Ryder Cup European Development Trust Fund

When the Ryder Cup was restructured in 2004 with the formation of Ryder Cup Europe LLP, in partnership between the European Tour (60%), the PGA (20%) and the PGAs of Europe (20%), one of the important outcomes was the formation of the Ryder Cup European Development Trust.

The purpose of this UK-registered charity is to ensure that a portion of the net profits accrued from the Matches is absorbed into the Trust, thereby allowing aid to be distributed by means of grants for grass root schemes throughout Europe.

As a result of this initiative, a total figure of some €2.5M was available after the 36th matches at the K Club, Ireland, in 2006. Similar sums would confidently be expected to accrue in the future as an on-going means of community golf aid for this and future generations.

The first significant income accrued in the Ryder Cup European Development Trust in 2006 and as a result funding has now having been granted to projects of varying size in seven countries.

Once these resources were in place, applications were invited from all relevant countries, to be considered by the Trust committee. A number of PGAs, Federations and Unions responded to the request to formulate appropriate schemes and apply for a grant.

Prior to this, grants had been provided already in Germany and Ireland and subsequently in the UK, though the priority need emerged in the former Eastern Bloc, where golf is enjoying an enormous period of growth following the political changes that led to market economies being created.

Bulgaria and the Czech Republic have both been supported by the Trust in junior programmes that specifically encourage and help young people, boys and girls, to participate in golf while receiving basic coaching, either provided by, or supervised by, PGA professionals.

The Bulgarian scheme is regarded as an ideal insight to the purpose of the Trust and could be seen as role model for how the Ryder Cup surpluses can most effectively be used.

It was designed to “Introduce a new sport into the country to coincide with the popularity of the game world-wide”. The Junior Development Programme’s official brochure states that: “We believe that the game of golf (in Bulgaria) is ready to explode…”

Two PGA professionals, Neil Turley and Pascal Simard lead the coaching aspect of the scheme, which begins with youngsters at their earliest days of sporting development in schools.  Among the comprehensive programme’s aims are:

·    Provide support for golf sessions at schools
·    Develop a systematic and organised approach to junior golf
·    Develop individuals and teams to compete at international & European level.
·    Make the game accessible to all

A whole ‘way ahead’ road map has been constructed, giving time scales under a ‘Junior Golf Passport’ idea. It starts with introducing the kids to golf with special appropriate clubs and balls for the very young and leading all the way, step by step, to possible selection for national teams.

Meanwhile, the vast majority who simply learn to play golf for fun, relaxation and exercise helped by the incentive of there being  new golf course developments on stream and the hope of many more in the future…thereby providing a lasting international legacy from the success of the Ryder Cup.

The R&A Golf Development Programme
How Open Championship Revenue Aids Golf’s Global Spread
The ever-growing expansion of The Open Championship, as an annual multi-million income stream for the benefit of the world’s golfing community, has inspired many worthwhile initiatives, but none more far-reaching than the Golf Development Programme.

The close link between The R&A and the PGAs of Europe enables selected golf development consultants and tutors to travel to many outposts around the world where under-financed golfing bodies have appealed for help to establish a golfing culture and programme.
These countries lack the resources and/or expertise to achieve their aim.  Consequently they look to The R&A for help.  At St. Andrews surplus income from the Open Championship is set-aside in a development budget exclusively for this purpose.

Where aid is considered to be appropriate, contact is made with the PGAs of E and a Golf Professional is recommended to become that country’s Golf Development Consultant (GDC).  The success they are achieving in spreading the gospel of golf around the globe is quite incalculable.
The Golf Development Programme story is too lengthy to detail here, but basically the PGAs of E recommend personnel to carry out the initial visits in order to assess the current situation and point the best way forward under the guidelines of their Education Committee.

On arrival the Golf Development Consultant meets the relevant officials, visits any existing golf courses, talks to those who currently provide the best service they can, meets the country’s most promising players, conducts golfing clinics and explores the possibility of state support.

Such countries need equipment, golf balls, clothing, training aids, anything and everything relevant to furnishing their education programme. The Consultant then returns home, submits his report and recommendations to The R&A and the PGAs of Europe.  Steps are then taken to introduce a programme of regular visits to implement the recommendations.

During the last year Honduras and Israel have been visited by Golf Development Consultants and their specific needs assessed with a view to a structured and comprehensive programme of development being put in place.

For them, as with previous ‘young’ golfing countries that have received support in similar fashion, the Way Ahead begins here….
A short history…
Why the PGAs of Europe was Formed
How it Supports its Member PGAs

Membership of the PGAs of Europe is essential for any national PGA offering, as it does, the benefit of being part of a ‘family’ of 35 PGAs, from around the continent and beyond, all dedicated to the principle of working together to mutual benefit.

It was back in 1989, with the development of the European Union, when it was recognised that one body was required to be the official ‘voice of golf’. If national PGAs did not combine to take the initiative, it was possible that some other lesser body would do so.
This is why the PGAs of Europe was born. In 1990, when inaugurated at Wentworth, UK (headquarters of the PGA European Tour), it had just ten member countries. Nearly 20 years on it has blossomed into its current important status in world golf.

To understand how this comparatively new body fits into the structure of golf it is necessary to appreciate that while the PGA European Tour specialises in the needs of the touring professionals, the PGAs of Europe in the needs for ‘teaching’ and ‘club’ pros, assisting the National PGAs.
Another major difference is that the members of the PGAs of Europe are countries not individuals and with that membership now totalling 37 countries, the principle has been established of some 15,000 PGA professionals, sharing their knowledge and speaking with one voice.

Strategic planning
Unified Education Standards a Main Priority
Golf Development High on the Agenda
The Board of Directors consists of 11 members from eight different countries under the chairmanship of the experienced Sandy Jones and including Jean-Etienne Lafitte (France), Donato di Ponziano (Italy), Heinz Fehring (Germany), Norman Fletcher (GB&I), Frank Kirsten (Holland), John Little (Luxembourg), Jonathan Mannie (Austria), Leif Ohlsson (Sweden), Mikael Sorling (Sweden) and Guido Tillmanns (Germany).

In a series of strategy meetings staged by the board to coincide with the appointment of Ian Randell as chief executive in January 2007 and afterwards, the original Mission Statement was adapted and upgraded to meet the challenges of a changing industry.
As a result, the six strands of the Association’s operation on behalf of its membership are Education, Professional Services, Communication, Tournaments, Development and Partnerships.
The extent of the services provided within this framework are too wide to cover in full here but Education is inevitably the No.1 priority since it is the solid foundation of the profession for all its practitioners.

An Education Committee comprising chairman Leif Ohlsson (Sweden), Filippo Barbe (Italy), Tony Bennett (Portugal), Nicky Lumb (GB&I), Jonathan Mannie (Austria), Kyle Phillpots (GB&I), Jim van Heuven van Staereling (Holland) and Martin Westphal (Germany) provides help and support to all PGAs who request it.
Over a period of some 18 years the Education Committee has developed a system of three-pronged support to PGAs, for those who ask for it, of ‘talking to’, ‘working with’ and becoming ‘recognised’.
This procedure is especially attractive to new and under-developed PGAs in countries where previously there has not been a golfing culture since it presents the chance to benefit from more than a century of experience and progress elsewhere.

Starting off on the right foot and introducing tried and trusted administrative and educational methods can be a major asset for any fledgling PGA with ambitions to develop along a proven route.
Educational opportunities arising from PGAs of Europe membership are many and varied. Every two years, for instance, a member country hosts a Teaching and Coaching Conference featuring leading specialists from around the world giving presentations on their specialist subjects.
In 2007 Malmo, Sweden, was the location while in 2005 and 2003, approximately 1,000 PGA professionals from all around the world visited Munich, Germany, to hear some of golf’s most knowledgeable presenters.

As a means of providing the chance to share experiences, debate important topics and generally enjoy meeting up to work, network and socialise an Annual Congress takes place, usually in December, featuring a different theme each year, sometimes with guest speakers and occasionally to concentrate on ‘in-house’ matters.
Alongside the Congress is the 72-hole International Team Championship. A record 28 countries took part at Roda Golf and Beach Resort, when Austria won for the first time last December while, in the last ten years, PGAs who once trailed behind the stronger nations have crept up leader boards impressively, as a reflection of huge improvements in technique
This Congress/ITC week comprises possibly the most important one in the PGAs of Europe’s annual schedule, ending with the Annual Awards Dinner.

Every effort is made to provide suitable playing opportunities for PGA pros. When a sponsor is forthcoming a PGAs of Europe 72 hole Strokeplay Championship and a Fourball Championship are staged plus endorsed pro-ams including the Beko Classic and the Avea/ Kempinski ‘The Dome’ in Antalya Turkey and the Aegean Airlines event on the Greek Island of Crete.
Obviously, a major part of many professionals’ operation is merchandising, and for this purpose a partnership was forged 16 years ago with Messe Munchen in Germany to stage the annual Golf Europe Trade Exhibition, the biggest of its kind outside of Orlando.

This has prospered impressively to the point where the 16th will be staged in October 2008 and will, as always, attract exhibitors and purchasers from all around the world, usually in increased numbers compared to a record-breaking attendance the year before. In addition to showcasing the equipment and services that PGA pros and High Street stores can display the following year, it features a series of Educational seminars by experts in their field.
Under the heading of the Golf Development Programme comes the joint-initiative with The R&A by which consultants/tutors selected by the PGAs of Europe and funded by surpluses from The Open Championship are sent to under-developed golfing nations around the globe who seek support in starting from scratch with a golfing structure.

Another hugely important function carried out by the PGAs of Europe is in administering the Ryder Cup European Development Trust into which is paid 20% of Ryder Cup profits to finance grants for ‘grass roots causes’ and thereby ensuring that the bi-annual Matches potentially benefits the wider golfing community.

In addition to all this, the Mission Statement enshrines the need for the association to communicate with its members, and their members, in a thoroughly modern hi-tec manner, including a monthly-e-Newsletter entitled Working Together, and a Website www.pgae.com (currently in the stage of being improved), and to offer help in all career requirements.
All this, of course, necessitates income streams and these come from member PGAs paying an annual subscription based on its number of individual members, from forming Corporate Partnerships with leading companies in the industry and with some backing from The R&A.

Working together with our member PGAs we aim to:
1) Membership
Provide advice, information and support to National PGAs in the areas of development, education, communications and political recognition
Provide services and benefits to PGA Professionals in the areas of education, employment and commercial opportunities
2) Education
Unify and improve standards of education and qualification to increase quality and provide ability for PGA Professionals to work across the continent irrespective of their country of qualification
3) External Relations
Build mutually beneficial relationships with other pan-European organisations, international PGAs and the European Union
4) Communication
Promote the PGA brand and the work of member PGAs and their PGA Professionals
Operate as a voice for European Golf providing information and opportunities to both Professional and Amateur golfers across Europe
5) Commercial
Seek and maintain commercial partnerships that will benefit the development of the Association
6) Development
Provide relevant playing opportunities and other events for PGA Professionals
7) Golf Development
Provide funding, expertise, programmes and guidance for the development of golf across the globe