Essex Golf
Promoting Golf across Essex
For the past two years, Ann Selby, through the community organisation Get Golfing, has been running golf camps during school holidays for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Around 90% of the children who attend have special educational needs, with many currently out of education altogether.
Get Golfing’s mission is to make golf accessible to everyone in the community who may struggle with participation. The programme helps individuals enjoy the sport, stay active, make new friends and feel part of a welcoming golfing community.
Young Freddie is a perfect example of the difference the programme makes. Freddie, aged nine, attended one of the Get Golfing summer courses and immediately fell in love with the game. Golf has become a lifeline for him after being home-educated following bullying at school related to his dyslexia. With the help of sponsorship, Freddie was recently presented with a new set of Ping Prodi G clubs donated by the Golf foundation.
Freddie said: “It has been so amazing to find something I am good at and really enjoy. Before being awarded the Ping Prodi G clubs, I thought it might be a while before I could get clubs of my own, as I would have to wait until my mum was able to buy some.”
Freddie is now enjoying playing with his own clubs rather than borrowing equipment each time and hopes to enter competitions and play as often as possible at Warley Park Golf Club.
Alongside youth programmes, Get Golfing also runs dementia-friendly golf groups. These sessions offer gentle golf activities and fun social opportunities for those living with dementia who are able to take part, while also welcoming those who may simply be feeling isolated and would benefit from using the facilities, meeting others and enjoying a cup of tea in a friendly environment.
Ann only took up golf three years ago and quickly experienced the significant physical and mental health benefits the sport can offer. This inspired her to create inclusive golf opportunities for people who might not otherwise have access to the game due to cost, social barriers or the perception of golf as an elitist sport.
Through Get Golfing, the aim is simple: to open the doors of golf to everyone and ensure the game can be enjoyed by the whole community..
For more information : https://www.getgolfing.org/ or email : annvictoriaselby@hotmail.co.uk
Created by intelligentgolf version 10.1.2.
