Giblett Champions Academies As A Gateway To Membership
PGA Advanced Professional Duncan Giblett began working at West Surrey Golf Club in 2012 and in the subsequent dozen years has transformed its club’s academy, with increasing numbers of participants.
After growing up in Devon, Giblett headed to London to enhance his PGA career. Going through the ranks of assistant professional, head professional and director of golf, he eventually secured the head pro’s position at West Surrey Golf Club.
“When I joined, West Surrey was going through a transitional phase,” Giblett recalled. “I was probably one of the new blood if you like. My first point of call was the academy they had there at the time. I personally felt it just needed a bit of a fresher look.
“To me, there needs to be a nice mix between learning how to play, access to the course and just some encouraging factors to help people practise at the club as well. At first, we bounced a few ideas around and the academy went through two or three changes to get to where it is now.”
The academy is designed so new and returning golfers can try out the game for themselves, with one of the objectives being to have them potentially join the club with a full membership. It also allows individuals the freedom of an on-course experience, with a mixture of group and individual lessons only enhancing their games further.
“The academy has massively changed because for a lot of clubs, it’s a gateway for a beginner or intermediate or returning golfer,” Giblett explained. “That can lead into some sort of membership, which was very important for us when I started.
“Several players have gone on to join the golf club from our academy. It really does serve as a great way to get individuals from beginner to member.”
One of the success stories of the academy is Jess Ratcliffe who only took up the game of golf during lockdown and is well on her way to securing a single-figure handicap. Reflecting on her journey In an article for Women & Golf, she wrote: “It helped me get started with access to lessons, the range and afternoon tee times to help me build my confidence on the course.”
Another success story is John Loudon, who joined the academy after 30 years away from the game. A regular player until his early 20s, Loudon explained: “I hadn’t played for many, many years and couldn’t justify spending money on a full membership and joining fee, especially as I had barely touched a club in 30 years.
“The academy was ideal for me as it was aimed at new golfers and returning golfers. It suited me down to the ground and, two years after joining, I am looking to become a full member at West Surrey. With the academy, you receive the group lessons, individual lessons, as well as the ability to go out on the course, so for newbies, it is perfect.”
Loudon’s aim coincides with that of West Surrey’s – to be a member of a club that boasts a beautiful golf course and offers a first-class experience for every member and visitor.
“The Academy is there to back that up,” Giblett added. “It is always going to be there to offer a place for people to improve their golf, even if they don’t necessarily want to be a member in the future.
“It’s a cost-effective way during that period of time to learn how to play the game and gain experience around the golf club to really enjoy it.”
PGA Lecturer Researches The Impact Of Sports Bras On Performance And Breast Health
PGA Sports Science Lecturer Lewis Clarke, MSc, is currently involved in a biomechanical research study into breast health and support in golf, in collaboration with The R&A, Ladies European Tour (LET), and Professor Joanna Wakefield-Scurr at Portsmouth University.
As part of this, Clarke has undertaken a detailed survey of breast health. His investigation of ladies’ tour professionals has analysed the effectiveness and importance of wearing sports bras in golf, in relation to the golf swing.
Although only midway through his doctorate, he reveals some startling findings. Golf, as a female participation sport, has changed vastly in the last two decades. The numbers of women playing are booming, and it is no longer perceived as just a casual recreational hobby or pastime for older women.
Golf now has a more athletic perception, like other sports, and is increasingly being played by younger generations, many choosing to turn professional and forge a career in the game. This new generation of female golfers are athletes. They train to perform. Yet, surprisingly, very few have considered the impact of the game on their bodies, especially in relation to breast health.
How many women playing golf consider the implications of wearing the wrong bra, or conversely, the benefits of wearing the right one?
It was an issue first brought to the attention of the LET and golf’s governing body, The R&A, by Clarke who discovered a huge gap in research.
Consequently, he has embarked on a professional doctorate to explore female golf biomechanics in further detail.
“I was introduced to the research group in breast health at the University of Portsmouth by Professor Joanna Wakefield-Scurr,” he explained. “When I told her that I wanted to do a project in golf biomechanics, she and I spent hours combining our expertise - mine in golf biomechanics, hers in breast health - and saw an opportunity to do further research. So, I started a professional doctorate to explore female golf biomechanics in further detail.”
At the start of this year, Clarke was excited to welcome onboard both the LET and The R&A as official collaborators to his project. As a collective, they worked together throughout the 2024 tour season to conduct a scoping review of the area of breast health in golf.
“We know a lot about breasts and bras for other sports, but no research had been conducted with female golfers before,” explained Professor Wakefield-Scurr. “So collaborating with Lewis Clarke was a great opportunity to discover more about the needs of female golfers.”
In fact, as Clarke started his doctorate, he discovered that literature on the subject was very limited. With a clear gap in the knowledge bank of female breasts and their effect on golf performance identified, he set about surveying tour professionals on bra usage and their sentiments towards breasts in the golf swing.
He started by exploring the current evidence and research on bras and breasts for golfers. He then conducted a survey to assess the players’ perceptions and responses to bra issues in golf. The next stage of the project was to provide education to players and staff at events across the LET, the LPGA, and Access Series. More than 170 players were surveyed.
“We have been at multiple tour events this year, including the Women’s Scottish Open, co-sanctioned between LET and LPGA, the La Sella Open, the LET Get Golfing Women’s Golf Championship, and several LET Access Series events,” Clarke added.
“We conducted educational workshops for players and practitioners such as tour physios, S&C coaches, masseuses, and so on.”
Partnering with Adidas, the research team also provided bra fittings and a free sports bra to every player fitted, with 85 players fitted and prescribed the correct sports bra.
Although only midway through his doctorate, there have already been some key trends identified. The most startling, perhaps, is in the high number of female professionals who do not wear a sports bra to play golf.
“One of the key findings is that golfers’ awareness and knowledge of breasts and bras is very limited,” Clarke revealed. “Extremely poor, in fact, compared to other sports. Also, golfers’ uptake in sports bra usage is significantly lower than other sporting activities.”
However, on the positive side, the players who were screened by the breast health team did perceive that the breast and bra have an influence on their technique and performance, particularly in terms of their set-up fundamental and the backswing move.
“Getting fitted for a suitable sports bra was unanimously well-received,” he continued.
The next stage of Clarke’s research is to examine in much greater detail the effects on technique and performance that wearing varying sports bras might have.
“We hope to use the information gained over the course of my professional doctorate to help not only female golfers, but also provide resources for PGA professionals to help them understand the unique challenges female golfers face with breasts and bras,” he concluded.
The one thing that seems certain is that with a new bank of research available, women will most certainly be able to make a more educated decision on whether to wear a sports bra or not to play golf, and why they should. So, there’s no doubt Clarke’s research will be invaluable in shaping the future of the women’s game.
PGA Adds Nestlé To Its Principal Partner Portfolio
The company responsible for creating some of the UK’s favourite sweet treats, Nestlé Confectionery, has joined the PGA’s portfolio of Principle Partners.
Nestlé’s iconic brands include KitKat, Aero and Quality Street that are enjoyed by the nation and sold in PGA Members’ pro shops and golf facilities.
Richard Barker, the PGA’s executive director - business development, said: “This partnership offers our Members access to Nestlé Confectionery products, along with valuable market insights through Nestlé’s expertise.
“We understand there is an opportunity for confectionery to be a significant and profitable aspect of golf club shops and driving ranges’ F&B offerings. Partnering with Nestlé allows us to provide enhanced support and services which will maximise both the experience for golfers and the bottom line at our Members’ facilities.”
In fact, data from PGA Partner, Xpos which tracks sales from hundreds of golf facilities, shows that food and drink sales in pro shops have grown this year, accounting for 7.5 per cent of total sales so far this year, compared to 7.1 per cent in 2023. This steady increase highlights the growing importance of offering a diverse range of food and beverage options in pro shops, with many facilities already seeing impressive margins of more than 50 per cent in this category.
Nestlé’s commitment to sustainability, through initiatives such as the Nestlé Cocoa Plan and work to reduce their environmental footprint as part of Net Zero by 2050, means PGA Members can provide high-quality products which also have improving sustainability as a key focus.
With KitKat 4 Finger being the top-selling single chocolate bar in the leisure channel, it’s well-positioned to be a key product for pro shops, helping to enhance the overall pro shop experience.
Additionally, Nestlé is dedicated to supporting PGA Members in driving growth through its confectionery expertise. PGA Members will be able to take advantage of exclusive offers, and a survey will be conducted to gather insights on Member needs, further customising the partnership.
“We are thrilled to announce the commencement of our partnership with The PGA,” said Gail Stove, Nestlé Out of Home Lead.
“Nestlé aims to offer golfers the ideal companion for their break experience with KitKat®, the perfect bar for the course. As part of this collaboration, we will be engaging with PGA Members, to better understand what support would be most valuable to them.
“As a result, this partnership will not only enhance service levels for PGA Members through our various routes to market, but also equip them with merchandising best practices and tailored product recommendations to boost their pro shop offerings and profitability.
“We look forward to building a rewarding experience for both PGA Members and their customers.”