Junior Golf 2006 - 2007

JUNIOR GOLF 2006 - 2007

A report prepared by Terry Scott

PLUSES & MINUSES 2006

Overall a successful year, we now have well over 50 dedicated trainees attending our courses regularly. The passport Scheme has proved to be a winner with both children and parents alike

The bags and balls that were donated by the R&A have now arrived and are of fantastic quality and will be useful to the Cgf. for many years to come. The Cgf are very grateful for the support provided by the R&A without said support we would have great difficulty running a worthwhile junior program

At least 14 children are now ready to use the golf course with minimal supervision. In the Uk. These children would already be playing regularly because of the non-public nature of the golf club system.

On the downside, disappointingly there has been a slow uptake of the grant scheme, though the New Year did provide a flurry of interest.

LOOKING FORWARD

Throughout 2007 Paul Dyer and I will work towards as many children as possible using the golf course both casually and in organised competition, also to helping them gain formal handicaps. We intend to enter all interested children into the Episkopi Children's Open and we are working with Ray Taylor to achieve a high entry and supporter level. Mr Severis has indicated a willingness of the Cgf. to donate a prize/trophy to this open and Ray Taylor is thinking about the most suitable category for this award.

Mr. Stellios Patsilides of TSADA has agreed that a children's event can be held in the opening weeks of the new course and I am working on a mixed Man, Woman and Child format over 9 holes.

Episkopi are now running two childrens groups in conjuction with the Cgf and both Dekhalia and Limmasol have now shown interest in running children's groups & they will almost certainly ask the Federation for assistance. I am currently working with Limmasol towards a successful association. Dekhalia is still at a very early stage of discussions ( I have only had one meeting ).

A recently qualified professional has approached Paul Dyer for help in finding work, his name is George Kasparis and his first assignment is working with the Episkopi groups.

Akis Berdanis of Limmasol will shortly be starting his own academy on a local football ground. Akis has recently passed the short coaching course in Europe and is most keen to do well. We will need to help with both equipment and advertising to get him under way.

The Episkopi and Dekhalia golf clubs have both been offered the opportunity of grant aided funding to the laid down terms of the scheme with the added proviso that they must look into ways of allowing non-service children onto the bases to participate. Discussions with both clubs lead me to believe the most likely solution to this condition of funding will be to bus the children into the base although I am exploring more cost efficient options

It will be important for us to lay down a clear approach to this because all clubs will have to be treated the same including the TSADA group if the decision is to allow bussing into the bases. If as I suspect the military offer this solution we will have to weigh up the importance of extending our training net against the relative costs.

One of the things that has become crystal clear during 2006 is that, because of the lack of golfing heritage in Cyprus, the children who's parents do not play golf do not always see the importance of bringing them to the course between lessons to practice. Paul and I do not think this will change much when they progress in proficiency to being able to play on the course.

To this end Paul and I have been formulating a plan, the theory of which is very exciting. The broad idea is to advertise in Greek newspapers for FAMILIES to learn to play golf together. The parent pays for their own lessons and The Federation pays for the child's share on a similar scale to the existing scheme - 3 per lesson per child. Paul has done some initial costings and with the committees agreement we will move forward with a trial as soon as we have finalised the details

In conclusion, the groundwork that has been laid in 2006 should start to pay dividends in 2007. However we should be looking at ways of funding an enlarged program, perhaps through sponsorship by a children's/family product