The Scottish Golf Union and the Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association are lending their support to the UK’s second National Golf Month as part of a drive to attract new and lapsed golfers into beginner coaching activities and club membership.
Staged for the first time in 2014, National Golf Month is being organised by the British Golf Industry Association (BGIA) with significant marketing support from Bauer Media, with the aim of getting 100,000 new players participating in the game during the month of May.
This year’s campaign is also being backed by victorious Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley, Ladies European Tour number one Charley Hull and BBC Breakfast TV presenter Naga Munchetty, adding their profile to an initiative which will give clubs a free marketing platform to promote beginner golf coaching, membership deals and the opportunity for newcomers to experience the game of golf at their local club.
Using Bauer Media’s magazines and regional radio stations, National Golf Month will advertise their campaign through April and into May itself, with Scottish clubs set to benefit from exposure on major stations such as Clyde One, Forth One, Tay FM, North Sound, Moray Firth Radio and Radio Borders.
The SGU and the SLGA are encouraging its clubs to plan ahead and take advantage of the campaign, with a new National Golf Month website being launched with the opportunity for clubs to upload their packages, coaching programmes and membership offers to their dedicated page on the website. The advertising campaign will drive interested golfers to the website, where they can search for specific activities in their local area.
National Golf Month Project Manager Doug Poole said: “We are delighted to be working with the Scottish Golf Union and the Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association, as well as England Golf and the Golf Union of Wales, to support clubs throughout the UK. National Golf Month gives all stakeholders in the golf industry a chance to play a part in reversing the trend in declining playing numbers and get golf growing again.”
SGU Deputy Chief Executive Andy Salmon added: “National Golf Month is a great initiative for our clubs to get involved with, providing a wonderful marketing opportunity to promote club membership and welcome newcomers to the game via our national programme, Get into Golf.
“Bauer Media’s support is vital in generating more exposure to the non-golfing audience and we hope that the campaign will appeal to those people who maybe want to take up the game but have stayed away in the past. It’s great that this year’s focus will be on a female audience and I’m sure both Charley and Naga will play their part in encouraging more interest in golf from women.”
Clubs can take part by signing up to the National Golf Month website and uploading details of their initiatives for the month of May, including open days, special offers and beginner golf coaching sessions for all age groups, including existing ClubGolf and Get into Golf activities.
The National Golf Month advertising campaign will commence in April around the time of the Masters, giving clubs the next two months to organise and plan their recruitment activities.
Clubs can find further details at www.scottishgolf.org/club-services/participation
Visit the National Golf Month website
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