With the appointment of a new coaching team, led by John Cook (Witney Lakes) and with the aim of reaching more junior players, the starting point each year will be the Coaching trial days.
 
In 2007 these were held during the October half term week at three regional centres being the Buckinghamshire, Castle Royle and Witney Lakes. Each participant received personal feedback and 90 players have gone through to the next stage where they receive two more hours of tuition.
 
Posters were sent to all clubs inviting juniors to apply by text message and over 100 applied!. All players had to do was to send us their name, postal code, handicap and age and they were invited to attend. In case of over subscription the selecton will be made on the basis of age and handicap. The lower both the better the player's chances. Those who are not successful should try and apply again next year. After the initial trials, players will then be advised if they have reached the next stage.
 
The Top 90 players in 2007 will then be selected to receive additional free coaching from the same professionals through the winter months at their teaching centres.
 
The next stage is that from these 90 players we will select the boys that can join the BB&O junior playing and coaching squads. This group will be made up of the best players or the players with the most potential to form the U12, U14, U16 and U18 squads. They will receive additional coaching through the winter/spring months and from this group we will select the boys that will play in our league and other important matches.
 
The Elite Squad is picked from the group above and these boys will have a chance of playing in the annual SE regional foursomes and 6-man team competitions.
 
Of course playing for England may be many a boys' dream and from the Elite squads we select the boys that will be interviewed for Regional England coaching.
 
Once you are at County Elite or Regional England level you will also receive expert advice on which National tournaments to enter. Tournaments like the Douglas Johns, Reid, McGregor, Northern Boys, Carris and many more which are all attended by England selectors.
 
Once you do well at these events you may well get picked to play for your Country!
However please remember to also enter the many BB&O County competitions and Junior Order of Merit events.
 
If you look at the coaching system tab you will see a schematic that gets you from starting golf to playing for England.
 
Good luck!