Brand New Golf Simulator Opens at Wycombe Abbey
3 May 2024 - All
We were delighted to welcome Rachel Keens (former Director of Sport and Deputy Head) back to Wycombe Abbey to open our incredible new golf simulator. Rachel left School nearly five years ago after 24 happy years; she is a passionate golfer and a member of Cotswold Hills Golf Club.
While teaching in the PE Department, she tried hard to encourage participation in golf, offering it as an option in Upper Fifth and Sixth Form Games. While there were never many pupils with a handicap, Rachel was determined to get a team together and, in the early 2000s, was incredibly proud of the Wycombe Abbey golf team, which won the Independent Girls’ Schools Championships at Sunningdale Ladies Golf Club.
England Golf, the sport’s governing body, is working hard to make the sport more inclusive and accessible, especially to girls and women, and this was one of our motivations when, in January 2023, we began discussions about building our very own golf simulator. Funded in part by a donation from a parent and with the remaining financial support provided by the School, the facility formally opened on Saturday 27 April. It was lovely to welcome parents and girls to join us for afternoon tea before the ceremonial ribbon was cut, and we all had some time to play a few fun games – some more successful than others!
The golf simulator has already been used by a number of Upper Fifth and Sixth Form pupils as part of their Games options and some of our top golfers have enjoyed regular access as part of their own training in preparation for international competition. In the near future, we look forward to incorporating the simulator into the Golf Paid Extras programme (which will make cold, dark winter evenings of golf more enjoyable!), introducing this as part of our weekly House Games competition and including it in our Weekend Activities programme. We hope this will further enthuse girls to take part, irrespective of whether they have ever swung a club before.
On cutting the ceremonial ribbon, Rachel said, ‘What an incredible new facility for the School. Fantastic practice for existing golfers, especially when the weather and winter dark evenings prevent and restrict practice times, but also what an opportunity for all pupils to have a go and experience golf amongst friends.’ Our thanks go to Rachel for giving up her time to join us and to everyone who helped bring this idea to fruition. If you would like to see the facility and learn more about it, please do not hesitate to contact me directly by emailing [email protected].
Mr Nick Woods
Deputy Head (Strategy and Operations)
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