ENGLAND'S BEST FACE A TEST OF SURVIVAL

England's leading amateur golfers will face a Desert Survival Exercise when they attend the second of three winter coaching sessions at Woodhall Spa next month.

The exercise, which is designed to encourage teamwork, will be carried out during the evening at the National Golf Centre with the players divided into groups of four. Fitness levels will also be tested with further team events including powerwalking and cycling.

Teamwork was a key element in English successes during 1999 as was fitness, which is why these area are as important as the golf swing on the training programme. "We want to see how people react to each other and how they pull together", says National Coaching Manager, Paul Jelly.

In the first winter get-together in November every player was assessed on fitness and psychology and these will be checked during the three-day Lifestyle Sessions at Woodhall Spa on 17-19 February to see if improvements have been made.

There will still be time for some golf and this will be under the direction of EGU National Coach Keith Williams, with Paul Darby and Jason McCarthy in charge of fitness. Brian Hemmings will handle the psychology aspect while Richard Palmer, Past President of the Sussex County Golf Union and a member of the R&A's Rules Committee, will take the squad through Practical Rules.

Fourteen of the 25-strong National Squad will attend the coaching session including three of the team that retained the World Junior Team Championship, Scott Godfrey, David Porter and Sandeep Grewal. Nick Dougherty, the other member of the team, was also invited but is away at the Faldo Institute in America.

Eight more players - Paul Casey, Luke Donald, Robert Duck, Jamie Elson, Max Haris, Martin Le Mesurier, Simon Robinson and Philip Rowe - are unavailable due to US college commitments But the squad attending at Woodhall Spa places the emphasis on youth, only four players being over 21, reflecting the strength of youth talent in the country.

The final winter session will take place at the National Golf Centre, Woodhall Spa, in March in preparation for the coming season. This year's England's player face a May international with France at Chart Hills, Kent and defend the Home Internationals at Carnoustie in September besides tackling individual championships, many of which are currently in English hands.

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