Golf Foundation teams up with Torquay Utd FC

Leading golf charity the Golf Foundation has teamed up with Torquay United Football Club’s players and a PGA professional so that disabled and special educational needs (SEN) youngsters in the area can enjoy two exciting sports.

The Golf Foundation has been working with Torquay United and Torbay Sports representatives to create a ‘Kick ‘n’ Swing’ project with the support of The FA.

The six-week course is offering disabled and SEN children a dual-coaching day each week where they learn the golf basics under PGA professional supervision and then receive football coaching from a UEFA qualified coach.

Churston Golf Club professional Dan Leins and football coach Matthew Scholes led the sessions with youngsters from three local schools.

A highlight of Kick ‘n’ Swing included a special golf and football session at Torquay United Football Club’s ground, Plainmoor, yesterday (2nd February), in which club players hosted youngsters from Mayfield School and joined in with the activity.  

The Golf Foundation provided the funding for the project, while Torquay United FC kindly allowed use of the ground and the players. Now, with the support of the team at Torbay school sports partnership, it is hoped that the children can enjoy continued progress with their new sports in the future.

Sue Eames, Special Educational Needs Sports Coordinator for Torbay, said: “The Mayfield School youngsters had a wonderful day and already knew all about the Torquay United team thanks to the excellent work of their teacher, Joe Garner. This dual-sport coaching is really effective because children who are familiar with one sport then gain confidence in the second sport more easily.

“I was very proud of them. The Golf Foundation gave them the opportunity to show us high quality PE; ‘high quality smiling and high quality doing’ – what more can you ask for in a PE lesson?”

Sam Stephens, Regional Development Officer for the Golf Foundation, said: “From the outset, this has been a really enterprising way of engaging with local disabled and special educational needs youngsters and, hopefully, offering them continued sporting opportunities going forwards. We have seen the children develop their confidence through the project, which is something to celebrate.”

The Kick ‘n’ Swing initiative is an innovative part of the Golf Foundation’s national programme ‘HSBC Golf Roots’, which aims to reach one million children per year through golf.

Supporters of HSBC Golf Roots include The R&A, The European Tour, the Professional Golfers’ Association, the Ryder Cup Committee and Trust, the British Golf Industry Association’s ‘Grow Golf’ Fund, and Sport England.