A special presentation took place at Gorleston Golf Club to celebrate the club's achieving the English Golf Union/English Women's Golf Association GolfMark Award (including Sport England's ClubMark Award).

A special presentation took place at Gorleston Golf Club to celebrate the club's achieving the English Golf Union/English Women's Golf Association GolfMark Award (including Sport England's ClubMark Award).

The prestigious EGU/ EWGA GolfMark Award is an accreditation process that identifies junior and beginner-friendly golf clubs. Clubs have to reach a nationally required standard in areas surrounding coaching and playing, club environment and child protection and duty of care.

Secretary/manager David James said the club felt proud that they are now nationally recognised as a junior and beginner friendly golf club. “We pride ourselves on providing a welcoming, fun, structured and safe environment in which our junior and beginner golfers can flourish.”

Gorleston are now the ninth golf club in Suffolk to be awarded the EGU/ EWGA GolfMark accreditation and the initiative is being heavily driven by the Suffolk Golf Partnership with support for clubs available through the county development officer, Alastair Spink.

East of England EGU/EWGA regional development officer, Steven Peet commented: “I would like to thank everybody involved in the GolfMark process at Gorleston Golf Club, especially Barry and Terrie Collingwood who were largely responsible for driving the initiative within the club. I am sure the club will now benefit from the excellent structure they have in place, particularly for their junior golfers.”

Through the GolfMark accreditation process Gorleston Golf Club has now formed official links with schools in the local area and the clubs PGA professional, Nick Brown is now going into schools to deliver tri-golf and golf extreme coaching as a way to introduce golf to the children.