A number of Ladies European Tour members are taking part in a pioneering R&A Rules School being run in conjunction with the LET at its headquarters at Buckinghamshire Golf Club this week.
It’s allowing the professional golfers to add another string to their bows and at the completion of the three-tier Rules education programme in October, they will have reached a standard where they will be able to officiate at elite and professional golf events.
Sally McPherson, Membership Manager of the Ladies European Tour, explained: “This course is not necessarily aimed at making the members referees, although they will be able to do this, but will also help them in any tournament administrative role and will open up many avenues for them. As professional golfers they have put a lot of time into golf and this will enable them to contribute further to the game.
“I see this as allowing LET members to work with their federations and to be able to use their skills in a wider sense, such as at corporate days and in golf clinics.”
Shona McRae, The R&A’s Manager – Rules of Golf, commented: “This is the first time that we have run anything like this, really working with the Tour and having a Rules programme specifically for the members. The first stage will cover the introductory and intermediate levels and they will take an exam on Friday morning. They will be able to referee once they have completed the advanced level of the programme, which is taking place from October 5-7.”
The Ladies European Tour members have been studying The Rules intensively for the past month and are looking forward to the challenge of both the classroom and practical elements.
The LET members participating include Zuzana Kamasova, who became the LET’s first winner from Slovakia with her two stroke victory at the Lalla Meryem Cup in Morocco last week.
She commented: “I’m doing the course to help myself as a player, first of all, but also I’m involved with the national team in Slovakia and the kids need help and training in how to learn these things. I believe there are only two guys in Slovakia who have their qualification from The R&A.”
Welsh Tour professional Jo Pritchard said: “It’s been a while since I’ve done any studying, since I completed my PGA in 2008, but it will be good. I thought I knew a lot about The Rules until I started studying and this has opened my eyes. It’s nice to have another branch to add to my CV and this will allow me to give rules clinics at my club.”
Four-time tournament winner Rebecca Hudson of England is also taking part in the programme and she said: “I’m trying to learn more about the business of golf, the board and everything around the game.”
The other Ladies European Tour members participating include Rachel Bell, Monia Bernardo, Charlotte Dalton, Diane Barnard, Federica Dassu, Tara Dayer-Smith, Kirsty Fisher, Barbara Hacket, Kerry Knowles and Tina Tetley. If the inaugural R&A Rules School in conjunction with the LET proves successful, then there may be similar opportunities for members in future years.
