Scot stands down after 10 years with Royal Canadian Golf Association

Dean Spriddle becomes Puerto

Rico's Director of Coaching

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Dean Spriddle, a former Fife county champion and Pitreavie Golf Club honorary life member, has stepped down after 10 years as the Royal Canadian Golf Association's head national women's coach, during which time the Scot has established himself as one of the best coaches in North America
The Scot, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, wanted a new challenge and he has got it! Spriddle has quickly been snapped up to be National Golf Director of Coaching on the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. He will continue to stay in Canada for most of the year but the new job gives him a chance to expand his many ideas on coaching programmes.
In his decade with the Royal Canadian Golf Association, Spriddle took a fledgling programme to credibility in women's world amateur golf with a runners up and fourth place finishes as a country at the world amateur championships. Spriddle was instrumental in recognizing that a strong coaching program which included the four disciplines of psychology, physiology, tactics and technique were the cornerstones to a successful programme.
Spriddle will now spend more time at home in Alberta, working at his own facility Evergreen Golf Centre, with both beginners and those aspiring to get better and he will continue to develop his highly successful junior and adult coaching programmes
Already a dozen or so boys and girls from his junior coaching programme have gone on to gain scholarships at North American universities.
Spriddle also now embarks on an exciting challenge to make Puerto Rico a world force in amateur golf. Spriddle thinks that with a little guidance and organisation Puerto Rico will be a new force within three to five years. As Director of Coaching, Spriddle’s task will be to find and develop competent coaches at all levels of player development.
"With constant near-ideal golfing conditions on the Caribbean island and excellent resources, the job at hand is both exciting and challenging. With the parents, players and coaches all backing the Puerto Rico Federation, the goal of the programme may indeed be very real," said Spriddle.
The goal is to win medals at the 2012 Women's World Amateur Championships (the Espirito Santo Trophy) in Turkey.
“I am excited about the possibilities in Puerto Rico and I am keen to see what the players and coaches can do and create a program that produces great coaches and players for years to come” said Spriddle as he embarked on what will be one of many journeys to his base at San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico. Spriddle expects to spend a minimum of 30 days a year travelling to Puerto Rico or to wherever the job requires.
"For years", according to Sidney Wolf , President of the PRGA, " Puerto Rico has competed around the world with at times spurts of success. With Dean Spriddle's guidance leading up our high performance programme, our hope is to become more consistent as well as more competitive while improving our local golf development programme.
"Our goal is to prepare our teaching professionals to become the very best coaches as the game continues to grow on the island. We are confident and excited for this opportunity to work with someone like Dean who we have known for the past 10 years and are familiar with his dedication and success."
Spriddle, who lives at Lethbridge, Alberta, also hopes to continue to play and practise and to again compete in Canadian PGA events.
During his years as the Royal Canadian GA head women's coach he took his squad over to play in the Ladies' British open amateur championship every year and also took on matches for the Canadians while they were in Scotland.

Look out for Dean doing the same with the Puerto Ricans as he seeks to expand their experience on the world amateur stage.