Other News

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Junior Golf Academy

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13 Sep 2007

The University of Ulster and the Golfing Union of Ireland have teamed up to support the Junior Golf Academy.  The first academy of its kind in Ireland is offering a 2-year full-time programme to aspiring 16-18 year-old golfers to develop not only their golfing skills but also their academic potential.

In collaboration with UU and associate college, the Northern Regional College, the Junior Golf Academy gives aspiring golf stars the opportunity of benefiting from an expert coaching programme combined with a Level 3 BTEC National Diploma in Sport.

The programme is also designed to allow young golfers to retain their own club status at all times and to work alongside any other Golfing Union of Ireland initiatives.

Dr Nigel Dobson, Co-Director of the UU Sports Academy, said that the expertise that the University has to offer and new developments with the ongoing building of a multi-million pound sports performance centre, which will house the Sports Institute of Northern Ireland at UUJ, are of massive benefit to young golfers wanting to develop their talent.

He said: “The Junior Golf Academy is an exciting new initiative in Northern Ireland and a pathway opportunity for those aspiring to study and play golf at the University of Ulster. Rather than waiting for the golfers to come to us, we are now being proactive in reaching out to precocious young talent and giving them the best opportunity to develop as a golfer and as a person.”

Simon Moore, Programme Manager of the Junior Golf Academy, added “The programme provides the ideal blend of education and expert coaching in order to develop students on both an academic and golfing front, designed to increase their future opportunities.  This is the only programme of its kind in Ireland and as such creates an opportunity to throw down a marker for young golfers throughout the country.”