The Derbyshire Golf Development Group have been awarded a grant by Sport England to help spearhead the drive to encourage more people into the sport in Derbyshire.
The grant awarded through a small grants application to Sport England of £8,600 for developing golf in the Derbyshire will be used to raise the profile of golf out in the local community with an aim to encourage people to take up the sport and hopefully become golf club members.
A community golf coach will be engaged to take the sport away from the established clubs and out into local parks, schools, organisations and businesses, with the help of a new inflatable and portable net, which means someone can try swinging a golf club and hitting a ball away from the traditional greens and fairways of a course.
Nigel Furniss, Development Officer for the Derbyshire Golf Development Group, said: “It is really encouraging to receive this support from Sport England, it will allow us to take golf into the community and work in partnership together with clubs and facilities to try and develop the game of golf.
“All clubs are currently facing the challenge of recruiting and retaining members, the Derbyshire Golf Development Group has recognised the potential of engaging a community golf coach to take the sport into the community to the benefit of the sport and also the golf clubs in the county.
“The funding will help the Development Group to support the golfing community and we are indebted to Sport England for their support.
“Our target now is to introduce 800 people over the next 12 months to golf through this initiative and hopefully excite them to want to continue in the game and hopefully join a club, but more importantly become a lifelong participant in a sport which brings so many health and social benefits.”
The Sport England award coupled with the grant made to the High Peak Regional Golf Development Group earlier in the summer means that £17, 200 will be made available to help grow and development the game of golf in Derbyshire through these initiatives.
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In Derbyshire the development group is supported by the Derbyshire Ladies County Golf Association, the Derbyshire Union of Golf Clubs and the Derbyshire PGA.
For more details of the activities in Derbyshire visit www.derbyshiregolf.org
England Golf www.englandgolf.org