Top Youngsters Attend School of Excellence

Seventeen of England’s most talented young golfers have been invited to attend the EGU’s annual School of Excellence at the National Golf Centre, Woodhall Spa, on 7-9 April and on 28-30 April.

Over the three days of each session, the group, aged between 15 and 18 and including several boy internationals, will participate in a series of intensive coaching sessions as well as attending lectures covering such subjects as fitness, nutrition and sports injury analysis. The latter, new to this year’s School, will be given by Lynn Booth, a chartered physiotherapist, whilst Ron Cuthbert will handle fitness.

Another innovation will be Parents Forum directed by National Coaching Manager, Paul Jelly.  As the title suggests, this will involve the players’ parents and give an insight into how they can manage their offspring’s golfing interests away from the course. As far as work on the range goes, John Cook will look after short game tuition, putting will be under the direction of John Harrison, while David Ridley will be in charge of range work, leaving the EGU’s senior coach, Keith Williams, to oversee the whole coaching aspect.The full squad is:-

Yasin Ali (Ealing)                      
Jonathan Petrou (Muswell Hill)
Simon Bell (Northcliffe)                
David Porter (Stoneham)
Eren Behcet (Langley Park)            
Zane Scotland (Woodcote Park)
Greg Bailey (East Berks)            
Andrew Sheffield (Brailes)
William Bowe (Workington)
Michael Skelton (Hunley Hall)
Sean Byrne  (Meon Valley)
David Skinns (Canwick Park)
James Heath  (Coombe Wood)           
Craig Stevenson (Whittington Heath)
Gary Lockerbie (Penrith)                    
Peter Wheatcroft (Worksop)

Nick Dougherty (Shaw Hill) completes the squad but is not available to attend the School on 7-9 April.