The Surrey Golf Partnership has launched an exciting European Tour Legacy Project to recruit young volunteers to work during the week of the BMW PGA Championship, held at Wentworth Club from May 21-27.
The volunteers will become Surrey Golf Young Ambassadors and, as well as giving youngsters the opportunity to be involved in a global sporting event, the Partnership is also aiming to encourage more people to take up golf in the county.
The BMW PGA Championship is The European Tour’s Flagship Event, and the world-class field will include the reigning champion and current World Number One Luke Donald.
Volunteer opportunities could include roles as media centre assistants, practice ground attendants, players’ lounge marshalls or scoreboard carriers.
There may also be opportunities to meet the leading players and celebrities during the Pro-Am on Wednesday May 23, the day before the tournament gets underway.
The volunteers will also act as ambassadors for the Surrey Golf Partnership, and support its work to grow the game of golf in the county.
Jamie Birkmyre, Championship Management Director of the BMW PGA Championship, said: “The Legacy Project is a fantastic and unique opportunity for youngsters across Surrey to experience what goes on behind the scenes at a high-profile sporting event. The BMW PGA Championship is The European Tour’s Flagship Event, with tens of thousands of spectators coming to watch some of the world’s best golfers in action, and the Legacy Project will give these young volunteers the chance to play their part in the smooth running of this prestigious event.”
Richard Shaw, the Surrey golf development officer, said: “We hope that many young people will apply for this exciting opportunity to volunteer at a major global sporting event. It’s a great opportunity to meet like-minded people and to gain increased employment skills.”
The Legacy Project is supported by The European Tour and offers volunteer opportunities to young people aged 18-25 who live in Surrey or its adjoining London boroughs, such as Kingston and Croydon. Applicants should be interested in getting involved in golf, but no previous playing experience is required.
The project is part of the London 2012 Sport Makers Scheme, which is running throughout England to encourage people to take part in active sport.
The volunteers will become Sport Makers, and will initially be required to get involved in golf and to encourage their friends and families to do the same. They could, for example, take part in one of the free 16+ Get Into Golf courses which are run by Surrey Golf Partnership to encourage people to try the game for the first time.
If the volunteers are already golfers, they will also be required to do some activity at club level for ten hours. They will then be automatically entered into a prize draw with a chance to win tickets to the London Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The procedure for signing up is simple:
• Sign upherethrough the “Surrey” section by Wednesday February 1
• Book into the FREE workshop taking place on Monday February 13 using the code: GOLF
• Attend the workshop to find out further information
Following this, those successful will be expected to commit to:
• Becoming a Sport Maker
• Attending a training session on Wednesday April 11
• Volunteering at a local golf project (such as joining in with friends and family at a Get Into Golf beginner course) for ten hours in April and / or May
• Volunteering at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth on selected days between May 21 and 27 (to include a briefing session on the week of the event)
• Acting as a Surrey Golf Young Ambassador throughout the process and assisting with any promotional activity
Branded clothing will be given out at the initial workshop, and training costs will be fully subsidised.
