At Derbyshire County Golf, our commitment to junior golf has always been about more than competitions and coaching sessions. It is about creating a pathway that introduces boys and girls to the sport, nurtures their love of the game, and supports them as they grow from beginners into confident club, county, and even national level players. The support we receive through the Taskers Trophy funding plays a vital role in making that vision a reality.
Why This Funding Matters for Derbyshire’s Young Golfers
The importance of the junior programme cannot be overstated. Each year, over 150 young golfers take part in a structured programme that guides their development, whether they are absolute beginners accessing our Futures Tour and NextGen Tour or elite junior players performing at the highest levels.
Through this programme, young golfers gain access to high quality coaching from PGA professionals across Derbyshire and take part in a progression of events that cater to all ability levels. Many juniors get their very first taste of competition through these opportunities, and it often sparks a lifelong love for golf. Our throughput at events has been remarkable. With over 50 players in each event and 75 in total, we delivered a throughput of 450. This goes vastly beyond our original target of 270 from two years ago.
The popularity of the programme shines through in our annual survey. There is hardly a junior competing for our county age group teams who has not come through the Futures Tour. The Race to Kedleston continues to grow in strength, driving more than a 20 percent increase in entries to Junior Opens across the county due to the interest generated by the Order of Merit.
A Pathway That Delivers Real Results
Our junior squads continue to achieve at an impressive standard. Every squad finished in a respectable league position in their inter county competitions. The previous under 16s winning the 2024 Ten Counties competition gives us plenty of encouragement for our upcoming 2026 season.
Results from 2024 underline the strength of the programme:
Boys
- U18 target 9 players at 3 handicap or better. 11 achieved
- U16 target 10 players at 6 handicap or better. 11 achieved
- U14 target 12 players at 10 handicap or better. 13 achieved
Girls
- U18 target 3 players at 8 handicap or better. 6 achieved
- U16 target 4 players at 12 handicap or better. 4 achieved
- U14 target 6 players at 20 handicap or better. 6 at 30 or better
How We Will Use the Taskers Trophy Funding
This year’s funding will directly support two core areas of our junior programme.
1. Coaching Support, representing 50 percent of funds
Over 70 young golfers will benefit, including over 20 girls. Coaching spans three categories:
- Participation for young players often under 12 identified through the Futures Tour
- Performance for juniors developing from handicaps 20 to 6
- Elite for our strongest golfers playing from single figure handicaps down to scratch and beyond
2. Developing the Player Pathway, also representing 50 percent of funds
Around 100 youngsters will benefit, including 20 girls, through:
- Futures Tour and NextGen Tour
A series of 9 hole competitions for beginners, non handicap players, and high handicap golfers held on Sunday afternoons throughout the summer. The season concludes with a fantastic presentation event. - Race to Kedleston
A season long Order of Merit culminating in a Grand Final at Kedleston in September, with the top six gross and nett qualifiers earning their place.
In total, we expect 170 juniors to benefit from the programme.
Our Measures of Success
We judge our progress through three strategic priorities:
- More players
Increasing the number of juniors playing golf regularly, targeting 80 players and a throughput of 500 for 2026. - High quality competitions
Continued delivery of well organised competitions from beginner level through to elite junior events. We measure success through entry numbers and end of season surveys. - Stronger county junior teams
Developing talented juniors to create winning Derbyshire teams at all levels, aiming for an average 30 percent handicap reduction for players in our coaching programme.
Long Term Impact Already Taking Shape
Thanks to previous Taskers Trophy support, our programme is now developing golfers who are giving back to the county. There are now 11 Assistant Professionals working across Derbyshire and beyond who came through our junior ranks. They are now helping coach the next generation and strengthening the entire structure of junior golf in the county.
Their achievements speak volumes.
This year alone:
- 2 made debuts in the Men’s County First Team and regularly play for the Second Team
- 2 represented England Schools against Wales
- 3 girls are regular County Ladies team players
- 1 represented Wales in the R and A Home Internationals and plays for Wales Under 18s at age 16
Looking Ahead
Our goal remains clear. We want to build a pathway that supports winning golfers at county, regional and national level, develops pride in representing Derbyshire, and ensures junior golf continues to flourish for years to come.
The Taskers Trophy funding makes that possible, and we are deeply grateful for its ongoing support.
Leanne Heathcote, Treasurer, Derbyshire County Golf - Derbyshire County Golf
