Visit www.getintogolf.org/essex for more information and to book.
Following the tasters with PGA professionals, the six clubs will each offer four-week structured coaching programmes, with the county girl players mentoring the newcomers. All the girls who complete the programme will be fitted with a free seven iron to help them continue to play.
The finale will be a fun par three competition at Little Channels in May when new young players can enjoy playing alongside their mentors.
Wendy Cook, the Essex county junior organiser, said: “Girls’ Golf Rocks was an ambitious project last year, which required the involvement of many volunteers, and the result was absolutely fantastic. I’m really looking forward to the 2016 campaign and I’d like to say to all the Golf Girls who are about to Rock, I salute you!”
The Essex ambassadors include two national champions, Lily May Humphreys, the English U14 girls’ champion and Sophie Wheeler, who won the Abraham Trophy as England’s most improved girl golfer.
Lily May, aged 13, took up golf when she was 10 and plays at Channels Golf Club. She said: “I have made the best friends ever and not just girls, you can play golf with the boys as well. You also get to travel to different places and meet up with friends you’ve made from other parts of the country. When you win a trophy it’s the best feeling ever.”
Sophie is also 13 and a member at Orsett Golf Club. Her dad got her started when she was five and she says: “I really enjoy being an Essex Ambassador and encouraging younger girls to play this great sport.”
Currently, national figures show that only 1% of golf club members are girls, with an average of just two girls per club. When Girls Golf Rocks was trialled in Essex last summer it inspired 90 youngsters to try the game. Of those, 40 went on to take a four-week coaching course; 30 played in the par three competition and six became golf club members.
Girls Golf Rocks is led by England Golf and supported by the Golf Foundation, county associations and sports partnerships.
Lauren Spray, the England Golf Women & Girls’ Participation Manager, said: “Girls Golf Rocks sets out to focus on the fun, social and friendship aspects of golf, rather than just the playing and coaching side and we’ve had brilliant success.
“The ambassadors have been fantastic – they all love golf and they’re sharing their enthusiasm with our new players. They’ve also given us lots of feedback and really helped us give us a presence on Twitter @GirlsGolfRocks1 and Facebook.”
Girls Golf Rocks has coincided with a growing focus on the women and girls’ game and the launch of the video campaign #ThisGirlGolfs which aims to challenge perceptions and inspire participation. The video features women and girls from all over the country and from different walks of life and backgrounds who are enjoying golf for many reasons and fitting it into their everyday lives.
