If you’re a super-busy, under-fire teacher, but always looking for something new and engaging for your pupils, golf as a sport in PE may be something you are yet to get to grips with. You might need more convincing about the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of golf. Well, we are here to help you now!
The Golf Foundation has created a superb teachers’ introduction that can change your outlook towards delivering golf in just a few minutes of research; and to succeed you don’t need to have ever played golf before.
We can help with a safe, fun learning programme that you can pick up easily and deliver to your pupils with games and exercises to suit every ability. Your young pupils will find all these highly inclusive, and quick-to-achieve. The programme is excellent for learning early movement skills – and the big news is it will be brilliant for their confidence thanks to the life skill benefits that underpin every step of their start in golf!
Golf Skills and Skills for Life
The specially adapted equipment is made by our partners ‘Golfway’. It is big and bold, so that pupils achieve success straight away. Sessions are taught through a series of lively team games devised for all abilities. Life skills are taught through our games and encourage pupils to think how they can use these skills away from the playground in their wider lives. This creates a memorable and enjoyable school experience which, through the Golf Foundation’s national network, can finish with a visit to your SafeGolf accredited local golf club under expert supervision.
An individual challenge
Golf is a game that relies on integrity (you are your own referee) and respect for and co-operation with fellow players. It’s also a challenge for the individual – rather than simply being a result-based competition, as in ‘player against player’ or ‘team vs team’ – and we want to help you bring these benefits inside the school gates.
For 2022, the Golf Foundation charity has re-imagined golf for primary schools starting with some excellent training for teachers, detailed resources and guides and all fronted by the new Golfway equipment. Never have we been more proud of how easy and appealing we can make golf for teachers, and how much fun that translates to all the youngsters.
It is also a very safe format for any school setting, indoors and outside; teaching the responsibility to stand in the safe zone until it’s your turn to take a shot. (The golf balls are soft, the clubs are plastic.)
The ‘square of concentration’ is the space for focus, the ‘reflection zone’ is all about self-reflection (‘What went well?’ / ‘Even better if?’). These are key elements, as is encouragement for fellow players and even learning better breathing during the moments before big shots to help with emotional regulation!
The games and drills within Golfway create similar putts, chips and full shots to ‘real’ golf – while teachers can learn quickly how to pass on fundamentals like Grip, Aim, Stance and Posture (GASP) with confidence. It really is easy to learn these moves.
There are lots of exciting games, like Simon Says, Grand National, Go for the Green, Finders Keepers, and your school could also sign up to the Youth Sport Trust’s School Games which golf is part of in most counties.
Start your golf journey, your choice…
If you would prefer a teacher-led, more flexible approach – or a more structured programme – we have options for you.
Option 1 – Flexible Offer:
Competition: Access our FREE School Games Golf Toolkit HERE
Option 2 – Golf Foundation Primary School Programme:
This flagship programme is delivered over 6 lessons and has both golf skill outcomes and skills for life outcomes. Lessons 1-5 are ideally delivered by a local PGA Professional golf coach and a teacher and lesson 6 is delivered by a teacher. A certificate of achievement is available for any pupil who receives this programme.
In the above option, your school would need to have a link to a local PGA Professional golf coach.
Our team of seven Regional Development Officers (RDOs) are collaborating with SafeGolf accredited junior-friendly golf clubs in your region, introducing PGA Professional coaches to local schools. We are now actively encouraging these coaches to team up with schools and offer their expert support. They could be in your school delivering Golfway sessions with you and the children and then arrange sessions back at their golf club.
If you would like to express interest in delivering the Golf Foundation Primary School Programme, you can learn more and start the process HERE.
If you wish to approach a local golf club but are unsure how to proceed, please contact by email one of our RDOs here.
However, if your school is not able to link up with a local golf club, another option can include a teacher committing to delivering the set 6 lesson programme if no coach is available.
Community benefit – get in touch with us
Golf is a more inclusive game today and changing quickly; more and more families want to play. It is of course a great family game where a five year-old can putt and chip with an 85 year-old. the challenges and life lessons the game offers plus the all-round physical exercise are the reasons why more and more people are taking up golf.
Let us help you bring something new to your school in 2022. Simply choose Option 1 or Option 2 above and let your pupils benefit from the gift of GOLF!
