Burghley Park Golf Club coach picks up prestigious U.S. Kids Golf award at PGA Show in Orlando

A golf coach will rub shoulders with the sport's great and the good in the United States after winning a top award.

Darren Game was one of just three coaches in the UK to win the Top 50 Kids Coaches Award for leading coaching programme U.S. Kids Golf.

Making the list is seen as one of the biggest achievements in the world for junior golf coaches.

“It was a total surprise to be told that I was going to be recognised a top kids coach," he said.

"Now it's how I can keep myself up there."

Darren headed to Orlando, in Florida, last weekend to collect his award at the PGA Show attended by a host of top professionals, including US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick.

"I'm going to make sure my camera is fully charged up," he added.

"It's always nice to be recognised, but I work for the kids, not for that.

"Most importantly it's how I can use it to inspire others to follow on and do it themselves."

A coach for 30 years, Darren started using the U.S. Kids programme when he moved back to Burghley Park in 2020, haven taken up the game there as a junior member.

He now works with 104 children aged six and over.

"I want to make the golf club a place where children want to come and be active," he added.

As well as lead junior coach at the Stamford club, Darren also works as girls' coach with the USA-based Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA), and runs the Lincs Junior Golf Academy which he set up at Bourne Golf Centre.

In 2018, he also received a Golf Foundation award at Wentworth for his work in making golf inclusive.

"I teach golf because I love it and want to pass on my passion for the game," he said.