Golf has made such a positive impact on my life
Junior golf coach Stacey Mitchell, from Pottergate Golf Club, in Lincolnshire, tells us how she received the Bellamy Bursary from The Trust more than a decade ago. This helped support her continue playing and build a career in the sport she loves.
There would never be enough words to tell the true story of the positive impact golf has had on my life.
It has been in my life for as long as I can remember – from early memories of playing with a plastic set, then first starting at the local common and driving range at eight and playing a course regularly as a teenager.
I have been fortunate to have a career in golf that I loved and enjoyed very much – both personally and professionally.
I was awarded the Bellamy Bursary while taking a Masters degree at Lincoln University. It gave me confidence and made me feel supported and able to thrive in the game of golf and within my studies.
I used it to help fund club membership and equipment, coaching, travel and clothing expenses. At the time I was researching gender inequality in golf which ultimately led me to work at the Golf Foundation for almost a decade as Regional Development Officer
With help from the Trust, I have forged a successful career path in golf and it has allowed me to develop key life skills such as honesty, perseverance, self-motivation, concentration, confidence and communication. It has also made me an independent person while also being a team player.
The bursary supported me throughout a time of financial difficulty. This provided huge support alongside encouraging me to continue within the game while studying for my Masters degree. I continued playing, reducing my handicap and representing my golf club, while still studying.
I now work as Junior Golf Coach at Pottergate Golf Club and am Girls Golf Coach for the Order of Merit programme at the Lincolnshire Women’s Golf Association. I am also an instructor at Virtually Golf, Lincoln and run my own golf development business SM Golf Services.
Golf has been such a positive force in my life. From a young age, I was quiet socially and in public and I didn’t have a lot of confidence. Playing golf from my teenage years, meant I had to give speeches and presentations and engage with people of all ages. Golf has helped me develop social skills and communicate with people of all backgrounds.
