‘Mo Bros’ and ‘Mo Sistas’ are being encouraged to get up and MOVE in the latest fundraising initiative from the Movember Foundation.
The global charity, made famous by its campaign to get men growing moustaches during November, is teaming up with The PGA and the Organisation of Golf Range Owners (OGRO) in a bid to tackle physical inactivity across the UK.
Every Monday in November, floodlit driving ranges across the UK are ‘going clubbing’ for Movember Mondays, part of the Foundation’s MOVE initiative to raise funds, awareness, and get people moving.
The centres will all host weekly events to encourage new and existing golfers to discover the health and social benefits that swinging a golf club with their mates can bring.
Alongside free hints, tips, and beginner sessions, visitors at each venue will also have the chance to ‘chip for change’ and win Movember merchandise as well as a place at next year’s Movember Golf Day, to be held at four-time Ryder Cup venue The Belfry.
As well as Movember Mondays, golfers in general are being encouraged to host their own golf days in support of Movember, and to register these as an official event on Movember.com. Societies and clubs can request an event pack to help them run their day by contacting Movember directly at info.uk@movember.com.
The highest fundraisers, and of course the best Mo’s, will also win a place at the golf day next April.
Lastly, The PGA is encouraging all of its pros to help raise awareness of this great cause by showing off their best trick shots on social media using the hashtags #mogolf and of course #movember.
Movember Mondays will form part of a wider battle to tackle the growing trend of male physical inactivity. According to the Movember Foundation, physical inactivity is now the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality, causing 3.2 million deaths globally.
Since 2003 the Movember Foundation has encouraged over five million men and women to join the global men’s health movement and has now taken up the fight against the growing issue of inactivity, aiming to invest in programmes to work out what makes men move more and target those at most risk.
It has raised over £402 million and funded over 1,000 programmes focusing on prostate cancer, testicular cancer, poor mental health and physical inactivity.
“Physical inactivity is a massive issue,” said JC, Movember co-founder.
“Moving on a regular basis can reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer by up to 50%. We’re really pleased to be working with The PGA and OGRO, as golf has proven physical and mental health benefits.”
Kyle Phillpots, joint chief operating officer and director of education and career development at The PGA said: “The aims of Movember fit very well with golf. We have a large population of males who may be at risk from the cancers that were the original focus of Movember.
“Further to this, golf is about community and friendship and playing a round of golf gives players time to talk and evidence shows that talking about issues, as well as the more obvious health benefits that come from playing golf, can help participants live longer, happier, healthier lives.”
Movember Foundation uk.movember.com.
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