Clayton and Henderson join new-look Scottish Golf Performance Team
SGU NEWS RELEASE
Stuart
Clayton and Spencer Henderson have been recruited to a new-look
Scottish Golf Performance team, ahead of the new unified governing body
teeing off from October 1
Steve
Paulding, the Scottish Golf Performance Manager, has announced the
first stage of a development coaching restructure with Clayton coming in
as Performance Development Manager and Henderson, pictured right when he was Turkey's national coach, returning to the role
of National Boys Coach.
Paulding
has also confirmed David Patrick will be continuing in his role as
National Girls Coach, with additional time and responsibility to deliver
the Girls Performance programme, including all training and preparation
for competitions.
National
Coach Ian Rae will oversee the new Performance coaching team across the
amateur game, seeking to build on recent successes, including victory
at the European Men’s Amateur Team Championship, Boys’ Home
Internationals triumph and
three Scots featuring in GB&I’s victorious Walker Cup team.
Clayton,
who hails from the north-east of England, will oversee the Scottish
Golf Academy and Development Centre programme. For the last five years,
the highly respected instructor has worked at the IMG Academy in
Florida, with young Scottish
pro Sally Watson an alumna of the Academy.
Before joining the IMG Academy,
Clayton worked around the world as the Director of Golf academies in
Austria and South Korea, and has also worked with David Leadbetter as
both a player and assistant instructor. Some of Clayton’s notable
students include South Korean LPGA players Mi Jung Hur and Ha Na Jang, both
inside the top 70 in the world rankings.
Meantime,
Henderson, who hails from Banff, is returning to Scotland after six years previously with the
Scottish Golf Union, including four as National Boys Coach.
Henderson
worked with Richie Ramsay at Boys’ and Youths level and with James
Byrne, Ross Kellett and Bradley Neil in the early part of their careers,
helping Scotland to a runner-up finish in the European Boys Team
Championship in 2006.
The Scot departed his role in 2010,
first taking up the position of National Coach in Turkey, steering them
to a best-ever World Amateur Team Championship finish in 2012, and then
moving to Azerbaijan, as Director of Golf Development, to
help develop the game in a new environment.
“I’m
delighted to be coming back to Scotland,” said Henderson. “We have a
number of good young players with potential coming through and I look
forward to helping them develop over the coming years, such is my desire
and commitment to see
Scottish Golf succeed at the highest level.
“It
was particularly pleasing seeing Jack McDonald and Grant Forrest
performing so well at the Walker Cup, as we noticed their potential and
gave them their first caps at Scottish Under-16 level. I look forward to
using my different experiences
from working in Turkey and Azerbaijan and returning to performance
coaching.”
Looking
confidently to the future, Paulding added: “I’m excited by the
opportunities that an amalgamated body offers at performance level in
Scotland.
“In
the last two years, I’ve spent a lot of time at the sharp end of men’s
and ladies amateur golf and seen us develop players and enjoy good
results, especially at boys’ and men’s level.
“But
there is still a lot of work to be done, the rest of the world is not
standing still and we need to learn quicker to get ahead of other
countries. I’m confident the new Performance team will help drive
forward further the raising of
standards in Scotland.”
Paulding
is currently finalising the Performance development coaching workforce
at regional level to support Scottish Golf’s programmes, which will be
announced within the first month of the new organisation coming into
existence.
Ed Hodge
SG PR and Media Executive
Office Line: 01334 466477
Mobile No: 07850 772166Labels: SGU
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