CROWN GOLF & PGA LAUNCH NEW TOURNAMENT FOR ASSISTANT PROS

Crown Golf, Europe's largest golf course owner/operator, has teamed up with the PGA in an exciting UK first - a championship exclusively for English or England-based Assistant PGA Professionals.

The new Crown Golf English PGA Assistants’ Championship is worth £16,000 in total, with five qualifying events each having a £2,000 prize fund, and a Grand Final carrying a £6,000 prize pool.

The winner will also receive a sponsor's invitation to play alongside the stars of the European Tour in the prestigious English Open, being held at St Mellion International Golf Resort, Cornwall, in 2009.
Crown Golf Chief Operating Officer, John Weir, said: "As an organisation with 33 golf clubs, eight Crown Golf Academies and more than 55 courses across the group, our team of Assistant Pros is very important to us.

"We genuinely wanted to do something that recognised the hard work put in by all Assistant Pros, not just our own team, and give them something worthwhile and rewarding to play in.

"Crown Golf is committed to growing grass roots golf and developing the PGA golf professionals of the future is essential to that aim.
“Through the Crown Golf English PGA Assistants’ Championship, we believe we have created something that will inspire, encourage and reward these young professionals to keep working towards their full PGA qualification so that they play an important role in helping us to shape the future of golf.”

The five regional qualifiers in the Crown Golf English PGA Assistants’ Championship will be held at:

• Abbotsley GC, St Neots, Cambridgeshire - Monday, 18th August
• The Hertfordshire GC, Broxbourne, Herts - Wednesday, 20th August
• The Bristol GC, Almondsbury, Bristol - Tuesday, 26th August
• Cotgrave Place GC, Nottinghamshire - Thursday, 28th August
• Pyrford GC, Woking, Surrey - Thursday, 28th August

The Grand Final will be staged on the Dave Thomas-designed championship course at Batchworth Park Golf Club, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, on Monday, 29th September.

Stephen Cox, PGA Director of Golf, said: ""This is a great initiative to recognise Assistant Professionals who, for many, are unsung heroes in the world of golf.

“The PGA has a fantastic tournament schedule for its Professionals and this is a very welcome addition. We'd like to congratulate Crown Golf for their continued efforts to support and develop grass roots golf.”
Assistant Professionals can enter by contacting the Tournament Department at PGA National Headquarters on 01675 470333. Entry Forms will soon be distributed.

Notes to editors: The Crown Golf group is the UK’s largest golf course owner/operator, with 33 properties in its portfolio and more than 55 courses. With pride in customer service and innovation, it aims to provide an outstanding golf experience for its members and visitors, tailor-made to suit the lifestyles and needs of a wide range of golfers.

Media Contact:
Andy Hiseman
Hiseman Partners
The Grey House, 3 Broad Street
Stamford, Lincolnshire PE9 1PG
United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0)1780 757461
Email: andy@hiseman.com
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