The search has started for the 2014 champions of England Golf’s National Skills Challenge. This year’s competition, sponsored by FJ, has just begun and the first official Challenge event of 2014 is underway.

Over 800 clubs and ranges and 6000 juniors are registered to take part in this year’s National Skills Challenge – and there’s still time to enter.

The top players who take part in the two official Challenges will be eligible to qualify for the 96 regional final places and the top 32 will go forward to the national final.

The National Skills Challenge is England Golf’s junior skills programme and consists of 10 challenges covering putting, chipping, pitching, bunker play and the long game.

Registered clubs have the choice of taking part in the two official Challenge events - which take place between specific dates - or running own club challenges or simply incorporating the activities into their own junior coaching programmes.

The 2014 club Challenge dates are as follows:

Challenge 1: Saturday 1st March 2014 – Sunday 4th May 2014
Challenge 2: Monday 5th May 2014 – Sunday 6th July 2014

The regional finals will be held in August and the national final in September.

Richard Flint, England Golf Club Services and Development Director, commented: “The National Skills Challenge provides golf facilities with a range of fun coaching activities, which help to encourage juniors to practice and develop their skills.  All golf clubs and driving ranges are welcome to register and receive a variety of free resources including manuals, scorecards and certificates.”

FJ have supported this initiative since 2010 with products and prizes for all players who qualify for the regional and national finals.

Russell Lawes, FJ Marketing Manager, said: “We are delighted to once again support the National Skills Challenge. Teaching junior golfers the key fundamentals of golf at an early age is extremely important to their development and understanding of the game.

“The relaxed and enjoyable environment in which the National Skills Challenge is run is perfect for engaging juniors with the game of golf. We as always look forward to hearing how the juniors progress throughout the year and would like to wish everyone participating the very best of luck.”

Dates and venues for the regional and national finals, together with the live online leaderboards, and information on how to register are available now at www.getintogolf.org/skills

The National Skills Challenge, supported by FJ, is an initiative provided by England Golf as part of the England Golf Strategic Plan 2014-2017.

Photograph: Competitors at the 2013 National Skills Challenge final (image copyright John Thomson).