Under strict guidance from medical experts, the global scientific community and the World Health Organisation [WHO], national and international authorities have implemented, or are currently implementing, a range of measures such as social-distancing to delay and reduce the spread of the virus and ultimately, save lives.

As a collective, the Member Country PGAs of the Confederation of Professional Golf [CPG] are united in supporting and strictly adhering to the various stages of respective government policies around COVID-19, through the practice of their own policy – Stay Safe, Stay Learning [#StaySafeStayLearning].

Alongside the ongoing collaborative work with various stakeholders in the game to share info and engage with governments, a set of guidelines agreed by the collective has been produced, providing Member Country PGAs with appropriate information and support to deal with the ongoing implications of the crisis on their organisations, and in turn provide their own PGA Members with consistent and clear advice.

#StaySafeStayLearning aims to encourage the continuous Development of golf, Professional golf and the game in general, whilst also being strictly in-line with the various measures that are in place.  With many PGA Members across the collective 31 Member Country PGAs of the CPG unable to work in their normal way, #StaySafeStayLearning promotes a message of proactivity and positivity to develop themselves and their businesses whilst always adhering to their required national guidelines.

The Collective also recognises that whilst the current set of circumstances go far beyond the importance of golf, that proactive steps must be taken to be prepared and promote the sport’s return under safe conditions at the appropriate time. Therefore, the guidelines also ensure a continued safe practice is followed across the Professional golf community and by golf clubs and golf facilities, to enable an appropriate reengagement of the sport and in turn, encourage the many physical and mental health benefits of golf that enrich so many.

The CPG, its Member Country PGAs and their Member Professionals, officials and staff are extremely grateful to and thank the many key workers, medical staff, officials, etc. that are working tirelessly to support us all in the most challenging time of a generation. In continuation of this recognition and support, the CPG and our Members will be implementing initiatives to recognise this as soon as it becomes possible to do so.

As part of its long-term education strategy and in response to the current challenging climate PGAs and their Members are facing, the Confederation of Professional Golf [CPG] have announced a new series of free online Masterclass webinars.

The ‘CPG Masterclass Series’ includes a range of online talks and presentations that cover a variety of subjects and topics, delivered by world-class, industry leading experts from their respective fields.

CPG Chief Executive, Ian Randell, commented: “Like most organisations and individuals, PGAs and PGA Members are being affected in a number of ways by the COVID-19 virus. Whilst policies and guidelines differ across our member countries, we are taking a number of steps and introducing new initiatives to emphasise Togetherness and the sharing of knowledge and information, at a time when being part of a community is more important than ever.

“The CPG Masterclass Series is just one of these steps and we will contain to work with the leaders from across our Member PGAs to roll out others over the coming weeks and months – Stay Safe, Stay Learning”.

Through this increased sharing of knowledge and thought-provoking content, the Masterclass Series embodies the CPG’s guiding principles of Togetherness, Collaboration and Development, and aims to provide both new and supplementary golf education resources for the benefit of CPG Member Country PGAs and PGA Professionals alike.

The initial schedule of speakers includes a focus on the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic on golf with Dr Andrew Murray and Dr Roger Hawkes, Project Leaders for the Golf & Health initiative, communication science and its relation to golf coaching with Marie Jeffery, Marketing and student relationship for golf instructors with Jose Vicente Perez, structuring practice and lessons with Adam Young, social media for PGA Professionals with Emma Ballard, along with a variety of other content already scheduled.

Regular announcements of upcoming webinars will be released in due course, with an aim to provide frequent, accessible sessions to enable as many PGA representatives and PGA Professionals to attend.

Further details on the series including the full schedule, speaker line-up, and webinar access details can be found online at cp.golf/masterclass.

If you would like to take part and deliver a webinar then please contact tb@cpg.golf or use the form available on the Masterclass hub page.

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Created by a panel of experts in junior golf and golf development, countries around the world will be able to apply for and run the programme tailored to their circumstances.

It is a book, a workshop resource, and an educational programme. It is an attempt to challenge the status quo within golf coaching and the game of golf, and to arrest declining membership and participation numbers across the globe.

Parents in Golf is a response to this worrying trend, through focusing on parents and their children – together forming a crucial interest group for golf.

The programme aims to explain and guide the relationship between the coach, the parent and the child through the game of golf. For the parent, the resources will help them better understand their children and the various ways that golf can aid both their personal development.

Parents in Golf wants to help the golf club and Club Professionals to become leaders in making golf a true “game for all” and enable them to actively promote golf to interested parties, rather than wait for customers to arrive at their doorsteps.

The programme will help in shaping an appropriate welcome, with the necessary skills to ensure that we are increasing our numbers of participants and developing the game. The aim is not just to develop the next star, but to develop the next golfer.

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Parents in Golf was created by a team of: Marie Jeffery (Austria), Justin Walsh (Germany), led by David Kearney (Ireland). It is launching very soon, at an online conference with the Heads of Training of all Member Country PGAs.

For more information on Parents in Golf please contact Martin Westphal (mw@cpg.golf) and Wojciech Waśniewski (ww@cpg.golf).