PGA Activities Coach Qualification: Transforming Golf Coaching for a Participant-Centered Future

The Activities Coach qualification was developed as it had been a number of years since the Level 1 Coaching qualification had been reviewed and updated.

The PGA had been involved in a recent review of the coaching pathway within golf (working with home country associations) and determined that amateurs interested in getting involved in coaching were more likely to be more interested in shorter, unassessed courses, such as the Community Golf Instructor course and Golf Activator. This review offered a prime opportunity to revisit the introductory coaching qualification to ensure it met the needs of those wanting to gain a career in the golf profession and who were likely to be coaching in a paid full-time capacity

We wanted to develop a learning programme and assessment opportunity to give coaches the confidence to lead coaching sessions independently, delivering pre-prescribed activities across various golfing skills. The old level 1 had previously focused on the qualifying individuals to be able to act as an assistant coach, working with a more qualified coach or Professional.

We chose Sport Structures because of:

• Previous delivery of education and training courses
• A positive working relationship
• Their experience of working in the current coaching landscape (CIMSPA professional standards and work with other national governing bodies)

It became clear that they understood the brief and what the qualification needed to achieve.

Working with Kath and Jobeth was excellent. They have provided us with a huge amount of value both in insights into working with other sports and coaching organisations, their knowledge and understanding of the current coaching landscape and their own intellect to benefit the qualification content, assessment and learner journey. They also supported us to work alongside the awarding body.

We have been really pleased with the work and we have now started to implement the qualification with learners. We are receiving great feedback from learners based on the content covered so far (digital e-learning content and virtual classroom sessions) and also from tutors who have previously delivered the level 1 course and have been energised with the content and new direction of travel.

One of the key things for this qualification is the foundation that it sets for someone coming into golf, that wants to coach for a living. The framework that has been created around the knowledge and skills required, puts trainee professionals in a fantastic position to understand the fundamental aspects of golf coaching and to provide a participant-centred approach, driven by the needs of the individual.