The Grow the Game website, which launched in December 2010 at the European Golf Business Conference in London, has received overwhelming support and plaudits from across the golf industry.
The project and resulting website (www.growthegameofgolf.org ) is a joint initiative of the European Golf Bodies and the European Golf Course Owners Association (EGCOA), and is based on best practices and feed-back gathered from professional players, course owners and operators from around the world.
“The Grow the Game website is an encyclopedia of initiatives to grow the game of golf,” said Geoff Russell, Editor, www.golfbusinessnews.com . “It is an invaluable resource and one of the finest tool kits for this purpose that has ever been produced. The compendium of ideas comes from a wide range of initiators: from national organisations and golf’s governing bodies all over the world through to individual entrepreneurs who are simply trying to build their own businesses by creating more customers. Whatever your problem, you can bet that someone, somewhere will have come up with a solution that you can either copy or adapt. What a wonderful gift to the Business of Golf!”
With concerns throughout the industry regarding slow game growth, and the increase in age of the average golfer, the search for initiatives to introduce new players to the game and to retain existing players is more important than ever before.
James Langmead, PGA Golf Professional of www.thegolfshoponline.co.uk, said: “This is a great idea and something the game desperately needs. Over the past ten years golf has been in decline and it needs some fresh impetus. I wholeheartedly support this website and its vision.”
Lodewijk Klootwijk, Director of the EGCOA said: “This is a project which is still evolving, and which needs ongoing support and inspiration from the industry. The results so far have been extremely encouraging. We very much welcome new ideas and initiatives, and invite people to send us their input to help us bring the Grow the Game project to the next level.”
Grow the Game: www.growthegameofgolf.org
About the European Golf Bodies:
The group comprises the Club Managers Association of Europe (CMAE), the European Golf Industry Association (EGIA), the European Institute of Golf Course Architects (EIGCA), the European Golf Course Owners Association (EGCOA), the Federation of European Golf Green keepers Associations (FEGGA), the Golf Environment Organization (GEO), the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) and the Professional Golfers’ Associations of Europe.
The group meets annually during the Open Championship, and has set a joint goal: to grow the game of golf. This is a binding cause of the European Golf Bodies. The Grow the Game website is a result of this joint goal.
European Golf Course Owners Association www.egcoa.eu