In his role as The R&A’s ‘Working for Golf Ambassador’, two-time Open Champion Padraig Harrington has been highlighting The R&A’s support of the Golf Foundation’s ‘Golf Roots’ programme, which makes golf more accessible to children from all backgrounds and abilities.
Harrington gave a golf clinic at Sunningdale Golf Club in Berkshire on Tuesday, involving children from two schools in the Bracknell Forest School Sport Partnership. While the Irishman gave them some swing tips and talked through some of the shots which helped him win The Open Championship, he in turn learned about Golf Roots, the major Golf Foundation programme which takes golf into schools and the community and then links these youngsters to local golf facilities.
Harrington was present at Sunningdale using his position in the global game to promote the work of the St Andrews-based governing body. The R&A is a strong supporter of junior golf all over the world and is the largest financial contributor of all to Golf Roots, which aims to reach one million youngsters a year by 2013.
“We all really enjoyed the clinic today,” said Harrington. “The Golf Roots programme is an exciting initiative to get more youngsters playing the game, to which The R&A is fully committed.
“The R&A have played a significant role in my career, from playing in boys and amateur events through to winning The Open Championship, and I appreciate all the support they have shown along the way. I am delighted that I now have the opportunity to assist them in their work.”
Harrington’s support for The R&A includes displaying The R&A Working for Golf logo on his clothing or equipment on Tour periodically during the season and coaching young people in R&A-funded golf development programmes. He will also appear in Rules of Golf multimedia productions, promote the etiquette of the game, take part in biomechanical equipment testing sessions and support the work of The R&A Foundation at events spread throughout his global playing schedule.
Mike Round, Chief Executive of the Golf Foundation, said: “Padraig was fantastic with the youngsters today and we were thrilled that one of the greats of the game could engage with the children and help raise the profile of Golf Roots.
“Golf Roots is all about giving opportunity and encouragement and providing the ‘Skills for Life’ which help create rounded individuals, and Padraig is clearly the embodiment of all this thinking. The R&A is the leading financial supporter of Golf Roots, but clinics like this also demonstrate their imagination, desire and drive to grow the game in the right way.”
