdahl by a single point. Stickling’s two-over total of 178 pts secured sole second place, with Engdahl’s 177 total good enough for sole third.

In the Team Pro-Am event Engdahl’s steady closing round individual score of 36 pts gave his team of Sven Behnsen, Heiko Schulze and Veronika Drews-Schulze enough of a boost to get them to the top of the final leaderboard on 376 pts (-52).

Team Mont Choisy Le Golf, led by PGA of South Africa Professional, Andy Bean, and Team Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club Resort, led by Stickling, both finished on 368 pts (-44), but it was Mont Choisy Le Golf who took second place on countback.

For Full Final Scores Visit http://eur.pe/2019WCPA

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For more information visit the Tournament Hub Page or visit www.worldclubproam.com, follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the hashtag ‘#WorldClubProAm’ or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

Following four rounds of steady golf, including today’s two-under par 38 points, Günther enters his fifth and final round with 148 stableford points (-4). Five points behind is the PGA of Australia’s Craig Stickling with a fourth round 35 points for a 143-point total (+1).

Stickling then sits seven points ahead of two-time World Club Pro-Am Champion, Henrik Engdahl (PGA of Greece), who carded a fourth round 35 points for a 141-point total (+3).

Having played 72 holes with their team of amateurs over Lake View Resort & Golf Club, Springfield Royal Country Club, Banyan Golf Club and Black Mountain Golf Club, the Professionals will play a final round amongst themselves on Black Mountain, with their final round individual points tally being added on to their team’s score to give an overall total.

As it stands, Team Centurion Country Club [pictured above], led by Jannes Sik (PGA of South Africa) with amateurs Elefterios Piagalis, Avgerinos Piagalis and Phillippus Cornelius Diedericks, are leading in the team Pro-Am category with 342 stableford points for the four rounds (-54).

Two points behind are Engdahl’s team from Crete Golf Club with amateurs Sven Behnsen, Heiko Schulze and Veronika Drews-Schulze on 340 points (-52). In third place, Team Mont Choisy Le Golf, made up of Andy Bean (PGA of South Africa), Louis Philippe D. de Speville, Benoit Lagesse and Michael Wylie, have 334 points (-46).

For Full Round 04 Scores Visit http://eur.pe/2019WCPA

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For more information visit the Tournament Hub Page or visit www.worldclubproam.com, follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the hashtag ‘#WorldClubProAm’ or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

After the first two rounds on Lake View Resort & Golf Club and Springfield Royal Country Club, Round 03 saw the field split between and Black Mountain Golf Club and Banyan Golf Club, where professionals and amateurs alike enjoyed the warm weather and championship golf courses of Hua Hin, Thailand.

Günther entered his third round one shot ahead of the pack, but despite a slight two-over stumble in round two, he managed to remain consistent producing a fine two-under par (38pts) on Banyan Golf Club.

“I think this was the most demanding course today,” said the German. “The conditions were tough, we played of the black tees which is where the course shows its teeth, so I am really pleased. I was one over after nine but stayed solid coming in and holed a nice putt on the last for birdie which helped.”

PGA of Australia Member, Craig Stickling, made a move with a third round of two-under par on Black Mountain taking him into second place, two points behind the leader (108 pts). Whilst in third place, only four points off the top of the leaderboard (106 pts), the PGA of Greece’s Henrik Engdahl is seeking his third win at the World Club Pro-Am.

In the team category, Centurion Country Club, led by PGA of South Africa Professional, Jannes Sik, with Eleferios Piagalis, Avgrinos Piagalis and Phillippus Cornelius Diedericks, produced their best round so far in round three with 87 points (-15), which keeps them on top of the leaderboard with 257 points in total (-41), four points ahead of Team Crete Golf Club, led by Engdahl who is captaining Sven Behnsen, Heiko Schulze and Veronika Drews-Schulze.

For Full Round 03 Scores Visit http://eur.pe/2019WCPA

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For more information visit the Tournament Hub Page or visit www.worldclubproam.com, follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the hashtag ‘#WorldClubProAm’ or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

Following an opening round of 38 stableford points (-2) on Lake View Resort & Golf Club, the German remained steady, and despite producing a second round of 34 points (+2) on the Jack Nicklaus-designed Springfield Royal Country Club, he will be entering his third round with a one-point lead at even par (72 pts).

“The condition of today’s course was really good,” said Günther. “It’s a beautiful layout, matured and nicely tree-lined, a lot of nature involved so is a beautiful setting.

“I am looking forward to tomorrow’s round, it will be a completely different golf course to what we’ve played so far (Banyan Golf Club), so I’ll take it shot-by-shot and see what comes out at the end.”

In second place, only one point behind, are two-time World Club Pro-Am Champion, Henrik Engdahl (PGA of Greece), and 2016 World Club Pro-Am Champion, Julien Gressier (PGA of France), who each find themselves at one-over par (71 pts) for the tournament.

In the team category, Team Centurion Country Club, led by Jannes Sik (PGA of South Africa), have climbed the leaderboard from second to first place with a Round 02 score of 86 points and a total of 170 (-26). The team’s amateurs include Elefterios Piagalis, Avgerinos Piagalis and Phillippus Cornelius Diederick.

Second place sits with Team Crete Golf Club, led by Henrik Engdahl, with a total of 168 points (-24), whilst in third place Team Dalat Palace Golf Club, led by Jaques Du Toit (PGA of South Africa), have 167 points (-23).

For Full Round 02 Scores Visit http://eur.pe/2019WCPA

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For more information visit the Tournament Hub Page or visit www.worldclubproam.com, follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the hashtag ‘#WorldClubProAm’ or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

The opening round of the Pro-Am saw 17 professionals battle Lake View Resort & Golf Club, the first of four courses that will be played in this year’s event in Thailand.

Playing a stableford format, the professionals will play 90-holes of competitive golf over Lake View Resort & Golf Club, Springfield Royal Country Club, Banyan Golf Club and Black Mountain Golf Club, for a total prize fund in excess of $81,000, with first place taking a check for $19,020.

“I am very happy with my round, I hadn’t had a scorecard in my hand for five months so it feels really weird to go on a golf course without having played in a tournament or competition for a while so I was really pleased,” said Günther following his round.

“I think Hua Hin is a great tourist destination, especially for golfers. The courses are all really unique and definitely a worth coming out to play”.

In second place, and only two points behind the leader (even par), two-time winner, Henrik Engdahl (PGA of Greece), will try to get his World Club Pro-Am title back, whilst in tied third, Julien Gressier (PGA of France), Richard Coombes (PGA of New Zealand) and Craig Stickling (PGA of Australia) all finished their opening round with 35 points (+1).

In the team category, Team Warragul Country Club [pictured above], led by the PGA of Australia’s Heath Jones, along with amateurs, Leigh Herbel, Leigh Greening and Wayne Farnham, completed their opening round with 88 stableford points (-16).  Team Centurion Country Club led by PGA of South Africa Member, Jannes Sik, along with amateurs, Elefterios Piagalis, Avgerinos Piagalis and Phillippus Cornelius Diedericks, sit in second place with 84 stableford points (-12).

After an opening round full of excitement, which also included a hole-in-one on hole 14 by Team Dalat Palace Golf Club’s amateur Trong Thang Nguyen, the teams will move to Springfield Golf Club for their second round tomorrow.

For Full Round 01 Scores Visit http://eur.pe/2019WCPA

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For more information visit the Tournament Hub Page or visit www.worldclubproam.com, follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the hashtag ‘#WorldClubProAm’ or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

Listen to the full interview and subscribe to more episodes from the Confederation of Professional Golf A.S.K. Podcast on Soundcloud or Apple Podcasts.

Both were really good junior players who I was seeing for the first time– the objective of each session was to assess current skill level so we could begin to map a path towards improvement.  Student A had received little previous short game instruction, but self-reported relatively good results around the green.  As I assessed his motion, it was clear that there were some serious technical deficiencies.  His motion was far from the idealized model of short game performance that I can’t help but have in my mind as I assess a player for the first time.  But as we went through a skills assessment, his proficiency shocked me.  He knew which types of shots to hit– when to bump it, when to use some loft, and  how to modify his ‘sub-optimal’ technique for various lies.  Not much in the style department, but skill in spades.

Student B was the complete opposite.  As I assessed his motion to an open space; the motion looked flawless, exhibiting nearly everything I like to see in a finesse wedge motion.  Honestly, had he not reported poor performance around the greens, I might have just checked the box and moved on to a different skill.  But as I had him perform the skill in context, the reasons for his struggles became very clear.  He hit the same shot for every situation that I gave him.  That one stock shot was really good, but the shots he encountered required adjustments that he was unable to make them, or worse, oblivious to the need to make them.

To us, this experience is yet another reminder of the multi-dimensional nature of skill development.  It’s a complicated process with a lot of moving parts that require more than just technique.  And in this case, it prompted us to explore the importance of including decision-making training in our coaching sessions.

High performers understand the subtle nuances of the game – they posses an innate ability to process a given situation and make decisions that improve their odds of a lower score while reducing their odds of a higher one.  In other words, they have greater tactical intelligence.

Fortunately for us, there are plenty of resources to help us improve this aspect of our coaching.  From a ‘what to develop’ standpoint, the information available from various sources regarding the statistical analysis of golf are a huge asset in creating understanding regarding some key strategic fundamentals.  We can also turn to pedagogical systems, such as Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) and Decision Training to help us provide an environment that not only develops technical skill, but also cognitive processing skills and decision-making capacities that lead to improved on-course performance.

Our next few posts will be dedicated to the idea of ‘Coaching Tactics’.  This week, we will highlight a number of benefits of decision-making training and in our next post we will provide some practical applications– a number of specific tasks that we use in our coaching to develop higher tactical intelligence.  But for now, lets continue to look at a few more of the compelling reasons to sharpen this often neglected tool in our coaching toolbox.

ALL HAT, NO CATTLE

Sorry for the Texas aphorism, but Student B from my story is a great example of a player who is, at least around the greens, all hat and no cattle.  He certainly looks the part and would have appeared to be a solid scrambler based on the technical proficiency of his finesse wedge stroke– but in actuality, it was all style and not enough substance.  We see this a lot– players (and coaches) who are so taken by the technical aspects of skill that they ignore the aspects that allow them to transfer that skill to the dynamic environment of the course.

To fully develop his ability, tactical development will be imperative.  Golf demands that a player be able to perceive their environment and react appropriately.  Without a better understanding of a the nuances of short game performance, his scores would most certainly stagnate.  So the next step would be to diversify that skill set and identify the various environmental cues that trigger more appropriate solutions.

A RISING TIDE LIFTS ALL BOATS

While our physical skills are often subject to frequent lapses in performance, solid decision-making is one of the few skills largely within the player’s control.  So when we integrate tactical training in our coaching, it represents this low-hanging fruit that is not only easier to develop, but a reliable tool to elevate performance, even when the physical skills may be ‘off’.  Especially for newer players, building these cognitive abilities early on can yield lower scores sooner and accelerate their performance and enjoyment in golf.  We see this often on Tour as players perform at a high level despite reporting that they were operating without their A-game.  So even as a player struggles with developing more functional technique, the boat can remain afloat by utilizing exceptional decisions making processes.

TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE

When we are working on decision-making, we are required to do so in an environment that integrates skills in context.  So in the case of our example with Player B, I need to present him with course-like situations that will require modifications to his already solid base motion.  That way he can begin to gain a better understanding for what to pay attention to in the environment and how to make more optimal decisions.  As a natural by-product of these exercises, he will start to develop slight modifications to that already effective base motion.  Sometimes without ever really consciously noticing it, as he starts to self-source more effective solutions to the variety of obstacles presented within a more dynamic learning environment, a more versatile technique can emerge.  So we shoot two birds with one stone– improved decision-making along with a more flexible technique.

SEPARATE FROM THE PACK

In a contest of otherwise technical equals, adaptability and innovation will prevail. – Dr. Ray Brown

For competitive players, this is likely the most compelling argument for developing greater tactical intelligence.  To reach a certain level of performance in golf, a requisite level of technique exists– and one of the few aspects  that can separate a player at this level is their ability to make better strategic decisions and adapt their skills to the ever-changing conditions that they encounter in competition.  Likewise, this is where an otherwise technically deficient player can make up ground on the pack.  These ‘over-achievers’ are often praised for their hard work and grit, but without superior tactical intelligence, they would too often be overmatched by their technical superiors.

This is an area of coaching that we looking forward to digging more into in the coming weeks.  In the next post, we will provide more practical insights for how to include tactical training in the coaching process.  Along with a decision-making model, we will share a number of tasks that integrate decision-making to improve this aspect of our player’s performance.

– COREY LUNDBERG & MATT WILSON

Illustration by Tamer Koseli for Golf Digest

Expert Interviews

For this V-Essay we interviewed two incredible coaches:

John Kessel

Director of Sport Development for USA Volleyball.

He’s one of the smartest cats around and an expert in motor learning.

Tom Black

Head Volleyball Coach at Loyola Marymount University • Assistant for Coach USA Volleyball

We were having a discussion with Tom about mindset and he dropped some key insights dealing with the whole block v random argument. Tom is the man.

Shortcuts:

Kessel – (1:03-1:33), (2:44-3:27), (12:53-13:58)

Black – (9:40-10:51)

Research Studies

Summaries about a number of block v random practice research. Fancy animated graphs + explanations.

Shortcuts:

Block v random practice: effects on skill acquisition – (8:01-8:40)

Block v random practice: baseball study – (8:41-9:06)

Block v random practice: basketball study – (9:07-9:16)

Key Points

Game skills are complex

Every time you do a skill in a game, regardless of sport, you have to read, plan, and do. We call this process the “total skill.”

It’s all about transfer

Transfer is the word motor learning scientists use to describe real learning. When they study practice and how it impacts skill acquisition they always look at what the people can do the next day rather than the improvements they can see during the practice stage.

Transfer = How much of the improvements made in practice actually show up the next day or in the game.

Block Practice

A traditional approach to practice that involves getting a high number of reps repeating the exact same movement over and over and over again (hitting 10 putts from the same spot).

Random Practice

A practice approach that randomizes reps – you never do the exact same thing twice (hitting 10 putts from different spots on the green).

Random leads to wayyyyyy more transfer – why?

In all of the studies we see a huge difference between block and random practice during the transfer test (the one that measures real learning). This happens because during random practice (when we never do the same thing twice) we are forced to read, plan, and do before every single rep.

During block practice we simply repeat the previous movement and the reading and planning are eliminated from the equation.

Block is easier to do, obviously, and will make us look better in practice. However, if we want to prepare to perform in an actual game, random is the better option.

1. More Customers

The European Golf Course Owners Association (EGCOA) undertook a project that examined the future of European Golf – Vision 20/20. The report suggested that the industry has been short-sighted by ignoring women. Women make up 50% of the population who are potential golfers (https://eur.pe/2I9IUuB).

Women now hold more than 50% of managerial positions and account for over 50% of college graduates. Women are financially independent and will spend money playing golf if golf welcomes them.

2. The World is Changing and Golf Should Too

If golf wants to stay relevant, it needs to change with the times. Golf is more appealing to people, including millennials, when it is diverse.

This argument is made in Sweden’s Vision 50/50 project that aims to equalize the number of men and women playing golf (www.golf.se/klubb-och-anlaggning/vision-50-50). By creating a culture that is equitable and open, not exclusive, golf has a brighter future.

3. Funding

Sport is seen as a force for good that benefits society. Consequently, governments have an interest in sports. Funding of sports now focuses as much on diversifying participation as high performance. Therefore, if golf’s governing bodies want to receive government funding, they must increase female participation in the game.

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There is no question that golf needs women participants. What is less clear is whether women need golf. This topic will be addressed in the next issue. By understanding why golf needs women, and why women need golf, the industry can start breaking down barriers that have discouraged women from playing the game.

Following great success in the UK, where it has pledged its support to the R&A Women in Golf Charter, the programme has drawn significant interest from international coaches wishing to engage potential female golfers in their own countries, including Spain, Sweden and Germany.

For the programme’s first venture into Spain, love.golf Head Coach and Founder Alastair Spink, supported by fellow love.golf coach Jo Taylor, demonstrated the programme’s methodology to a group of Spanish coaches, led by Head of Training for the PGA of Spain, Jose Perez, at Centro Nacional de Golf in Madrid.

Coaches were educated on the love.golf concept, which focuses on learning through playing on the golf course, rather than technical lessons on a driving range, alongside the need for the coach to ‘step back’ at various times to allow female participants to benefit from the group dynamic that the programme creates.

Reflecting on the pilot, Alastair Spink commented, “It’s thrilling to see that the desire to bring more women into golf is something that transcends borders, and that there is a universality to our approach that professional coaches in other nations feel they can connect to.”

Jose Perez said: “Our coaches have been inspired from what they have seen of love.golf and see it as a great opportunity to engage new female golfers in Spain. They are looking forward to putting what they have learned in Madrid into practice at their respective venues around the country.”

With methods based upon industry-leading research by Syngenta and academic study by Alastair Spink, love.golf removes many of the perceived barriers for women entering the sport, creating an engaging and unintimidating introduction to golf.

The programme, which is supported by the Confederation of Professional Golf as a Golf Development Partner, has seen significantly improved retention rates and has gained wide recognition for successfully challenging traditional perceptions and rewriting the standard model of women’s coaching.

For more information about love.golf, visit love.golf

Launched last May in London, the Charter set out to inspire an industry-wide commitment to developing a more inclusive culture within golf globally. It is designed to encourage actions that enable more women and girls to flourish and maximise their potential within the golf industry at all levels.

Over 100 organisations have committed to the #WomenInGolfCharter since its launch last May🏌️‍♀️

Find out how you can help The R&A’s drive to increase the number of women and girls participating in our sport👉 https://t.co/v8fRCFZv4R ⛳️ pic.twitter.com/2l7E78yNhB

— The R&A (@RandA) February 13, 2019

To date, 107 organisations have given their commitment to the Charter, pledging to build on current initiatives and develop new projects to increase the number of women, girls and families playing golf and becoming members of clubs, as well as giving women wider opportunities to enjoy careers and volunteering in the sport.

These include national federations such as Golf Canada – which held its inaugural Women’s Leadership Summit last year linked to the staging of the CP Women’s Open – Golf Australia; New Zealand Golf; the Italian Golf Federation; England Golf; Scottish Golf; and Wales Golf.

Other organisations who have adopted the Charter include the PGA TOUR; the European Tour; the Ladies’ European Tour; the Professional Golfers’ Association; the Golf Foundation; the Confederation of Professional Golf; the European Disabled Golf Association; the ANNIKA Foundation; IMG; VisitScotland and the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Golf.

Mastercard, the official card of The Open, is also the first R&A Patron to sign up. Various other organisations offering their support include the Association of Golf Writers and GOLFNOW.

Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said, “We are encouraged by the number of organisations who have recognised the importance of the Charter for the sport and pledged their support.

“It is a positive start but we need an industry-wide commitment to the Charter and support for measures that will foster a more inclusive culture within the sport and enable women and girls to reach their full potential.”

While achieving the commitment of national federations and organisations was one of the first aims of the Charter, the process for clubs and regional bodies to sign up is also now gathering pace.

Conwy, which will stage the 2020 Curtis Cup in Wales, is the first golf club to sign up to the Charter.

Boldon, based in Tyne & Wear, is the first English club to sign, followed by commitments from Open venues Royal Portrush, St Andrews Links Trust and Carnoustie Golf Links.

Fulford, venue for the Girls Under 16 Amateur Championship, has also committed, along with The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, Blairgowrie, North Berwick and Royal Dornoch.

“Gaining the support of national associations and organisations was the first phase of our plan,” added Slumbers. “We have also worked closely with them to collectively agree a process to support individual clubs in adopting the Charter and gain real momentum.

“The national body is the point of contact and will directly liaise with clubs in determining commitments to the Charter should a club wish to become a signatory.

“We would like national associations, with the involvement of clubs, to set targets for participation and membership as we look to increase the number of women, girls and families playing the sport.”

Overview of Women and Girls developments in 2018

• In 2018, The R&A provided an initial three-year funding package of £375,000 to its affiliates in Australia, England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales to support the appointment of new development managers to work on increasing participation by women and girls
• The funding is part of The R&A’s plans to increase its overall investment in women’s, girls’ and mixed golf to £80 million over the next ten years, with the Charter underpinning this work
• In Ireland, junior girls’ membership was up nearly 1%, as was overall female membership – the first time the Irish Ladies’ Golf Union (ILGU) has seen an overall growth in membership since 2008. The Golfing Union of Ireland (GUI) and the ILGU recently agreed to form a new body, known as Golf Ireland
• Within England Golf, participation among women and girls increased from 15% to 17%, while the Girls Golf Rocks programme grew from 15 counties and 72 clubs in 2017 to 21 counties and 98 clubs for 2018
• Across Great Britain and Ireland, over 25,000 women and girls from over 1,100 clubs played in The R&A’s 2018 Coronation Foursomes
• In February 2018, Golf Australia’s plan to challenge female participation was launched – ‘Vision 2025: The future of women and girls in golf’
• New Zealand Golf has expanded investment into She Loves Golf – an initiative aimed at changing the perception of golf for women and inspiring participation
• Oman Golf launched a ‘Go Ladies’ beginner programme to illustrate the global appeal of the Charter in developing countries
• The British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association has launched a ‘Women in Turf Care’ programme to encourage more female greenkeepers
• The Professional Golfers’ Associations’ #WeLoveGolf campaign and TopGolf teamed up to drive women’s interest in trying out golf, with almost 100 women having the chance to hit their first golf ball in a fun and friendly environment
• Mastercard will partner with The R&A across various areas, including STEM Education to develop an evergreen golf version of their Girls4Tech proprietary curriculum that inspires girls to pursue careers in STEM
• Syngenta, one of the first organisations to sign up to the Charter, is taking actions centred around research, diversity and growing the game, particularly around boosting psychological well-being through golf
• A new and engaging golf campaign, aimed specifically at encouraging more women to travel to Scotland to play golf, was recently announced by VisitScotland. The #HerScotland campaign will be used to help raise awareness of The 2019 Solheim Cup
• On the European Tour, men and women competed side-by-side in 2018. The Trophée Hassan II and Lalla Meryem Cup were held simultaneously at the same venue in Morocco, while Georgia Hall, Charley Hull, Mel Reid, Carlota Ciganda and Catriona Matthew competed in the second edition of GolfSixes, the latter alongside Thomas Bjørn in a ‘Captains’ Team.’
• In addition, the men’s and women’s competitions ran side-by-side in the Vic Open in Australia last week. Furthermore, the European Tour is actively pursuing initiatives to enhance and promote diversity in their workforce.

Find out More @ RandA.org

Having celebrated its tenth anniversary last year with record numbers of teams, the event will again bring four-person teams together to play three of Europe’s best golf courses.

BlackSeaRama’s own Gary Player-designed course will be the base for the teams throughout the week, with rounds also taking place on another Gary Player course – Thracian Cliffs Golf & Spa Resort – and the Ian Woosnam-designed Lighthouse Golf & Spa Resort.

Professionals will compete for a prize fund of €30,000* in what has become one of the most significant and emblematic events in the BlackSeaRama Golf & Villas event calendar.

Last year’s Pro-Am was won by PGA of Israel Professional, Asaf Cohen, who bested the 32-team field for the first professional win of his career.

There is no Pro-Am package fee for each participating professional bringing a team of three amateurs, and amateur packages start at €990 (special rates available for BSR Members and Homeowners), and include:

• 5-nights accommodation
• Airport transfers Varna-BlackSeaRama, BlackSeaRama-Varna
• Lavish buffet breakfast every day
• Coffee, tea and limited Mini-bar in the villa
• 1 practice round @ BlackSeaRama
• 3 tournament rounds @ BlackSeaRama, Lighthouse and Thracian Cliffs (transfers included)
• 3 Halfway snacks
• Opening Cocktail Reception, 2 Thematic Dinners, and Gala Dinner evening
• Free use of Fitness Center, Infrared and Finnish Sauna, Jacuzzi, Billiard, Table Tennis, Pools, Steam Bath and Relax zone, Wi-Fi Internet
• Access to all functions and activities during the Pro-Am week

For More Information & To Enter Visit http://eur.pe/2019Blacksearama

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For more information visit the Tournament Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2019Blacksearama ) or proam.blacksearama.com, follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the hashtag ‘#BlackSeaRama’, or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

Find out more about theBlackSeaRama Golf & Villas by visiting www.blacksearama.com.