England Golf has named July as Family Golf Month and will lead a drive to attract all the generations to Get into golf together.
Clubs and driving ranges across the country are being invited to organise open days to highlight golf as a great game that can involve all the family.
England Golf is offering marketing support and a new Family Guidance booklet, which is packed with advice and ideas for events. It’s available to clubs at www.englandgolf.org/clubhouse
The guide also quotes research which shows that playing with family members is an ideal way for newcomers to get into the sport. Almost 50% of non-golfers say they would be encouraged to play with friends and family; and almost 40% of lapsed golfers say they would return to the game if more family and friends played. What’s more almost 80% of men with a wife or partner say their companion doesn’t play golf.
The Golf Foundation is supporting the drive with its HSBC Golf Roots Family Bag, which contains kit to support fun activities for adults and juniors, golfers and non-golfers. The kit bag is ideal for family open days and free bags are being sent to 150 HSBC Golf Roots Centres which are keen to offer family activities.
“Golf really is the perfect game for families,” said Claire Hodgson, England Golf’s Head of Participation. “Mums, dads, children and grandparents can all play together and have a great time on the course and with the social life in the clubhouse. It’s a really good way for all the generations to get together and enjoy each other’s company.
“We are delighted to see an increasing number of family activities being added to Get into golf and hope to see even more over the coming months as clubs increasingly realise that families are potential new customers.”
The Family Golf Month is part of the Get into golf campaign to inspire people to take up golf and play more often. It is supported by Sky Sports and aims to bring 500,000 new or lapsed golfers into the sport in the UK by 2018.
The family initiative follows a push to attract more women and girls into golf and coincides with the national launch of Golf Express, which promotes the nine-hole game and shows that golf can fit into a busy lifestyle.
Clubs and ranges can visit www.englandgolf.org/clubhouse for more information on ways to support Family Golf Month. Families should visit www.getintogolf.org to find an activity near them.
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