With figures on rounds played down by 19% in June* and the ongoing poor weather not having helped UK participation figures during the remaining summer months, golf’s leading bodies are continuing to look at ways to combat this decline and get people back playing.
Collective Industry Initiative
The industry are no exception; they too acknowledge that all area’s of the sector have a role to play in promoting and growing the game, and believe it’s in everyone’s best interests to do so. Member companies of the BGIA – the trade body for the UKgolf industry – are therefore being urged to look at the bigger picture and get behind our successful industry initiative first started in 2007 – The Grow Golf Fund.
What is the Grow Golf Fund?
The Fund was set up by the four giants of the game (Acushnet, Callaway, Ping and Taylor Made/Adidas) who joined forces in an unprecedented move to help grow the game of golf. The new initiative aimed to stimulate golf participation across all age groups, geographic regions and social backgrounds in theUKby supporting companies able to deliver on these targets.
How it helps to grow the game in theUK…
Since 2007, the Grow Golf Fund (including the founder trustees and Motocaddy Ltd) has donated a staggering £200,000 to organisations such as The Golf Foundation and its HSBC Golf Roots grassroots program which encourages children and young people to take up the game, and 6060 Golf – which is a new game concept based in driving ranges aiming at attracting non-golfers to the game. Applications for funding are received and vetted by the Fund Trustees (made up of the founder member representatives).
BGIA members can ‘Give Back’ to the game
Recently rallied by BGIA Chairman Doug Poole to get behind the scheme at The Open Industry Lunch event at Royal Lytham St Anne’s in July, BGIA member companies are being urged to contribute as part of their CSR policy, to what is the industries’ collective fund committed to ‘giving back’ to the game.
Contributions are based on company turnover detailed below:
| Grow Golf Fund – Contribution Scale: | |
| Company Turnover | Annual Contribution |
| Up £2.5m | £500.00 annual contribution |
| £2.5 – £5m | £850.00 annual contribution |
| £5m to £7.5m | £1250.00 annual contribution |
| Above £7.5m | 0.02% of UK sales |
*A ‘Get Out Clause’ would also be added to the agreement document to allow any company to resign within two years of signing up to contribute.
Benefits
By signing up to the Grow Golf Fund BGIA members will:
- Give back to the game.
- Enhance their CSR policy.
- Obtain use of the ‘Grow Golf Partner’ logo – highlighting your commitment to growing the game to your customers, clients and competitors.
Sign up to contribute today by contacting the BGIA on 02476 414 99 x207 or at info@bgia.org.uk
*Source: SMS INC