A total of 20,000 inner city children, aged 9 – 12, are being introduced to golf through a new grassroots initiative launched by the Golf Foundation at The Daily Telegraph Damovo British Masters, Marriott Forest of Arden.
The Golf Roots programme, an ambitious collaboration between The Daily Telegraph, Marriott Hotels, Sportsmatch and The European Tour, will also train 1,000 adult volunteers to become Junior Golf Leaders in year one.
Mike Round, CEO, Golf Foundation, said: “One of our key development objectives is to make golf more appealing to a wider audience and this initiative will engage children from inner cities who might not normally get the opportunity to pick up a golf club.
“I am delighted that the initiative has the support of The Daily Telegraph and Marriott Hotels, both of whom have a long-standing commitment to golf, and has attracted the maximum award of £50,000 from Sportsmatch. The programme also has the support of The European Tour.”
The initiative takes place in four cities in 2003 - Birmingham, London, Liverpool and Southampton - targeting 80 primary schools. Children will participate in Tri-Golf sessions during curriculum time and then progress to receiving tuition on the full game at urban golf venues at weekends. Running from June to August, the initiative is part of a wider year-round Golf Foundation national outreach programme.
Mark Dixon, Marketing Director, Telegraph Group Limited, said: “More of our readers play golf than any other sport; and with golf it doesn’t matter whether you are 8 or 80, you’ll find something in it for you – a bit like reading The Telegraph. With this exciting Golf Roots programme we aim to widen the appeal of golf, giving more children from the inner cities the opportunity to take up the game.”
Alan Parker, Managing Director, Whitbread Hotel Company (Marriott Hotels), sees the programme as much more than a quick fix for grassroots golf: “The aim is to ensure long term sustainability by recruiting and retaining more volunteer Junior Golf Leaders that can continue working in inner city communities.”
Giving the government’s perspective, Mike Reynolds, Director, Sportsmatch, commented: “Sportsmatch is particularly keen to broaden access to all sports for children in inner city areas and we are delighted to be able to help extend the reach of this programme.”
The European Tour has supported the Golf Foundation for many years. Spokesperson Fredrik Lindgren added: “We are delighted that two prominent sponsors of The European Tour, The Daily Telegraph and Marriott Hotels, have chosen to back them in this grassroots initiative and that it has received funding from Sportsmatch.”
Enquiries are welcome from individuals interested in volunteering as Junior Golf Leaders for the Golf Roots programme – contact the Golf Foundation on 01920 876200.
