Faldo Futures continues to drive junior golf growth
More than 4,300 young golfers take part in Faldo Futures events so far this season.
The Faldo Futures initiative has enjoyed another year of remarkable growth, with more than 4,300 young golfers taking part in qualifying events across Great Britain, Ireland and beyond during the 2026 season.
Created by Sir Nick Faldo, Faldo Futures provides an inclusive introduction to competitive golf for children aged 7 to 12 years, giving golf clubs a proven platform to grow junior participation while inspiring the next generation of players.
A total of 155 Faldo Futures Qualifiers were staged during 2026, including 135 events across Great Britain & Ireland, 15 co-sanctioned events with Robert Rock Tour and Stephen Gallagher Foundation and six international qualifiers. Events were hosted in England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Malaysia, highlighting the programme’s expanding international reach.
Across all qualifying events, 4,346 children took part, including 3,910 players in Great Britain & Ireland and a further 436 internationally. Participation continued to grow significantly, with an average of 28 players per qualifier, up from 22 in 2025, while The Warwickshire hosted the largest qualifying event with 64 young golfers competing.
Female participation also continued to strengthen, with 16% of all qualifying competitors being girls.
Successful participants from the qualifying events took part in one of 16 Faldo Futures Regional Finals, held across 14 venues in Great Britain & Ireland and two venues in Malaysia, bringing together 1,017 qualifying players. Of those finalists, 734 competed in England, 138 in Scotland, 57 in Ireland and 88 in Malaysia.
The Regional Finals also demonstrated the programme’s success in attracting more girls into competitive golf, with 27% of competitors being female – a significant increase on the qualifying events and further evidence of the initiative’s growing inclusivity.
Matthew Faldo said: “Faldo Futures is all about giving young golfers a fun, welcoming first experience of competition while helping golf clubs create thriving junior sections. It’s fantastic to see the programme continuing to grow, reaching more children than ever before and encouraging more girls to take up the game. Every event is another opportunity to inspire a lifelong love of golf.”
The continued growth of Faldo Futures reflects increasing demand from golf clubs looking to provide structured, accessible opportunities for young golfers while strengthening their junior coaching and membership pathways.
Registrations are now open for clubs wishing to host a Faldo Futures Qualifier in Spring 2027. By becoming a host venue, clubs can increase junior participation, strengthen connections with families and local communities, enhance coaching programmes and demonstrate their commitment to developing the future of the game.
With participation continuing to rise year after year, Faldo Futures is firmly establishing itself as one of the leading grassroots junior golf initiatives, helping thousands of young people take their first steps into competitive golf in a fun, inclusive and supportive environment.
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