Further Education: Young talent in focus
27.05.2019

The first two further education days of the Swiss PGA in the current year have already been successfully completed. Nearly 30 members met at the end of March in the Golf Limpachtal, where in the morning an up-date in terms of golf rules was on the program. Daniel Waldmeier from the Rules Committee of the Swiss Golf Association provided information on the most important rule changes and their interpretation, as well as giving background information to the Swiss PGA Professionals. "In the context of playing lessons in particular, regular questions arise. "It is important for PGA professionals to be able to provide our customers with competent and detailed answers, "says Russell Warner, who is responsible for further education within the Swiss PGA Board.

Warner led the "Open Forum" on the afternoon of the first training day in 2019: "An appropriate platform to learn what challenges and needs our members have and where they see their future." The profession of golf professionals is changing, says Warner. It is important to set the right course and above all, to ensure we recognize the needs of golfers and of the golf clubs. Not only now but in the future. This lead to thoughts on how a Swiss PGA Professional can offer a hand in satisfying these needs. "Marketing is becoming increasingly important for club pros," said Warner.

For the second day of further education this year, the Swiss PGA were fortunate to secure Dr. Sergio Lara-Bercial, who is one of the world’s leading sports researcher. On May 9 in Golfpark Moossee, the topic "Children are not mini-adults" was presented. Lara-Bercial started in the morning with a presentation in which he pointed out that the development of a child is never linear - neither in the physical nor in the psychological, nor in the social and emotional. He pointed out various ways to find out at what point in his development a child is. “As a coach, you have to be able to find the best individual pathway for every child and let them decide where sport takes them, be it a world champion or active participant later in life, for the fun of the game or meeting others.” says Warner. In a second part, Lara-Bercial explained the Erasmus project icoachkids.eu - on this internet platform every junior coach (regardless of the sport in which he is involved) can pick up the relevant information. "In addition, Lara-Bercial presented the Icoachkids pledge which is a 10-point reflection plan, for coaches and clubs alike, a kid's sport roadmap, so to speak», explains Warner.

This day was offered by the Swiss PGA in collaboration with Swiss Golf and its J & S program. Therefore, in addition to Swiss PGA members, junior captains from various Swiss golf clubs were able to participate and share valuable experiences. In the afternoon everyone created an action plan for their junior section within their own clubs – taking the theory and putting it in practice.