Herts County Golf Partnership

Herts gets £25K from England Golf, Wed 1st Apr
England Golf has awarded the Hertfordshire County Golf Partnership £25K over the next three years to help support development of golf in the county. The Partnership receives £10K in year 1, and £7.5K in years 2 and 3.

The Hertfordshire County Golf Partnership was formed in March 2008, and is an alliance between the Herts Golf Union, The Herts County Ladies Golf Association, and the PGA.

The main aim is to promote the game of golf, introduce more people to the sport, encourage regular participation in competitive golf and improve the standard of play at all levels.

Over the next year the Partnership will receive the first £10,000 towards the implementation of its countywide development plan.

Richard Flint, EGU/EWGA Golf Development Manager, commented, "By working in partnership, the Union, Association and PGA in Hertfordshire will be able to drive golf forward and progress to new levels. The Partnership has worked hard to put together a detailed action plan, which will guide them over the next 3 years."

Other aims for the Partnership include offering training, support and recognition to volunteers and professional teaching coaches within the game to ensure that the County has a co-ordinated network of support.

Chris Murray, Chairman of the Partnership, said: "The Herts Golf Partnership is looking forward to working together and with our whole network of volunteers to help reduce existing barriers to playing golf and joining a golf club".

The Herts Golf Partnership is currently one of 29 county partnerships that are developing throughout England. Their aim is to bring together the three main golfing organisations, the EGU, EWGA and the PGA, with support from the Golf Foundation, and utilise their combined knowledge, experience and resources to support and expand golf within a county. County Golf Partnerships are an initiative that have been introduced via England Golf''s ''Whole Sport Plan'' for golf and are an integral part of England Golf''s vision to ''Grow the Game''.
In line with the Whole Sport Plan, the partnership also aims to get 20% of golf clubs accredited to GolfMark by 31st December 2010. GolfMark is the national scheme that recognises junior and beginner friendly golf facilities.

More information on County Golf Partnerships can be found on the ''For Golf Clubs'' section of the EGU website, www.englishgolfunion.org and then click on ''Info for Counties''.