Getting started
In 2009 Mitchelstown Golf Club devised a programme to give juniors an opportunity to develop their talent to the best of their ability and to support those who may have ambitions to go far within golf.
Mitchelstown GC formed a partnership with Junior Golf Ireland by registering as a JGI centre. Resources and support from the regional development officer, Jennifer Hickey, helped the club on its way to developing a sustainable and active junior programme in their club.
Realising the club's future lay with the young, Mitchelstown set up a Junior Committee consisting of a Junior Officer, the Lady Captain, the Captain, a Junior handicap secretary, a Junior competition secretary, a Junior Boys Captain, a Junior Girls Captain and adult members. To achieve its targets the club needed the support of its adult members. Recruiting helpers, volunteers and a PGA Professional became the clubs top priority. The club succeeded in engaging the services of 16 adult members.
A busy Summer!
Both the Junior Committee and the volunteers completed the JGI Leaders course which equipped them to lead fun golf sessions. Along with this they completed a child protection course. Junior Golf Ireland assisted them in sourcing a local PGA Professional (Michael Collins) who was happy to work with the club and its juniors. To further support their efforts the club sought sponsorship, which was successfully received from the local 'Centra' shop.
An Open Day / Assessment Day was organised. Existing junior members and new potential members were in attendance. The Committee and volunteers were on hand to register each junior and goodie bags for were provided by the sponsor. PGA Professional Michael Collins and JGI Regional Development Officer, Jennifer Hickey, were on hand to assess the juniors and group them in accordance with their age, ability, friendship etc. The day proved a great success with nearly 80 juniors registering - nearly one third of these were girls.
With the foundations in place an 8 week JGI coaching programme commenced with PGA Professional, Michael Collins. Each coaching group had 2 adult leaders who were their mentors for the year. These adults organised group activities including fun short games, scrambles, on the course rules and competitions, etc. A calendar of junior events was published by the Junior Committee highlighting all junior competitions, open days, golf activities and coaching for the year - each junior and parent received a copy.
Club handicaps were allocated to all juveniles 12 years and under while junior members from 12 to 18 years of age received official congu handicaps, controlled by the junior handicap secretary.
A great end to a great season
To finish off a successful year Mitcheltown held a Junior Presentation Night. Junior golfers and their parents attended a barbecue, presentation of junior prizes and a junior disco followed late into the night. GUI representatives and the JGI development officer were on hand to witness a packed clubhouse. It was evident for all to see the success of junior golf in Mitchelstown GC and the hard work put in by their Junior Officer, Mr. Kieran Clancy, his committee and volunteers.
Mitchelstown are hoping to build on their success by targeting local schools in 2010. In conjunction with JGI, the Buntus golf programme will be delivered to the local schools which will provide the perfect link to feed new juniors in to the club's junior programme in future years.
Congratulations to Mitchelstown Golf Club and hopefully their junior club will continue to grow well into the future!
