Mannings Heath, an Exclusive Golf Club in Horsham, has launched a ‘Golfers of the Future’ initiative, designed to encourage more youth participation into the sport.
The initiative follows a survey from the Youth Sport Trust in January 2015, which found that the number of children playing sport is in steep decline, with children born today forecast to be 35 per cent less active by 2030 than those in 1961.
To break down the barriers of participation, Mannings Heath now offers significantly reduced tiered fees, with junior membership free for under 12 years, £100 for 12 to 14 years old and £150 for 15 to 18 years. Regular weekend and school holiday coaching roll ups and playing opportunities are being introduced, in addition to more interclub competitions for the established players.
Since launching the initiative, Mannings Heath has seen a significant uptake of new junior members and renewal of existing memberships, for both girls and boys. The club boasts the award-winning members only Waterfall Course and the Kingfisher Course, set in 500 acres of beautiful Sussex countryside.
Stephanie Hall, General Manager at Mannings Heath, commented: “We are determined to play our part in tackling the decline of young people partaking in sport, and for us this means launching an initiative to encourage and welcome juniors into our club. We have a strong record of developing juniors to a high standard, but have noticed a decline in new junior members, however our reduced fees and new coaching programmes are helping to defeat this trend.”
Stephanie continues, “We hope other clubs will join us in creating a sport that young people are excited to become a part of.”
The Youth Sport Trust, an independent charity devoted to changing young people’s lives through sport, also discovered that only 21 per cent of boys and 16 per cent of girls are fulfilling the recommended minimum levels for physical exertion.
Mannings Heath www.manningsheath.com
Youth Sport Trust www.youthsporttrust.org
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