Padbrook Park was the venue for the first County wide gathering of the Devon Junior Academy

Padbrook Park was the venue for the first County wide gathering of the Devon Junior Academy.

Forty three of the current intake met, with their coaches, and enjoyed a full day of golf.

The revolutionary new coaching programme is funded by a grant from Sport England awarded to the Devon Golf Partnership. The aim of the programme is to nurture and develop promising young golfers who, it is hoped, will go on to represent County, Country or even get onto the PGA European Tour.

Students, boys and girls, ages ranging from 7 to 14 receive 10 coaching sessions at one of four Talent Centres in the county; Royal North Devon, Yelverton, Teignmouth and Padbrook Park.

Coach Neil Holman, commented, "This programme puts the emphasis on the short game and regular, constructive practice. It has certainly paid dividends for a large number of the students who have achieved large handicap cuts since the start of the year. The group of students from the east of the county have reduced their handicaps by a total of 110 shots; an average of seven shots per student"

With funding in place for 2010 the DGP will be inviting nominations for the next intake from any parent, Club official or PGA Professional. Nomination forms can be downloaded from the Devon Golf Partnership website at www.devongolfpartnership.org.uk from 1st October 2009.