The Golf Foundation has stepped up its annual appeal to raise the funds needed to bring more youngsters into golf clubs and protect the future of the game.
The revamped campaign ‘Commit to junior golf’ is aimed directly at members of all golf clubs. The Golf Foundation is appealing to clubs to introduce an optional £2 levy into their annual subscription, which members can agree to support if they choose.
A recent membership survey conducted by the EGU has shown that clubs in England have welcomed 7,500 new junior members since 2004 with 46 per cent of clubs increasing their junior memberships. At an approximate average membership fee of £100 this equates to more than £750,000 of revenue into golf clubs.
Golf Foundation Chief Executive Mike Round said, “Much of this increase is as a result of the dedicated work of the Golf Foundation. The more money we raise, the more is ploughed into initiatives that currently see 500,000 children a year experiencing golf for the first time in schools and creating successful pathways that feed these children into golf clubs. We are seeing the results of all this hard work now, and this fundraising campaign seeks to improve these results still further.”
Using high-profile publicity and regular communication with golf clubs, the Golf Foundation has set itself the target of 50 per cent of golf clubs in England, Scotland and Wales agreeing to adopt the scheme throughout the next five years. This will raise an estimated £1 million per year.
Mike Round added, “Every golfer who loves the sport would happily donate £2 to help protect and grow the game. The beauty of this new campaign is that it gives clubs the opportunity to allow their members to decide. Participating golf clubs, secretaries, directors and committees can now play the hugely important role of communicating with their members, establishing the donation as an add-on to annual subscriptions and making a real difference in actually helping grass roots junior golf and growing the market.
“Frankly, it’s in everyone’s interest to support this national campaign. Without national initiatives such as Tri-Golf that can be implemented at a local level we won’t see significant results and golf clubs will suffer down the line. Junior members are the lifeblood of a successful club, ensuring future success. Fortunately, the vast majority of club members recognise this and with this new appeal campaign, a positive step is in place for everyone to make a difference.”
The Golf Foundation will be producing a special information pack which will help clubs to communicate the optional levy to their members within their annual subscriptions mailing.
Golf Foundation www.golf-foundation.org