Coaching Qualifications

PGA Trainees / Students

PGA Trainees enrolled on the three-year PGA Training Programme undertake two separate coaching qualifications as part of their training. Successful completion of these qualifications is compulsory to apply for PGA Membership.

The first coaching qualification: ASQ Level 1 Award in Coaching Golf (ASQ Award for Golf Coaching Assistants in Scotland), will introduce the core elements of coaching and provide students with key knowledge and understanding, skills and abilities to begin coaching golf.

The second qualification: ASQ Level 2 Certificate in Coaching Golf (ASQ Certificate in Golf Coaching in Scotland), will build on the foundations laid by the first and seek to ensure that trainees are competent in planning, delivering, and reviewing coaching sessions, as well as demonstrating the ability to review and improve their own coaching practice.

Both qualifications are a blend of online learning and face to face delivery, and successful completion of each one relies on passing a combination of theoretical and practical assessments of coaching knowledge and skills.

These qualifications are only available to PGA Trainees as part of the Training Programme.

Volunteers will be able to access alternative training via the Home Unions. For more information click here.

Payments

The PGA will fully subsidise course fees for registered and current PGA Trainees on the FdSc programme, PGA Trainees on the Professional Golf DipHE (UHI) programme pay a PGA elements fee, which includes the coaching course fees.

The PGA will fully subsidise students beginning other PGA recognised qualifications (e.g. Applied Golf Management Studies, Golf Management BA (Hons) (UHI)) on the first coaching qualification.

The PGA will also fully subsidise the initial course fees for a ‘PGA Trainee’ when they enrol on to the second qualification. A student who is not a PGA Trainee can still enrol onto the qualification, however, they will be required to pay a reduced enrolment fee.

Refunds cannot be given to anyone who completes either qualification prior to enrolment on the PGA’s Training programme.

Requirements to practice

As well as completing each coaching qualification, an individual must also have the following documents in place to be able to provide coaching, relative to the qualification descriptors:

A valid enhanced DBS check (England and Wales) or Protecting Vulnerable Groups Scheme (PVG) (Scotland), Access NI (Northern Ireland) or Garda Vetting (Ireland).
A valid Child Protection Certificate (e.g. sports coach UK, Children 1st, NI Sports Council (Sport Northern Ireland) or Irish Sports Council Safeguarding and Protecting Children).

The PGA’s public liability insurance for its members (specific to taking part in coaching sessions) will only be valid if these are both in place and valid at the time of the coaching activity.

Coaching Levels

Our current coaching qualifications are:

ASQ Level 1 Award in Coaching Golf

The ASQ Level 1 Award in Coaching Golf will provide individuals with the knowledge and competence ‘to assist more qualified coaches, delivering aspects of golf coaching sessions, normally under direct supervision’.

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ASQ Level 2 Certificate in Coaching Golf

The ASQ Level 2 Certificate in Coaching Golf will provide individuals with the knowledge and competence 'to lead the planning and delivery of coaching sessions to improving golfers'.

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