An English Golf coaching grant available to golf clubs helped to develop more than 41,000 new and improving players last year.

The 2009 ‘Club Coaching Grant’, organised by the English Golf Union (EGU) and English Women’s Golf Association (EWGA), funded coaching of both adults and juniors at 519 golf clubs throughout England.

Golf clubs awarded GolfMark could access an £800 grant through the initiative while other golf clubs affiliated to the EGU and EWGA could apply for a £400 grant.

GolfMark is a national scheme which identifies and recognises junior and beginner-friendly golf facilities. Any golf club awarded GolfMark is also recognised by Sport England as a Clubmark facility, a national standard identifying quality sports clubs across the country.

Funding of £287,600 was distributed last year through the Club Coaching Grant initiative. A total of 319 golf clubs received the £400 grant and coached 18,289 participants; an average of 62 players per venue, while 200 golf clubs received the £800 grant and coached 22,939 participants; an average of 115 players per venue.

EGU and EWGA Golf Development Manager, Richard Flint, said: “Through the Club Coaching Grant scheme we are helping golf clubs to improve their provision for new golfers and players. Following the restructuring of this initiative in 2009, it is encouraging to see that there has been an increase of over 11,000 participants who have received some form of coaching activity and who will hopefully continue their involvement in golf.

“We are particularly encouraged by the high numbers of beginners who have been coached at each participating club. All of these clubs should be commended for their efforts in 2009 and we want to build on the positive momentum this year and beyond.”

For 2010, the grant funding will be focused on GolfMark clubs, which have made a strong commitment to developing beginners’ golf. The Club Coaching Grant scheme offers the potential to further increase the numbers of new golfers in a variety of ways, from club taster sessions, group coaching in the local community and activities to support continued participation.

In terms of coaching in 2009, out of the 519 clubs involved:

* 200 golf clubs ran taster sessions for adults (39%), and 319 clubs ran taster sessions for adults and juniors (61%)
* 400 clubs ran taster sessions for juniors and regular coaching for junior members (77%)
* 92 golf clubs ran activities for adults and juniors to continue their participation in golf (18%)
* 52 golf clubs ran sessions outside of the club for juniors and adults (10%)
* 92 clubs ran additional sessions for priority groups (18%).

The Club Coaching Grant was introduced in 2009, after the EGU and EWGA combined the previous Junior Club Coaching Grant and Free Golf Coaching Grant schemes, with a focus on supporting recruitment and retention activities.

Club representatives from GolfMark facilities who would like to find out more about the 2010 Club Coaching Grant should go to www.englishgolfunion.org/coachinggrant.

The Club Coaching Grant is an initiative jointly provided by the EGU and EWGA via England Golf’s ‘Whole Sport Plan’ for golf and is an integral part of England Golf’s vision to ‘Grow the Game’.