The British Golf Industry Association (BGIA) presented the Golf Foundation with £15,000 during The Open Championship to support the charity’s work in developing golf in schools, communities and golf clubs through its HSBC Golf Roots initiative.
Chairman of the Golf Foundation Charles Harrison (pictured right) thanked BGIA members and the Association’s Chairman Nigel Freemantle (left) during the annual lunch organised for the industry at Muirfield by specialist research consultancy SPORTS MARKETING SURVEYS INC., and the BGIA, on behalf of HSBC Golf Roots.
Around £8,000 was raised thanks to companies and organisations on the BGIA Golf Day in April, while Trustees of the BGIA’s ‘Grow Golf’ initiative elected to add to this and make a combined £15,000 donation.
The funds will be utilised for the Foundation’s HSBC Golf Roots initiative which, through Tri-Golf, Golf Xtreme, the Junior Golf Passport and other projects, reaches hundreds of thousands of youngsters from different backgrounds and circumstances.
Mike Round, Chief Executive of the Golf Foundation, said that all present from the industry at Muirfield were part of “a strong golf community that can work together to create real change and progress for the sport”.
He added: “We hope that more businesses in golf will recognise the importance of supporting HSBC Golf Roots. This support from the BGIA’s Grow Golf fund helps to highlight the industry benefit of offering the next generation of golfers opportunities that we have all enjoyed.”
Co-hosts of the event SPORTS MARKETING SURVEYS INC. and the BGIA also drew the attention of the audience to the need to encourage new golfers.
Presenting figures that detailed a disappointing 2012 for golf participation in GB, John Bushell, Managing Director of SPORTS MARKETING SURVEYS INC., said: “The focus for all involved in golf must still be to attract new and lapsed golfers back to the sport – but to maintain national funding in England, and for expenditure overall on the sport, we just need to get those who play, to play more often.
“Core Golfers are there. They want to play golf. Let’s work together to give them the opportunity to play with FUN, FAST & FREQUENT golf that helps generate more than €15.1 billion for Europe or €6.2 billion for GB&I.”
BGIA Chairman Nigel Freemantle said: “Attracting new and lapsed golfers is a long-term issue and it requires collaboration between the industry and the golfing bodies. The insights provided by SPORTS MARKETING SURVEYS INC., and the funding provided by bodies such as the BGIA, PGA, The R&A, England Golf, The European Tour, the Ryder Cup Committee, and the ‘Grow Golf’ fund for the HSBC Golf Roots programme delivered by the Golf Foundation, demonstrates how the golf community is pulling together to tackle these important issues.”
British Golf Industry Association www.bgia.org.uk
SPORTS MARKETING SURVEYS INC www.sportsmarketingsurveysinc.com
Golf Foundation www.golf-foundation.org