DEVELOPMENT
The International Golf Federation (IGF) is devoted to promoting and expanding the sport of golf globally. To accomplish this, the IGF Coaching and Growth Committee has been established, with the responsibility of organising and conducting Technical Courses for coaches as part of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Olympic Solidarity Coaches Programmes.
The IGF Coaching & Growth Committee was established to oversee and advise on all IGF Coaching and Development programmes, by leveraging the educational resources and golf professional expertise of leading PGAs and the International Golf Federation (IGF) membership. The Committee delivers a unified global golf coach training platform in collaboration with the IGF and its national federation members (NFs) that can drive global golf participation and growth.
Today, golf is played by more than 60 million people worldwide in more than 130 countries on six continents. A large number of programmes are currently in place, from grassroots to the highest levels, that aim to inspire future players and fans to play golf and increase participation in the sport.
These programmes are producing tangible and measurable results in attracting people of all ages to the game and providing pathways for them to progress and stay involved in golf for life.
Olympic Solidarity
Olympic Solidarity is dedicated to advancing the development of sports, and funding is allocated for developmental initiatives through the National Olympic Committees. National Federations affiliated with the IGF are eligible to seek financial assistance for various projects, encompassing athlete development, coach education, and the Development of a National Sports System.
Elevating African Golf: The African High-Performance Programme
To bolster the level of golf across the African continent and to increase participation in under-served areas, the IGF, R&A, Olympic Solidarity and the PGA of South Africa have joined forces to deliver the African High-Performance Programme. Launched in 2022, this decade-long initiative seeks not just to spot hidden talents but also to cultivate coaches and improve golf infrastructure throughout Africa, with the ultimate aim of amplifying African presence at the WATC in 2025 and 2027, and at the Olympic Games in Brisbane 2032.
Key Objectives of the African High-Performance Programme:
The core goal of this programme is grassroots development through the enhancement of the performance of top-ranked players from six selected nations. Functioning as a platform, the programme intends to expose these players and their coaches to the rigours, standards, and coaching methodologies of the elite level. Collaboratively orchestrated by the IGF, R&A, and the PGA of South Africa, the programme envisions a profound impact on both players and coaches, thereby raising the overall standard of golf, and ensuring the development of a National Sports System to develop golf across the continent.
Programme Initiatives:
The African High-Performance Programme is designed to achieve its objectives through the following strategic initiatives:
- Formation of an African High-Performance Squad: Identifying and bringing together top talents from across the continent.
- Training Camps and Remote Support: Providing comprehensive training camps and ongoing remote support for the selected squad members.
- Coaching Upskilling: Elevating the skills of golf coaches throughout the African continent to ensure a consistent standard.
- Development of National Sports Systems to ensure grassroots development, athlete and coaching pathways within Africa.
Programme Progress:
With two successful training camps already conducted in 2022 and 2023, the programme is gaining momentum. The upcoming phase will focus on enhancing coaching programmes in the identified countries and the hosting of the 3rd camp in 2024. This progressive approach underscores the commitment of the IGF, R&A, and the PGA of South Africa to continually enhance the African High-Performance Programme, shaping a future where African golfers not only compete on a global scale but excel at the highest levels of the sport.
IGF Coaching and Growth Programmes
The IGF recognises that golf coaches play a central role in promoting golf participation and in enhancing the performance of players and teams. In addition to this, coaches contribute to the development of golfers as people, teams as cohesive units and communities with a shared interest. Coaching can also contribute to social aims by promoting activity and health; uniting citizens behind a common entity; and generating economic activity through employment, education, purchase of equipment, use of facilities and attendance at events.
In 2017, the IGF, in collaboration with the PGA World Alliance (PGAWA), published the International Golf Coaching Framework (IGCF). This framework provides a recognised set of criteria (common principles, concepts and tools) to inform the development and qualification of golf coaches in various countries.
IGF National Federation Members who wish to organise Technical Courses for Coaches (Coach Development) with guidance from the IGF can contact us at info@igfmail.org.