Kids get into the swing of things at Hoebridge

8 November 2009

Children from St Bedes CofE school have been learning to play like Tiger thanks to Hoebridge Golf Centre

Over six weeks the public-pay-and-play facility’s Hoebridge in the Community team has been delivering its free Tri-Golf Schools Programme, with the year six pupils at the school in Send.

Tri-Golf is an English Golf Union programme where children use colourful plastic clubs, oversized balls and various targets to learn about the game of golf.

More than 60 children from St Bedes have been given the opportunity to learn about golf with Hoebridge Golf Centre’s expert PGA professionals Michael Pack, Dylan Bawden and Laurence Pawley conducting the sessions.

The six-week course was made up of five sessions at the school, with the final one being held at Hoebridge, allowing the children to experience a real golf course on the centre’s Maybury Course, a short par-3 course, ideal for beginners and young children.

Mike O’Connell, Hoebridge Golf Centre general manager, said: “It has been a fantastic six-weeks for the children who have been brilliant. The team at Hoebridge put on some fantastic lessons and it’s amazing to see so many young children getting involved in golf.”

Hoebridge was recently awarded GolfMark accreditation, a national scheme that identifies and recognises junior and beginner-friendly golf facilities, with centres being assessed on three key areas – coaching and playing, club environment and child protection and duty of care.

The centre has also been working closely with the Surrey School Sport Partnership to develop their relationship with local primary schools to ensure more young people have the opportunity to take part in the sport. The programme is currently being offered to primary schools in and around the Woking and Guildford areas.