A MAJOR new coaching initiative for juniors has been launched with bases at Hadden Hill, Witney Lakes and Studley Wood.

The Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire (BB&O) Golf Partnership’s Junior Golf Academies got under way when 200 boys and girls attended sessions at nine venues across the counties.

Organisers hope the academies’ structured coaching programme will fast-track talented youngsters on to county level and beyond.

Heading the scheme at Studley Wood is their new director of golf Dusan Gavrilovic.

“We’re looking to spot talent and develop those players through to county level, then hopefully through to pro and national level,” he said.

“It’s fantastic to be part of the county golf partnership and it’s very exciting because kids are the lifeblood of the game.”

The programme is divided into five segments – technical, tactical, psychological, physical and lifestyle A further five coaching days have been set aside in April, May, September, October and November.

Funding for the Junior Golf Academies has been provided by Sport England over a three-year period.

John Low, chairman of the BB&O Golf Partnership, said: “This programme had been enthusiastically received and strongly supported.”