Swan Golf Designs has participated in an initiative to help bring the game of golf to disadvantaged children.

Working alongside the Endeavour School in Essex, UK, Swan Golf Designs has donated SNAG kit and helped to develop the children’s golfing and social skills.

“It seemed that those youngsters who have autistic behavioural characteristics, who have a remarkable ability to focus – often to the exclusion of being aware of the wider implications of that and often to presenting society with a great difficulty in understanding and accepting them – could well enjoy playing the game because of that focus and do rather well at it,” said Howard Swan. “At the same time it could do something for them. It has turned out to be exactly that. The classes which we have held have been highly successful in developing their learning in terms of how to swing the club and how to hit the ball, while also giving them a real lift in their self-esteem.”

The Endeavour Initiative began last autumn with a class of 14 and 15-year-olds being taught by professional staff at Little Channels Golf Centre and stemmed from Swan working with the SNAP charity over the last two years.

“I am looking to expand the initiative to other schools in Essex, with the support of other golf clubs in Essex during the coming months, and having set out a three year plan for its development, hopefully with the support of England Golf. It is my ambition to see the game reaching out to this part of our community and achieving real social advantage, progression and sustainability,” added Swan.