Today sees the launch of #FOREeveryone, The R&A’s participation campaign aimed at encouraging more women and girls to play golf by showcasing the sport and providing practical advice on how anyone can get started.
#FOREeveryone highlights the many benefits of playing golf, including the opportunities to improve physical and mental health, spend time with friends and family, or the simple thrill of competition, while challenging unhelpful misconceptions that non-golfers have about the sport.
Prospective players can now visit FOREeveryone.com to receive practical advice on how to start, as well as hear from existing women golfers across Great Britain and Ireland about the reasons they play and why others should give it a go.
The R&A is working in partnership with England Golf, Golf Ireland, Scottish Golf, Wales Golf and the PGA to encourage new golfers and welcome them to venues across GB&I as they start playing locally.
#FOREeveryone first launched in 2020 as an industry initiative to help golf facilities create an inclusive culture, as well providing them with knowledge and materials to recruit and retain women golfers. More than 740 venues have signed up and can access #FOREeveryone materials and are now well positioned to attract new golfers to their facilities.
Phil Anderton, Chief Development Officer of The R&A, said, “The R&A is demonstrating its commitment to creating greater equality across golf and the #FOREeveryone campaign is the next step in our drive to have more women and girls involved at all levels of the sport.
“Golf has many proven health benefits that make it an appealing sport, especially those new to the game. During the pandemic, when people were looking for outdoor pursuits which could be enjoyed safely, we saw a heightened interest, including from women and girls. In fact, 25% of the women who played golf last year were doing so for the first time*, meaning now is the perfect time to ensure this interest is maintained, so women and girls enjoy the sport for many years to come.”
The #FOREeveryone campaign is part of The R&A’s Women in Golf Charter, which was established in 2018 to both increase the number of women and girls playing the sport globally and create more employment opportunities within the golf industry.
Since its launch, close to 1,000 organisations have signed up to the Women in Golf Charter, with each required to make certain commitments around how they will drive tangible change and help break down the barriers that some might feel the sport presents – whether it is the perceived cost of playing, the time it takes to do so, or how difficult it is to learn.
To find out more about the #FOREeveryone campaign, or for further information about rediscovering golf or locating beginner golf programmes, head to FOREeveryone.com
For more information on the Women in Golf Charter, visit RandA.org
