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 | North East Post A Voice of the Free Press |
12:42 PM 8th April 2022
sports
All-Female Celebrity Line-up For Slingsby Gin's Golf Academy
The initiative created by Slingsby Gin, BMW PGA Championship sponsors, aims to inspire more women to get into golf and to champion the social side of the sport.
With support from Callaway Europe, the 2022 Slingsby Golf Academy inducts Olympic equestrian Zara Tindall, well known tennis coach Judy Murray, Doctor and TV personality Zoe Williams and Sky Sports Boxing presenter Anna Woolhouse. These four celebrity cadets start their journey together as beginners and will work alongside PGA professional partners to get to grips with the game in just six months.
In an exciting new addition to the series, the 2022 Slingsby Golf Academy will also feature golf enthusiast, dancer and TV star, Anton Du Beke, as series host and Inci Mehmet, golf broadcaster and former Ladies European Tour player, will return as a mentor to the cadets.
As well as encouraging more women to tee-off this summer, the cadets will also be competing for a spot in the BMW PGA Championship Celebrity Pro-Am on Wednesday 7th September. The BMW PGA Championship is one of the most high-profile tournaments in the UK, and year-on-year celebrities from the world of sport, film, music and broadcast come together to play the Championship’s star-studded Pro-Am at Wentworth Club, Surrey.
The cadets’ journeys will be captured in a six-part series which will showcase Zara, Judy, Dr Zoe and Anna’s progress and be shared on social media (@slingsbysocial) as well as clips being broadcast on Sky Sports. Each episode will capture the challenges and triumphs that come with taking up the game of golf.
Supported by England Golf and the PGA, Slingsby’s Golf Academy was watched by over one million people in 2021. The initiative has also been nominated for an Original Content Award after successfully inspiring more women to take to the course and celebrating the social side and camaraderie of the sport.
Marcus Black, Co-Founder of Slingsby Gin said:
“Last year’s Academy was a resounding success, so we jumped at the opportunity for a second swing this year with four more brilliant cadets! Zara, Judy, Dr Zoe and Anna are incredibly inspirational women, who just like us at Slingsby Gin, are all extremely passionate about increasing female participation in sport.
We are no doubt going to see amazing things from this year’s cadets who have already been out on the driving range and are showing a fun, competitive spirit! The social side of the golf is so integral to the game and it’s great that all four of our cadets get on so well and enjoy a well-deserved G&T in the clubhouse afterwards.”
“Last year’s Academy was a resounding success, so we jumped at the opportunity for a second swing this year with four more brilliant cadets! Zara, Judy, Dr Zoe and Anna are incredibly inspirational women, who just like us at Slingsby Gin, are all extremely passionate about increasing female participation in sport.
We are no doubt going to see amazing things from this year’s cadets who have already been out on the driving range and are showing a fun, competitive spirit! The social side of the golf is so integral to the game and it’s great that all four of our cadets get on so well and enjoy a well-deserved G&T in the clubhouse afterwards.”
Zara Tindall said:
“Sport is such a great place to be able to break down barriers. I am really excited to learn to play golf as part of this group, but also to hopefully show that wherever you start from, you can have a go and enjoy getting out and trying something new.”
“Sport is such a great place to be able to break down barriers. I am really excited to learn to play golf as part of this group, but also to hopefully show that wherever you start from, you can have a go and enjoy getting out and trying something new.”
Judy Murray said:
“I live pretty close to Gleneagles, so I literally have 3 magnificent golf courses on my doorstep. Through the pandemic I watched people playing golf all day long in stunning scenery and that’s really what got me thinking that I should give it a go. I’ve cut down on work commitments lately, so I have more time to explore new things and I’m always up for a challenge. It was just the right time for me.”
“I live pretty close to Gleneagles, so I literally have 3 magnificent golf courses on my doorstep. Through the pandemic I watched people playing golf all day long in stunning scenery and that’s really what got me thinking that I should give it a go. I’ve cut down on work commitments lately, so I have more time to explore new things and I’m always up for a challenge. It was just the right time for me.”
Dr Zoe Williams said:
“I think one of the big things is having that time out for myself, being a new mum and a busy working mum. Often right now it feels like I am juggling balls and spinning plates at the same time. For me, time out on the golf course represents a calm amongst the chaos… having said that, I know it is going to frustrate the hell out of me!”
“I think one of the big things is having that time out for myself, being a new mum and a busy working mum. Often right now it feels like I am juggling balls and spinning plates at the same time. For me, time out on the golf course represents a calm amongst the chaos… having said that, I know it is going to frustrate the hell out of me!”
Anna Woolhouse said:
“Women’s sport is going from strength to strength, and we’ve seen a huge rise in recent years, but it still has a long way to go. It is initiatives like the Slingsby Golf Academy, that have presence on TV and social media, that can give women’s sport a boost and a chance to grow at the grassroots level.”
“Women’s sport is going from strength to strength, and we’ve seen a huge rise in recent years, but it still has a long way to go. It is initiatives like the Slingsby Golf Academy, that have presence on TV and social media, that can give women’s sport a boost and a chance to grow at the grassroots level.”
BMW PGA Championship, Championship Director Kit Gartrell added:
“We are delighted that the Slingsby Golf Academy will return to the BMW PGA Championship this year following its success in 2021. Slingsby have been great sponsors of this tournament since coming on board in 2019 and we are thrilled that they share in our vision to make golf accessible to all through inspiring and engaging content. We look forward to welcoming this new cohort of celebrities to the Championship this September.
“We are delighted that the Slingsby Golf Academy will return to the BMW PGA Championship this year following its success in 2021. Slingsby have been great sponsors of this tournament since coming on board in 2019 and we are thrilled that they share in our vision to make golf accessible to all through inspiring and engaging content. We look forward to welcoming this new cohort of celebrities to the Championship this September.
England Golf, CEO Jeremy Tomlinson said:
“We’re delighted to support the new group of Slingsby cadets as they embark on their exciting golfing journey. A core element of England Golf’s ‘Course Planner’ strategy is to inspire more women and girls to pick up a club and enjoy our wonderful game. I have no doubt all the cadets will very quickly develop a passion for the game and that their stories will inspire others to get into golf.”
“We’re delighted to support the new group of Slingsby cadets as they embark on their exciting golfing journey. A core element of England Golf’s ‘Course Planner’ strategy is to inspire more women and girls to pick up a club and enjoy our wonderful game. I have no doubt all the cadets will very quickly develop a passion for the game and that their stories will inspire others to get into golf.”
Robert Maxfield, Chief Executive of The PGA said:
“We are delighted that PGA Members will once again be involved in the Slingsby Golf Academy. As demonstrated last year, helping and supporting those who want to take up the game but don’t know where to start is what PGA Professionals do every day. This brilliant initiative will highlight the key role PGA Members play in introducing more people to golf and the processes they go through to improve their game. We look forward to following Zara, Judy, Dr Zoe and Anna on every step of their golfing journey and hope they develop the same love for the game as we all have. Their stories will undoubtedly inspire plenty more women to give golf a try.”
“We are delighted that PGA Members will once again be involved in the Slingsby Golf Academy. As demonstrated last year, helping and supporting those who want to take up the game but don’t know where to start is what PGA Professionals do every day. This brilliant initiative will highlight the key role PGA Members play in introducing more people to golf and the processes they go through to improve their game. We look forward to following Zara, Judy, Dr Zoe and Anna on every step of their golfing journey and hope they develop the same love for the game as we all have. Their stories will undoubtedly inspire plenty more women to give golf a try.”
The first episode of the Slingsby Golf Academy will be available to watch on Slingsby’s social media (@slingsbysocial) from early April.