Parent power backs England golfers
1 February 2006

Parent power has been called into play by ELGA to help push on England ’s leading golfers.

Mums and dads have been given an insight into their daughters’ training programmes and the importance of their fitness regimes and diet.

Parents got close to the action when they were invited, for the first time, to attend workshops for players in ELGA’s Team England squads.

Linda Bayman , ELGA’s performance director, said: “It was very successful and I think parents found it very useful.”

The one-day workshops were held at four locations: Bath University , Loughborough University , the National Sports Centre at Bisham Abbey and the English Institute of Sport at Sheffield .

Each workshop included fitness work for the players, information on nutrition and hydration and a session on anti-doping. Rules seminars were held for the girls – two of which were taken by Julie Otto, assistant director of rules with the R&A – while parents spent time with Pat Smillie, ELGA’s national junior coach and Lynn Booth, ELGA’s head physiotherapist.

ELGA is part of the England Golf Partnership, together with the English Golf Union and the PGA, with the support of the Golf Foundation and Sport England. The partnership’s Whole Sport Plan aims to make England the leading golf nation in the world by 2020.

Training session