Creating a meaningful industry coalition along with youth development programmes are critical to prospects of beefing up interest and participation in golf in Asia.
That was the message from Steve Mona, President and Chief Executive Officer of the World Golf Foundation, in a far-reaching presentation on the final day of the sixth Asia Pacific Golf Summit (APGS).
In a 30-minute address at Brunei’s award-winning Empire Hotel & Country Club, Mona laid out his vision for how Asia can drive growth and vitality in the golf industry; how Asia can learn from other parts of the world and how Asia can utilise resources that have proved successful elsewhere.
To succeed in growing the game, Mona said Asia needs to develop a solid infrastructure, incorporating governing bodies, professional Tours, trade associations, industry suppliers and tourism bodies. “The creation of a meaningful industry coalition is essential to drive the growth agenda and bring all entities together,” said Mona.
This body, he added, can seek to influence government legislation and regulation as well as developing and distributing key metrics such as number of golfers and rounds played.
“There needs to be one focal point in place. This is non-negotiable,” he said.
Mona also touched on player development programmes, youth programmes and legacy programmes, such as a Hall of Fame and golf museum.
Founded in 1994, the World Golf Foundation’s mission ‘is to develop and support initiatives that positively impact lives through the game of golf and its traditional values’.
In support of that mission, World Golf Foundation focuses on a variety of initiatives to grow and celebrate the game of golf around the world, including The First Tee and the GOLF 20/20 initiative which pursues programmes to ensure golf’s continued growth and vitality.
Mona said: “All World Golf Foundation initiatives work together to support the growth of the game among youth, women and minorities, while also fostering diversity within the golf industry.
“The World Golf Foundation also supports the golf industry in a variety of other roles, including acting as a centralised vehicle for communicating the industry’s initiatives to the media, initiating research projects to demonstrate the game’s scope and impact, and providing a unified approach to the anti-doping policies being implemented by the major global professional Tours.”
World Golf Foundation www.worldgolffoundation.org