This successful initiative, which in 2007 brought golf to over 4,500 youngsters from different backgrounds across seven cities, has been nominated for a Sport Industry Award, one of the most prestigious awards of its kind, presented by the Sport Industry Group.
Golf Roots, supported by BBC presenter DJ Spoony and golf’s European Tour, creates local community golf projects designed to empower the children and adult volunteers taking part, while aiming to leave a sustainable sports legacy for each city area. The initiative was one of 28 regional and national projects that were considered by an expert panel of Sport Industry Group judges, which arrived at a short list of seven nominees for The Community Programme Award, to be awarded at a star-studded gala evening in London on 1st May.
The Golf Foundation, a charity committed to the sporting and social development of young people through golf, believes that golf is an ideal sport for promoting attributes to its players like honesty, respect, cooperation and self-motivation; attributes that are seen as desirable for young people growing up in sometimes pressurised city environments.
Mike Round, Chief Executive of the Golf Foundation, said, “The Golf Foundation team is delighted that Golf Roots has been recognised in this way by the Sport Industry Group’s panel of judges. This is a reflection of the hard work of everyone involved with Golf Roots: our local delivery partners, all the many volunteer parents and teachers, PGA professionals, and our own development team.
“A big thank you also goes to our Golf Roots ambassador DJ Spoony and the European Tour, both of whom have helped tremendously, and finally to the youngsters who have all got involved. Their enthusiasm has made Golf Roots a really great programme to run.”
The Sport Industry Awards is said to be the biggest event of its kind in Europe, recognising and rewarding commercial achievement in UK sport in marketing, PR, sponsorship and digital media. Some 1,200 people from the world of sport, business and media will be attending the evening in London.
For 2008, Golf Roots will continue to evolve as the Golf Foundation supports the national golf partnerships in England, Scotland and Wales to grow the game. This year, with additional support from the National Sports Foundation, the R&A and the British Golf Industry Association’s ‘Grow Golf’ fund, the number of cities taking part has more than doubled, with 16 cities involved in Golf Roots.
Golf Foundation www.golf-foundation.org