YOUNG golfers in Cheshire are being given the chance to get themselves fit for life.

CHESHIRE COUNTY GOLF PARTNERSHIP
3rd February 2012

Cheshire County Golf Partnership County Academy co-ordinator Iain Seath with physiotherapist Samantha Durnian, who is working with young golfers in Cheshire.

YOUNG golfers in Cheshire are being given the chance to get themselves fit for life.

Physiotherapist Samantha Durnian is working with youngsters taking part in the Cheshire County Golf Partnership's County Academy programme.

The CAP scheme gives promising players the chance to develop their skills and serves as a stepping stone towards the county standard squads or helps map out future coaching requirements.

A team of 11 PGA qualified coaches across Cheshire hold regular sessions to develop the technical side of the game - from better driving, good iron play, making the most of shots in and around the green to holing more putts.

But County Academy co-ordinator Iain Seath, from Astbury Golf Club, believes it is important the course helps prepare those taking part for more than just hitting golf balls.

"The work Samantha does with the players is vital to ensuring they get into good habits early in life and look after their body in the right way," he explains.

"As well as establishing a link between their physical fitness and the mechanics of their swing, the advice the players are receiving teaches them about how to look after their bodies to their long-term benefit.

"Sam is delighted to have been given the opportunity of working with the juniors from the County Academy Programme as she strongly believes that such early intervention can help them reduce the risk of injury and continue playing great golf for as long as they want to."

The 39 years-old physiotherapist qualified from the University of Teeside in 1994 and has been working with golfers for more than 10 years. Her early years were spent on the European Seniors Tour where she predominantly treated players that were injured and required a "quick fix" to enable them to continue playing.

As part of her innovative work with the County Academy, Sam assessed the players using a golf-specific musculoskeletal screening. This looks at how the body works and aims to highlight any potential body faults that can lead to poor swing mechanics and increased risk of injury.

So far 60 juniors have been screened and the results provide Sam with invaluable information in developing the next stage of the juniors' fitness programme.

She will now work closely with the Academy coaches out on the range with the players to devise fitness drills that keep swing specifics in mind to enable the golfer to achieve a good swing technique and avoid injury.

The England Golf Partnership is a collaboration of the major stakeholders in golf, including England Golf - the organisation formed by the merger of The English Golf Union and The English Women's Golf Association - the PGA, the Golf Foundation and Sport England.

In Cheshire the partnership is supported by the Cheshire Union of Golf Clubs, the Cheshire County Ladies Golf Association and the Cheshire and North Wales PGA.

For more details of the activities in Cheshire visit www.cheshiregolfpartnership.com

For more information on the work of the Cheshire Golf Partnership contact Craig Thomas, County Development Officer, Cheshire County Golf Partnership.

Website: http://www.cheshiregolfpartnership.com/

Mobile: 07973 798483

Email: cheshirecdo@googlemail.com