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THE WHOLE SPORT PLAN FOR GOLF

IMPACT REPORT APRIL 2005 - MARCH 2008

England Golf Progress Report 4/6/08 11:32 Page 2

Contents

Page 1 Foreword

Introduction

Page 4 On Course to Achieve Golf’s 18 Challenges

Page 8 The ‘Spine’ of England Golf

Page 9 Supporting the Counties

Page 11 Helping Clubs

Page 18 Engaging with the Local Community

Page 20 Developing Golf in Schools

Page 23 Investing in People

Page 27 Funding for Golf Development

Page 28 How to get Involved


Three years ago, England Golf published

the ‘Whole Sport Plan’ for Golf.

This represented a clear, coherent strategy

for growing the game in England.

The strategy also complemented the

aspirations of the government and Sport

England in its ambition to increase

and sustain participation in the sport,

as well as to provide opportunities for

people to improve their skills.

The progress that has since been made,

as detailed in this report, demonstrates

that England Golf is well on the way to

achieving its aim of making England the

leading golf nation in the world by 2020.

As such, I am pleased to endorse the

work of England Golf in implementing

the ‘Whole Sport Plan’ and wish it every

success in the coming years.

Gerry Sutcliffe MP,

Minister for Sport

ENGLAND GOLF - IMPACT REPORT | 1

ForewordBy Gerry Sutcliffe MP, Minister for Sport

“England has a rich history of achievement in the game of golf and the

sport continues to play an important role in the leisure activities of millions

of citizens. The sport is well placed to contribute to the development

of a healthy and successful nation”.


There are almost 900,000 golf club members

in England and many hundreds of thousands

more men, women and children of all ages

and abilities playing golf regularly.

Golf can be played both recreationally

and competitively and is capable of offering

people who might ordinarily retire when

they stop playing other sports an ongoing

opportunity for them to realise their sporting

aspirations and potential. It is genuinely

a sport for life.

The sport has a highly developed and

accessible network of places where people

can play and learn the sport with over 700

golf ranges and around 2,000 clubs.

What is more, with such an extensive

infrastructure, golf has the capacity to offer

many more people the opportunity

to experience this great sport.

As such, we believe that golf is uniquely

well-placed not only to grow the game for

the benefit of all, but also to make

a significant contribution to the delivery

of the Government agenda on increasing

participation. In addition, golf can also

provide opportunities for all who play to

improve their skills and become better.

At the very top of the amateur and

professional game, our boys and girls,

men and women are delivering outstanding

performances that put them on a par with

the very best in the world.

England Golf, a partnership between the

English Golf Union (EGU), English Women’s

Golf Association (EWGA) and the Professional

Golfers’ Association (PGA) with support

from Sport England and the Golf Foundation,

was formed in 2005 to meet the challenges

facing the sport in England. The formation

of the partnership was preceded by the

publication of ‘A Vision for Golf’, a shared

aspiration for all the partners. It prepared

the way for the development of the first

ever strategic plan for the development

of the sport in England and the formation

of the partnership.

It is important to acknowledge that

England Golf is not a new organisation

replacing the existing ones. Rather it

represents a shared aspiration, passion for

and commitment to ‘Growing the Game’.

It demonstrates the benefit of collaboration,

co-ordination and of working together

to make the best use of the expertise

and resources available through

the partners.

Our ‘Whole Sport Plan for Golf’, published

in 2005, highlighted the work that would

need to be done between 2005 and 2009

as the first steps on a journey leading to

England being thought of as the ‘Leading

Golf Nation in the World’ by 2020, the main

aim set out in ‘A Vision for Golf’.

The three underlying principles behind the

Whole Sport Plan for Golf in England are:● It is a plan for the ‘Whole’ Game.● It is Golfer Centred.● It is an investment proposal for ‘Growing

the Game’.

02 | ENGLAND GOLF - IMPACT REPORT

IntroductionBy Bill Bryce, Chairman of England Golf

According to Sport England’s Active People (December 2006), the biggest

survey of sport and active recreation ever undertaken, golf is the second

most popular ball sport in England behind football.


This report highlights the considerable

progress that has been made since the

publication of the ‘Whole Sport Plan’

for Golf in the Spring of 2005. As well as

identifying the strategic changes that have

been made in order to meet the plan’s

objectives, it also showcases examples

of success.

My thanks go to the golf organisations that

have been central to the journey so far,

the EGU, EWGA, the Golf Foundation

and the PGA. As ever, their enthusiasm for

and dedicated approach to working in

partnership for the good of the game

of golf as a whole has been essential.

I’d also like to thank Sport England for their

continued invaluable support and advice.

It would also be remiss of me not to

acknowledge the contributions of so many

other clubs, ranges and other places

to play; the organisations from within

and outside golf who have supported

our early development; and, the many

individuals, both amateur and professional

who work tirelessly every day for the

good of the game. A small number are

featured in this report, but to all of you my

sincere thanks.

I hope that what follows inspires you to

become even more involved in golf,

as a player, coach or volunteer. If it does,

then please refer to the section entitled

‘How to get involved’ and join us in

‘Growing the Game’.

Bill Bryce,

Chairman, England Golf




1. On Course to Achieve Golf’s 18 ChallengesEngland: The World’s Leading Golf Nation By 2020

In 2004, ‘A Vision for English Golf to the year 2020’ was published. The vision was quite

simply for England to become the leading golf nation in the world by 2020. This does not just

mean success at the highest level but providing more opportunities for participants to start,

stay and succeed at every level.

The England Golf Partnership was formed to drive this vision forward and the ‘Whole Sport Plan’

2005-09 was developed to allow golf to take the first steps towards achieving this vision. This is

how ‘Growing The Game’ becomes something of relevance to all involved in the sport.

It was developed following extensive research and consultation, which established 18

challenges as areas where the sport wanted to see better outcomes. They were set out as

‘The Course Ahead’ and remain the core of what golf is striving to achieve over the period to

2020. Whilst this report focuses largely on the impact made in the first three years of the

‘Whole Sport Plan’, progress against these important long term outcomes is summarised below:

A Player Pathway for all English GolfersA universal, clearly understood player pathway

does not exist and we must understand the ‘Windows of Opportunity’ that are available to identify

and nurture our most talented young players.

GovernanceGolf has a long history and that has led to the

development of the main three governing bodies forgolf in England supported by many other stakeholder

groups with an interest in the development of thegame. This makes the creation of ‘one vision’

and ‘one voice’ a challenge for the sport to achieve.The aim must be to introduce a more professional

management structure for the game overall and develop more effective communication

throughout the game.

After a comprehensive research and consultation period, a document on ‘Long Term Athlete

Development’ in golf was published and the lessons are being utilised in the design of player development

pathways, and coaching programmes, as well as approaches to coach development.

One vision is in place as is one co-ordinating mechanism in the form of the England Golf Partnership

(EGP). The EGP was formed and incorporated as aLimited Liability Partnership with a sole focus on

driving forward the vision and designing and implementing the ‘Whole Sport Plan’. It works through

each of the partner organisations to ensure there is co-ordination on what is being done, resources

available through the partners are maximised andensures that golf development continues to benefit

from the specialist knowledge and expertise which hasstood the sport in good stead for many years. It has notbeen set up as a new organisation with more staff; nor

has it been set up as a rival organisation to the partners.

This partnership approach is also being reflected in thecounties with the formation of County Golf Partnerships.

An e newsletter – ‘The Hole Story’ – is distributed and work is ongoing to find a way of engaging more

fully with other organisations in golf which share the same aim of ‘Growing The Game’.

The web-sites of each partner organisation provide up-to-date news and resources to help and inform the

golf community based on their respective areas ofresponsibility and expertise. A new portal for golf

development based on the ‘Whole Sport Plan’is about to be launched and will be available at

www.englandgolfpartnership.com. In support, there are also specialist web-sites for a range of audiences

and initiatives such as ‘Get Into Golf’, ‘Golf Volunteers’and Disability Golf. DVDs have also been produced to provide information about topics such as golf for

disabled people and golf in schools.

‘THE COURSE’ PROGRESS



Golf ClubsModern day sports participation is driven by a family

activity agenda. It is important that we assist Golf Clubswith the necessary initiatives to meet this challenge.

Maximise FacilitiesGolf is perceived as expensive and time consuming.

Innovative solutions to increase participation and allow greater access, must be found - like new lhr/6

hole courses.

ImageA new marketing effort is needed as an intervention

to sell ‘golf as cool’, exploiting role models and embracing issues of access, equity and disability

participation.

MeasurementThere is need for benchmarking market research, that is available to all, in order to set key targets

for the future.

The introduction of Tri-Golf and Golf X-treme enableyoung people to receive a fun, enjoyable introduction

to the game. Clubs are starting to introduce family courses specially adapted to the use of this

equipment, which enable family members of all ages to participate at the golf club. The Community Club

Development Programme (CCDP)was focussed on initiatives to increase participation such as short

game and practice facilities, as well as the development of ancillary facilities to encourage women

to make more use of golf clubs, for example. In addition, examples of good practice have beenrecorded and used to show clubs what has been

achieved elsewhere. The work of County GolfPartnerships supports the development of this ethos

at a more local level.

Potential solutions have emerged from a variety of sources. New innovations have stimulated dialogue

with commercial sector groups and their initiative has been encouraged. Any new and interesting ideas

are recorded as examples of good practice to beutilised in promoting how others are looking to

maximise the use of their facilities.

The images utilised in EGP publications are designed to reinforce the opportunities available to all to participate in golf, regardless of gender, age or

disability. Equity and Disability Action Groups have been established to help guide action in these areas.

The resources required for an effective marketing programme have been investigated and additionalexternal financial support will be required to design and implement an effective marketing programme.

The EGP is accessing a range of market research data to inform programme design, target setting

and to assess progress.

From a participation perspective, Sport England hasintroduced Active People as a major research

programme to assess participation in sport. In addition, the EGP purchases the ‘Golf Industry

Survey’ produced by Mintel every two years, whichincludes information on market segmentation and people’s preferences in relation to golf.

The annual survey of golf participation produced by Sports Marketing Surveys also provides importantdata and is purchased by the EGP. The EGU / EWGA

undertake a survey of clubs on a range of issues every two years, which is also useful in providing

information on participation and the state of the game.

Progress with GolfMark is recorded by the EGU/EWGAand data on the number of coaches qualifying at each

level of the UK Coaching Certificate is recorded by the PGA. Information about the number of volunteers

and issues they face is gathered through theEGU/EWGA club survey.

Market research is also gleaned through the monitoringprogrammes in place for the County Golf Partnerships,which contributes towards an understanding of what

works and what issues are arising.



PROGRESS


The ‘Clubless’ GolferMarket research indicates a growing number of golfers

are now transient and ‘clubless’, yet information on

the needs of this new breed of player is scarce and

any study of the game going forward,

must encompass this group.

Club MembershipClubs report around 40,000 vacancies (EGU/ELGA 2002)

with some 89% of clubs quoting ‘gaps’ in their member-

ship. Assistance with promotional activities aimed at

clarifying “value for money” aspects of Club

Membership must be included in the plan.

Public Purse FundingGolf already draws down approximately £lm of

National Lottery revenue funding per annum.

The sport must capitalise fully on other public purse

funding programmes now available - both at central

and in local government.

The PE CurriculumAs golf has been identified as one of the country’s top

10 sports, the game must strive to be introduced to the

school curriculum and/or prioritised by the Department

for Education and Skills, and other key Government

Agencies.

Retention of 18-30 Year OldsThe number of people playing the game between

the ages 18 to 30 is perceived to be low when

compared to related figures in the under 18s and the

over 30s, - especially amongst women. The game

must seek ways to recruit and retain this age group.

Transition to the Pro Tour(s)The ‘systematic’ support for our top amateur players in

the transition to professional golf is weak, thus we must

strengthen the links between the amateur game

and the Pro Tour(s).

The Mintel and Sports Marketing Surveys data

referred to above provides information about

the ‘Clubless’ golfer, which is proving invaluable

in developing approaches to this important group

of players.

The EGU has established a Club Services division.

As the clubs are in membership of the EGU, they are

taking the lead on this area. A series of marketing

workshops has been designed and has been taken

to a variety of places around the country in a roadshow

format attracting significant interest from key people

in clubs in each area.

The development of the Whole Sport Plan led to sport

doubling the amount of core funding to £2m per

annum. With successful applications to, for example,

the School-Clubs Links programme (PESSCL),

Community Club Development Programme and

Club and Coach Fund, golf has increased significantly

the level of investment into the sport from the

public purse. In addition, the establishment of County

Golf Partnerships has led to additional funding being

attracted to support their own development

programmes from sources such as Awards For All,

Sportsmatch and the Big Lottery Fund.

When this funding is added to the funding that each

of the partners invests in golf development,

golf development generally can point to significantly

more investment in the sport than was available prior

to the development of the Vision for English Golf.

Independent research undertaken for the Department

for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) shows that the

percentage of schools offering golf as an activity has

increased from 14% to 31% in just 4 years.

In addition, more School-Club Links programmes have

been established and the sport is now working closely

with around 70% of Schools Sports Partnerships.

There is more data on this age group available

from the research sources referred to above. Products

are being developed to target this age group.

Information aimed specifically at promoting the game

to women and girls has been produced. County Golf

Partnerships have been undertaking research

on what clubs are doing to attract this age group

to play the game.

Staying within the rules on amateur status in golf,

the EGU’s Director of Coaching and the EWGA’s

Performance Director are providing as much support

as possible on an individual basis to players.

‘THE COURSE’




English SuccessThere are currently no English men or women in the

top 10 of their respective world rankings. A key target

must be the development of English golfers capable of

producing world class performances and achieving

top 10 world rankings for both men and women.

Introductory ProgrammesAlthough they do exist, we must review the impact

of introductory programmes and develop market

appropriate schemes to introduce people to the game.

VolunteersVolunteers play a key role in the delivery of golf

throughout England. Little is available in terms of

support for those people and training and education

is needed for them to function as a valued asset.

Coach EducationPGA Professionals continue to serve golf well,

changes in legislation and culture have led to the need

to review the coaching structure. Golf will adopt the

UK Coaching Certificate and produce a career

pathway in coaching.

Coaching StrategyThere is currently no national strategy for the

identification and development of the appropriate

coaches. The strategy needs to be part of the right

coach in the right place at the right time.

Competitive StructureThe golfing calendar is not strategic in its design with

considerable overlap making it difficult for players to

peak for tournaments, thus we need to develop a more

strategic golfing calendar to allow for preparation.

There has been significant success for male and

female golfers in both the amateur and professional

games; at world and European levels; and, for both

individuals and teams. (This is outlined in more detail

later in the report).

Golf is impacting on young people in schools

through the programmes led by the Golf Foundation.

The EGU/EWGA lead on the Free Golf Coaching

and Junior Golf Coaching schemes as introductions

for juniors and adults alike. The data in this report

demonstrates the success of programmes such

as this. When combined with the range of

opportunities offered by professionals and

volunteers at clubs and ranges all over the country,

access to introductory golf programmes is

improving all the time.

A Volunteer Manager has been appointed;

a strategy for supporting, acknowledging and

recruiting volunteers is in place; the first annual

volunteer awards ceremony has been held;

a range of printed and electronic resources are

now available; and, a web-site aimed specifically

at supporting volunteers is now in place.

The PGA has developed levels 1, 2 and 3 of the UK

Coaching Certificate qualifications and they have

been endorsed by the required bodies. Work is now

going on to achieve the same status for the level

4 qualification. A Coaching Manager for England

has been appointed by the PGA and a

comprehensive continuous professional development

programme has been established.

Golf is working on its approach to the UK Coaching

Framework which will provide a strategic

approach in this area.

Other important contributions are being made

through the coaching element of the County Golf

Partnerships’ development plans and the

implementation of the Club and Coach Programme.

A seminar has been held to consider this issue.

Player schedules are receiving more consideration

in order to try and ensure their season is better

managed.


1. County Golf PartnershipsAn effective and structured way to ensure

the aspirations for ‘Growing the Game’

are meaningful more locally.

2. GolfMarkA national scheme that identifies and

recognises junior and beginner friendly

golf facilities.

3. Community LinksA programme which provides opportunities

for young people to move easily from golf

in schools to golf in clubs and become

regular players.

4. School LinksGiving young people the opportunity

to try golf through their local School Sports

Partnership.

This ‘Spine’ of golf development provides

a pathway to take players from starting the

game to being regular participants and

also to improve and reach their potential.

Ultimately, players can progress to the very

top of the amateur game or join the ranks

of the professional game and become the

Major winners of the future.

The Government has invested significantly

in a ‘delivery system’ for sport generally.

Golf’s ‘spine’ positions it well to be able

to take full advantage of this opportunity

to maximise interest in the sport. (Figure 1)

Put simply, all of this is about getting:

● More people playing golf

● More clubs achieving GolfMark

● More members of golf clubs

● More golf coaches

● More volunteers involved in golf

● More opportunities for players to realise

their potential

Many examples of how this is being made

possible follow in subsequent pages.


2. The ‘Spine’ of England Golf

England Golf is ‘Growing the Game’ by implementing its strategy for

increasing participation through four core elements:

SPORT ENGLAND

National Framework for Sport

Regional Plan for Sport

County Sports Partnership

Community Sports Networks

Clubs & Clubmark

School-Club Links

School Sports Partnerships

GOLF

Whole Sport Plan

RDO Link with NGB Forums

County Golf Partnership

Clubs & GolfMark

Community Links

School Links

NATIONAL

REGIONAL

COUNTY

LOCAL

(Figure 1)


County Golf PartnershipsCounty Golf Partnerships promote the

game of golf with a focus on introducing

more people to the game and encouraging

them into regular participation and club

membership, regardless of their age,

gender and background.

The partnerships are formed by the coming

together of representatives of the County

Golf Union, County Ladies Golf Association

and County PGA. They are also supported

by other relevant organisations such as the

Golf Foundation.

They produce development plans that

build on the themes set out in the ‘Whole

Sport Plan’; work with and through the

clubs, schools and other facilities within their

area; work closely with other organisations

outside golf such as County Sports

Partnerships and together, they design

their work to deliver against local priorities

and circumstances.

To date, twenty three County Golf Partnerships

have been formed. The maps below show

the extent of their development between

Autumn 2005 and Spring 2008. (Figure 2)

County Golf Partnerships are starting

to demonstrate the potential they have

to access external funding from local

organisations. The EGU and EWGA can

provide support in facilitating the creation

of a partnership and in the production

and implementation of a county

development plan.


3. Supporting the Counties

(Figure 2)

County GolfPartnerships have

been formed



The BB&O Golf Partnership was formed in July 2005 by the BB&O Union of Golf Clubs,

the Berks County Ladies’ Golf Association, the Bucks County Ladies’ Golf Association,

the Oxon Ladies’ County Golf Association and the BB&O PGA.

Their partnership is supported by the EGU/EWGA Regional Development Officer for the

area. In addition, support for School Sports Partnership and School Club Links work is

provided through the Golf Foundation’s Regional Development Officer.

The primary motivation for the formation of the partnership was the recognition that

golf development is central to stimulating and sustaining participation.

Three highly interactive forums, involving key club personnel, were held in October 2005

and focused on how the aims of the Whole Sport Plan for Golf could be achieved

across BB&O.

Discussion workshops led to the formation of a Development Plan that covered,

amongst other things, volunteer training, junior golf coaching, county-wide ‘taster’

sessions, School Club Links projects, GolfMark, child protection workshops, development

officer services and research into member retention.

From a practical point of view, this has already led to the development of a website

and regular electronic newsletter to engage the whole golfing community of BB&O,

as well as the appointment of a County Development Officer. One of the Development

Officer’s key tasks is, over time, to visit every one of the clubs in BBO. By summer 2007,

over 70 clubs had been visited.

From a funding perspective, four School Club Links projects have already been awarded

and several Awards for All applications have been submitted for volunteer training.

CASE STUDY: COUNTY GOLF PARTNERSHIP - BB&O GOLF PARTNERSHIP


A major element of the plan is to provide

opportunities through, and support for, clubs.

A number of programmes provide

opportunities for individuals of all ages

and abilities to participate and are

implemented through the partners to help

realise England Golf’s aspirations. There are

clearly future challenges if participation is

to be further stimulated, particularly in the

25-44 age group, and to sustain the firm

foundation that has been built.

GolfMarkIt’s not only the physical place that attracts

people to play, but also the experience

they get that draws them back.

The quality of programme offered and the

type of environment created by clubs are

key elements. New players not only want

golfing opportunities, they also want to

play at places they consider are safe,

fun and welcoming.

GolfMark has been designed as a way of

acknowledging this. As a national scheme,

it provides recognition for beginner friendly

golf facilities. Any golf club in England that

is affiliated to the EGU or EWGA is able to

apply to gain the GolfMark Award.

The scheme is part of the Sport England

Clubmark programme, which is a national

standard for quality sports clubs that is

recognised across the country and in other

sports. It focuses on three key criteria:-

● standard of coaching & playing available

● the environment of the club or facility

● safeguarding children and duty of care


4. Helping Clubs

Places to play golf are pivotal to the success of the ‘Whole Sport Plan’ and,

in particular, to the aspiration of sustaining current participation levels

and striving to increase them.

Having a relatively new junior committee, the club was fortunate to be able to think

about what was required without having to change existing systems. At The Craythorne

it was not so much about creating new procedures, but a whole new, vibrant junior section.

Previously, junior membership hovered around the 25 to 30 mark and was not formally

structured. Since achieving GolfMark, the club now has a Colts section of under 10’s

and a junior section of 11 to 18 year-olds. Its membership now stands at over 60 and

the club is even in the enviable position of having a waiting list for its weekly coaching

programmes. To deal with the increased demand, it has recently introduced and

expanded its junior coaching programme and has allocated places to every applicant.

The support from the club’s adult membership has been particularly pleasing for those

involved in the junior section and the Junior Committee has grown to comprise six

volunteer members. The initiative has also enjoyed great support from the club’s proprietor,

Tony Wright and its PGA Professional, Steve Hadfield.

During the process of obtaining GolfMark, the entire outlook of The Craythorne Golf Club

and its membership towards junior golf has changed.

CASE STUDY: GOLFMARK ACCREDITED CLUB - CRAYTHORNE GC, STAFFORDSHIRE


Clubs Working Towards GolfMark Junior GolfMark Clubs GolfMark Clubs

Increasingly, like Clubmark, GolfMark is likely

to bring other benefits. For example, holding

GolfMark or being committed to achieving

the award, were included in the criteria for

the Community Club Development Programme

(CCDP). These clubs may also be eligible

for discretionary funding from the Golf

Foundation’s Community Links Programme,

which is designed to help golf facilities to

engage with their local communities by

working with individual schools, school

sports partnerships and local authorities.

They are also central to the School Club

Links programmes, County Golf Partnership

development work and provide a focal

point for golf development generally.

As of March 2008, 84 clubs had achieved

the award. In addition, a further 81 hold the

Junior GolfMark award (which preceded

GolfMark) and will aim to become GolfMark

accredited when their time comes to

re-accredit. Experience suggests that over

80% of clubs in this programme want to

convert to GolfMark. In addition 383 clubsare registered to go through the process.Figure 3 shows the number of clubs in the

GolfMark Process (GolfMark Club, Junior

GolfMark Club, registered to work towards

GolfMark). (Figure 3)

Figure 4 shows the number of clubs in the GolfMark process (GolfMark club,Junior GolfMark club, registered to worktowards GolfMark) as a percentage of the total number of clubs in eachcounty. It also shows the counties who

have a County Golf Partnership in Light Blue,

and the counties without a County Golf

Partnership in Dark Blue. The counties are

shown in ascending order from left to right.

(Figure 4)


(Figure 3)

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GolfMark has provided the club with a process through which it can devise and develop

the most appropriate policies and practices for children and young people as well as

procedures for their speedy and effective implementation.

It has established a set of operational imperatives for staff and volunteers, based on agreed

outcomes, providing a ‘kite mark’, which is recognition of excellence and a blueprint

for measuring quality assurance. This has given those involved a sense of being part of

a wider enterprise, rather than the impression of being a ‘stand-alone’ operation.

The impact of this work is that the adults involved feel that the contribution they make

to the running of the Junior Section is valued. The adult club members recognise the

importance of the work and also the ‘professionalism’ of the Junior Team.

Membership of the section has grown from around 30 in 2004 to over 120, with a waiting

list of over 20. ‘Word of mouth’ has been identified as a key reason behind this success

and this has been directly linked to the work done to achieve GolfMark.

A clear benefit identified by the club has been the increased recruitment of volunteers

who constitute its Junior Leader Team. The club feels that the demands of its rigorous

selection procedure demonstrate how seriously it is taking its role.The club’s local

authority, Epsom & Ewell Borough Council, and its local School Sports Partnership

require guarantees that the Club is appropriately managed and that its activities with

children and young people are adequately staffed. The acquisition of the GolfMark

award has given those organisations this assurance.

CASE STUDY: GOLFMARK ACCREDITED CLUB - EPSOM GC, SURREY

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Counties who have a County Golf Partnership Counties without a County Golf Partnership

Clubs are registered to worktowards GolfMark


Community Club DevelopmentProgramme (CCDP)Golf has benefited from being introduced

to the CCDP and was awarded £1.2 million

to distribute. Aimed at supporting facility

developments in clubs with sound

development programmes and community

benefits, the investment was prioritised for

short game areas and practice facilities

as this type of development plays a big

part in enabling more people to take up

the game.

The programme attracted over 140

applications from which 27 went forward

to the next stage of development.

With applications exceeding the funding

available by ten times, the desire for clubs

to upgrade their facilities in order to attract

new players to the sport cannot be doubted.

In April 2007, West Hove Golf Club became

the first to open its new facilities, which

were made possible through this programme.

They were one of twelve clubs who


Cookridge Hall Golf Club was the first golf club in Yorkshire and the North East of

England to be awarded the GolfMark Award.

Richard Brown, the EGU/EWGA RDO with responsibility for Yorkshire notes that

Cookridge Hall is in many ways a model of good practice and has acted as a spur to

other clubs in the area to undertake the process of applying for the GolfMark award.

Ray Agar, Captain of Cookridge Hall, acknowledges that the club is fortunate that the

quality of its coaching and its policy of granting juniors full access to the course has

allowed it to attract many junior golfers. Ray regards the work of Cheryl Pawley,

the Junior Organiser at the Club, as being central to making Cookridge Hall one of the

top clubs for junior golf in the area.

CASE STUDY: GOLFMARK ACCREDITED CLUB - COOKRIDGE HALL GC, WEST YORKSHIRE

(Figure 5)


successfully brought their projects to fruition

as shown in (Figure 5).

CCDP Funding has also been directed

towards an innovative equipment loan

scheme that will benefit programmes in

those counties that had established a CGP

by the end of March 2008. The scheme

provides a stock of Tri Golf, Golf X-treme,

junior, men’s and women’s half sets which

will be made available for loan via the CGP.

With the support of Sport England,

the CCDP programme has enabled £950K

of new investment to be made into grass

roots golf, with almost £1.5m worth of new

facilities being established as a result.


The club was awarded £100,000 funding by England Golf from the Community Club

Development Programme for facility projects. The award was made based on the

club’s strong links with local schools and the fact that it has a sound club development

plan in place.

The club received the GolfMark award in August 2006 as recognition of its approach to

junior and beginner golf facilities. This has allowed it to go from strength to strength.

Megan Bibby, the manager of West Hove has been instrumental in the club’s achievements

and was named Golf Club Management Magazine’s ‘Secretary of the Year’ for 2006.

Megan is the first woman to receive this prestigious accolade.

CASE STUDY: COMMUNITY CLUB DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME WEST HOVE GOLF CLUB, EAST SUSSEX

Crowlands Heath Golf Club in Essex has been a major beneficiary of CCDP funds.

The club has received £60,194 of funding from the programme in order to redevelop its

short game practice area. The brand new facility was launched by the club’s most

notable member, European Tour professional Oliver Fisher, in June 2007.

Crowlands Heath has long been one of London’s most successful golf clubs. As well as

proving a breeding ground for elite players like Oliver, the club is leading a drive to

increase participation in the game in its catchment area.

A major part of this involves encouraging young people in the local community to use

the new short game facility and links have already been established with schools in the

neighbouring areas of Barking, Dagenham, Havering and Newham.

The club currently has 767 regular golfers and, with the introduction of this new facility,

it hopes to increase that number to 1,430 by 2011, a rise of 86 per cent.

As well as providing opportunities for children to get involved in golf, club officials are

also committed to making the game more available to minority groups and those from

London’s most deprived areas.

Making golf accessible to the disabled is also high on Crowlands Heath’s agenda, and

another aspect of the project will be to improve the path to the course’s first tee,

ensuring it is usable by all.

CASE STUDY: COMMUNITY CLUB DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME - CROWLANDS HEATH GC, ESSEX

of new investmentinto grass roots

golf, with almost£1.5m worth of

new facilities beingestablished as

a result


Junior Golf Club Coaching Sustaining the interest of young people in golf is clearly important for the future growth of

the sport in England, particularly at a time when there are so many activities they can do.

The Junior Golf Club Coaching scheme provides clubs who apply with a grant of £125

to enable them to give encouragement to new participants by offering coaching from

a PGA Professional. The impact has been clear and is illustrated in the table below:

Junior Golf Coaching: Numbers of Clubs

900800700600500400300200

1000

2004 2005 2006 2007

Junior Golf Coaching: Numbers of Participants

1800016000140001200010000

8000600040002000

02004 2005 2006 2007

Free Golf CoachingA grant of £200 is provided to clubs on application to the EGU/EWGA so they can offer

free golf coaching taster sessions to people of any age. The sessions are provided by

qualified PGA Professionals, to help introduce them to the game of golf.


590 593711

922

The club participated in Free Golf Coaching which was part-funded by a grant of £200

from EGU/EWGA. The grant provided a contribution towards ten sessions for ten juniors

per session.

The club was also awarded a further £125 grant to support junior coaching programmes

that included opportunities for non-members. Over 50 people took part resulting in

seven new junior members, five new lady members and eight new male members

joining the club.

CASE STUDY: FREE GOLF COACHING AND JUNIOR CLUB COACHINGLONGRIDGE GOLF CLUB, PRESTON, LANCS

9421 987311506

16686


Equipment is provided free of charge so that all participants need to do is book at a

participating venue and turn up on the day. The initiative has enjoyed considerable

success, as illustrated in the charts below:

Free Golf Coaching: Numbers of Clubs50045040035030025020015010050

02004 2005 2006 2007

Free Golf Coaching: Number of Participants

1800016000140001200010000

8000600040002000

02004 2005 2006 2007

National Skills ChallengeThe EGU/EWGA’s ‘Get Into Golf’ National Skills Challenge was launched in 2006.

Covering 5 golfing disciplines - putting, chipping, pitching, bunker play, full swing

- each one has 2 Challenge activities, making 10 in total. It is designed to be both challenging

and fun. It also offers the chance for children from across the country to compete to

appear at a national final. 23 players from golf clubs across England battled it out at the

National Golf Centre at Woodhall Spa in Lincolnshire in the first ever National Skills

Challenge Final in 2006. This represented the culmination of a successful first year that

involved 70 golf clubs and over 600 junior players. With some 2,000 juniors taking part in

the 2007 Challenge, the indications are that the National Skills Challenge is set to become

a popular feature in the golfing landscape.


35744873

7738

16865

147193

330

486


Community LinksThe Golf Foundation created the

Community Links programme in January

2007 to replace the Starter Centre Initiative.

It is structured in 3 levels to help clubs

progress towards GolfMark. By Spring 2008,

there were 23 clubs at level 1, 93 at level 2

and 81 at level 3 (the level below

GolfMark) giving a total of 211 Community

Links facilities. The programme is designed

to help clubs and facilities actively engage

with the community through work with

individual schools, school sport partnerships,

young people’s organisations and local

authorities. It also provides a young person

with an introduction to a club or golf

facility and the opportunity to progress

through the national learning programme,

the Junior Golf Passport.

A Community Links facility will offer taster

sessions in local schools using the Tri-Golf

and Golf Xtreme programmes; registration

on the Junior Golf Passport for all

participants; appropriate procedures for

safeguarding children; coaching at the

facility for new junior participants that are

non-members at an affordable level; and,

follow-on coaching and playing opportunities

for all participants. Community Links facilities

receive a package of support in return for

their commitment.

Golf RootsGolf Roots has the support of the European

Tour and DJ Spoony and is designed to

provide young people in inner city areas

with a sustainable golfing experience.

This is achieved through recruiting


5. Engaging with the Local Community

Community Linksfacilities havebeen created

(Figure 6)


co-ordinators, providing leadership training

for teachers and volunteers and, most

importantly, establishing a local partner

agreement. The delivery of the programme

includes school-focused development work

and community-based promotional work.

A key element of each Golf Roots project

is the exit routes into a Community Links

facility or onto some other follow-on

opportunity. The map (to the left) shows the

areas where Golf Roots projects have been

established. (Figure 6)

Junior Golf PassportThe Golf Foundation’s Junior Golf Passport

is a comprehensive, progressive, structured

and fun programme designed to help young

people learn about playing the game of golf.

Each child receives a record of achievement

as they develop their skills and knowledge,

which has acted as a very popular

way of motivating new players. Indeed,

the EGU/EWGA club survey in 2006 identified

the Junior Golf Passport as the most widely

used national learning programme in England.

The Junior Golf Passport can be implemented

in a range of places and it:

● Enables PGA Professionals and volunteers

to use creative and innovative teaching

methods;

● Stimulates strong, sustainable links

between schools and clubs;

● Gives children a fun experience whilst

they learn

The club received £1,000 through the Golf Foundation in order to promote golf to

youngsters through coaching sessions.

It runs a scheme throughout the year with 90 children registered, 70 of whom are

totally new to golf. Since taking part in the scheme, 18 of these children have now

become members of the club. As a consequence of this success, the club’s junior

section has gained from increased support and mentoring from adult members.

CASE STUDY: COMMUNITY LINKS - WESTON SUPER MARE GOLF CLUB, SOMERSET



School Sports PartnershipsGolf has not been a traditional sport for

schools to date. Government investment in

school sport through School Sports Partnerships

and School Club Links programmes has

enabled golf to start changing this situation.

Led by the Golf Foundation, our success

was recognised by Secretary of State for

Education and Skills, Rt Hon Alan Johnson

MP, in a speech given to the Specialists

Sports Colleges Conference in February

2007, where he said:

“High quality sport was once the preserve

of public schools. Through our 450 sports

school partnerships, every child now has

access to improved support, better facilities

and increased choice. This has a led to a

surge in the number of children participating

in sports which would once have been

ruled out as too expensive or too impractical

to make available in schools. Football, cricket

and athletics remain the bedrock of school

sport…Golf is up by 64%”

The Golf Foundation is driving golf as an

important activity within School Sports

Partnerships and they have responded with

enthusiasm. The annual growth of golf in

School Sports Partnerships is illustrated in the

chart below and the number that golf is

now working with has also grown to 308

at the end of March 2008. (Figure 7)

Tri-Golf and Golf Xtreme are innovative

and attractive projects for schools.

Not only do they appeal to young people,

but they also provide training for teachers

and leaders, easy to use equipment,

curriculum materials and festival opportunities.

They make golf easy and fun to play and

come with support for teachers to make it

simple for them to teach.

Tri-Golf is aimed at children of primary

and junior school age. It provides easy

to use equipment that is popular with

children, affordable for schools, and easy

for teachers to use. Since workshops were

introduced to train Tri-Golf Activators in

January 2004, 9,284 people have been

trained, 80% of which have been

teachers.

Golf Xtreme is aimed at young people of

secondary school age. Since training

workshops were introduced in December

2006, 1,316 people have been trained, 95%

of whom have been teachers. Trained

support is provided through the Junior Golf

Leaders programme, resulting in 725 people

being fully trained, 50% of whom are

young leaders.

The impact of extending golf’s ‘reach’ into

the school environment has been amply

demonstrated in an independent report by


6. Developing Golf in Schools

Number of School Sports Partnerships Delivering Golf35030025020015010050

0July 2004 July 2005 July 2006 July 2007

75124

220295

Golf is working with

School SportsPartnerships

(Figure 7)


‘03/04 ‘04/05 ‘05/06 ‘06/07 ‘03/04 ‘04/05 ‘05/06 ‘06/07

% % % % % % % %

Football 97 97 98 98 Volleyball 27 25 28 30

Dance 94 95 96 96 Canoeing 17 20 24 29

Gymnastics 94 93 95 95 Archery 7 12 16 22

Athletics 90 91 92 93 Softball 16 16 17 17

Cricket 85 85 89 90 Mountaineering 7 9 10 12

Rounders 86 85 87 88 Martial Arts 4 7 9 11

Swimming 84 83 84 85 Sailing 8 8 9 11

Netball 84 81 81 81 Boccia 5 6 7 8

Tennis 70 71 76 79 Karate 4 5 6 8

Hockey 77 74 77 78 Rowing 2 3 4 7

Fitness 58 66 73 76 Squash 5 5 6 7

Outdoors/Advent 68 67 71 75 Lacrosse 4 4 5 6

Basketball 65 63 67 69 Bowls 2 3 4 5

Multi-skill Clubs 26 39 56 66 Equestion 3 3 4 5

Rugby Union (TR) 67 71 74 66 Boxing 1 2 3 4

Orienteering 46 48 55 59 Angling 1 1 2 3

Cycling 21 27 34 42 Triathlon 1 2 2 3

Badminton 31 32 35 37 Goalball 2 2 2 2

Rugby League (TR) 12 11 12 33* Skateboarding 1 1 2 2

Golf 14 19 23 31 Judo 8 6 3 1

Table Tennis 26 25 29 31 Kabaddi - 1 1 1

Base: All schools (2003/04 6,574 | 2004/05 11,498 | 2005/06 - 16,898 | 2006/07 - 21,745)

*Previous years did not include ‘Tag Rugby’ in definition | (TR) Including Tag Rugby | - Less than 0.5%

TNS commissioned by the Department for

Children, Schools and Families. Figure 8 shows

that over the last four years, the number of

schools offering golf as an activity has

increased by 17% - one of the largest rises

of any sport.


More than 60 children from local schools with a range of special needs or behavioural

problems enjoyed a day of golfing activity at Birley Wood Golf Club in Sheffield.

The day highlighted the work carried out on a year round basis by PGA Professional

and Golf Development Officer for Sheffield City Council, Pete Ball.

Employed by the city council, Pete Ball also receives funding from the Golf Foundation

and through this link has been working with the School Sports Partnership to introduce

golf to children. He uses Tri-Golf and Golf Xtreme equipment to enthuse children of all

abilities and helps the Golf Foundation to train volunteers as Tri-Golf and Golf Xtreme

activators so that they, in turn can deliver similar programmes in schools across

Sheffield.

The Rt Hon Richard Caborn MP (the then Minister of Sport), experienced first hand the

children playing golf skills games and then playing mini holes of golf at the Birley Wood

facility and was suitably impressed with the excellent work being carried out at Birley

Wood noting that “It’s great to see these youngsters getting so much out of golf.”

CASE STUDY: TRI-GOLF, GOLF XTREME AND SCHOOL SPORTS PARTNERSHIPSBIRLEY WOOD GOLF CLUB, SHEFFIELD

The number ofschools offering golf

as an activity hasincreased by

Figure 8


School Club LinksThe School Club Links programme is designed

to encourage sustained participation in golf

by young people. It provides a means to

introduce them to golf in clubs and help

them to participate more often.

The programme is led by the Golf

Foundation, but is a fine example of the

benefits of working in partnership involving

the EGU / EWGA Development Team

and the PGA professionals from the clubs

involved. The chart below shows how the

programme has grown year-on-year, with

the number of School-Clubs links projects

increasing to 100 at the end of March 2008.

(Figure 9)

In addition, the TNS report referred to earlier,

also shows that the number of Schools

Sports Partnership schools with links to golf

clubs established has doubled over the last

four years from 9% in 2003/04 to 18% in

2006/07. After dance, this makes golf the

fastest growing sport in this category.


Number of PESSCL School Links Projects806040200

July 2004 July 2005 July 2006 July 2007

The club received a £2,000 contribution towards its School Club Links development plan.

Tri-Golf sessions were subsequently held in schools, at after school clubs and at the golf

club itself.

The initiative attracted participation from 23 schools which resulted in the club’s junior

membership growing from 6 members to 65. The club now offers 8 free scholarships to

new juniors members that demonstrate strong potential.

CASE STUDY: SCHOOL CLUB LINKS - SWAFFHAM GOLF CLUB, NORFOLK

3 23

7541

School Club Linksprojects established

by the end ofMarch 2008 Figure 9


Despite the obvious popularity of the sport

however, there is significant scope for golf

to grow further by attracting new participants

and audiences and by encouraging

people to play more. It is in this area that

some major successes have been achieved

since the publication of the Whole Sport

Plan for Golf.

Golf Club Managers are key people in

the drive to attract more players to play the

game and England Golf has invested in

the Golf Club Managers’ Association’s new

education programme to help ensure

development is an integral part of their

training in the future.

VolunteersThe contribution of volunteers to the success

of golf in England cannot be underestimated.

In fact, based on a survey of clubs, there are

in the region of 32,000 volunteers working

at all levels of the sport contributing

approximately £70 - £80 million worth of

time per year to the development of golf.

In line with the recommendations in the

WSP, a framework for providing support to

existing volunteers and for the recruitment

of new volunteers has been put in place.

In addition, England Golf has successfully

attracted financial support from Sport

England to enable it to participate in the

‘Step Into Sport’ programme. This has enabled

a Volunteer Co-ordinator to be appointed

to develop programmes of support for

volunteers. Part of the programme is

focussed on the recruitment and training

of young volunteers. The framework is

based around four elements:

● Delivery at Club and County Level

● Supporting volunteer recruitment

● Providing support and training to aid

retention of volunteers

● Recognising the contribution of volunteers

Coaches and CoachingThrough the PGA network of over 5,000

qualified professionals and coaches,

golf is blessed with one of the most extensive

coaching networks of any sport in the country.


7. Investing in People

Active People When Sport England unveiled the findings of its Active People report in December 2006,

the popularity of golf in England was clear for all to see in the top 10 sports:

SPORT NO OF PARTICIPANTS

Swimming 5,600,000

Cycling 3,170,000

Football 2,190,000

Golf 1,450,000

Badminton 900,000

Tennis 870,000

Squash 500,000

Horse Riding 400,000

Cricket 380,000

Basketball 270,000

volunteers working at all levels of thesport contributing

approximately £70 - £80 million

worth of time per year


All current PGA Professionals have a PGA

Level 3 Coaching Certificate, which recognises

their ability to teach the golf swing and their

knowledge of the rules and etiquette of the

sport and golfing equipment.

Not all current PGA Professionals coach,

but many of them provide sound introductions

to the game for many junior and adult

beginners. PGA Professionals’

are instrumental in the delivery of many

of the initiatives described in this report.

England Golf collectively wants to ensure

the sport continues to build on its inclusion

in the development of the United Kingdom

Coaching Certificate (UKCC). In addition,

through the UKCC, golf is embracing moves

to align its coaching activities with an agreed

national framework across all sports.

To date the PGA, on behalf the sport of

golf, has developed high quality coaching

qualifications at Levels 1 to 3. The number

of qualified PGA coaches in England totals

5,250. The number qualified at each level

of the UKCC as at Spring 2008 is:

Level 3 - 3,756

Level 2 - 304

Level 1 - 1,190

Each of these qualifications has achieved

UKCC Endorsement. The PGA is now working

with Sports Coach UK to develop the Level

4 Certificate in Coaching Golf, which will

be submitted for UKCC Endorsement during

2008. This qualification will be available to

holders of a Level 3 qualification and will

provide an opportunity for many current

PGA Professionals to progress their education

further and gain recognition for their high

level coaching abilities, skills and competence.

Although the UKCC has moved to only four

levels of qualification, the PGA believe that

golf requires a Level 5 qualification in order

to inspire current coaches to continue to

strive for coaching excellence. The PGA,

in conjunction with key partners, is therefore

developing a Level 5 qualification.

The introduction of these new qualifications

provides a clear development pathway for

individuals with a passion for golf coaching

and will support the Whole Sport Plan’s objective

of attracting more and better coaches to the

sport. The introduction of the Level 1 qualification

in particular will provide high quality support

and recognition for volunteers already involved

in golf development across the country.


The Junior Organisers’ Handbook has been designed to challenge some existing practices

and help guide golf clubs on how best to encourage junior golf now and in the future.

There are many volunteers who take on the role of junior organiser within their club,

and the handbook assists them in their role and helps them to provide the guidance

that juniors require to fulfil their potential and continue within the game.

The Handbook:

● Acts as a complete reference guide for golf club junior organisers

● Supports and assists those working with juniors within the club environment

● Stimulates the development of healthy and sustainable junior structures

● Provides advice and guidance on how to invest in the future of golf clubs and the

game as a whole

● Encourages and supports family use of golf clubs

CASE STUDY: ENGLAND GOLF JUNIOR ORGANISERS’ HANDBOOK

The number ofqualified PGA

coaches inEngland totals


England Golf has also succeeded in attracting

£1.3m of additional funding to provide

coaching opportunities for young golfers

not currently involved in county programmes.

The programme will be developed through

County Golf Partnerships and will benefit

boys, girls and young people with a disability.

Player PathwayIn addition to attracting people to play the

game, an important element of the WSP

was the development of a player pathway

so people could understand how they

come in to the game and then progress

and develop their potential. The pathway

builds on the traditional strengths golf has,

particularly in club and county golf.

It is illustrated in the diagram below.

(Figure 10)

For some people, the pathway might mean

that they are able to realise their ambitions

in reducing their handicap to a particular

level; for others, they may be good enough

to gain selection for one of the many

England amateur squads.


England’s elite golfers are achieving success in both the professional and amateur games.Their most recent achievements include:Professional:● 9 male English professional players in the World’s top 100 (April 2008)● 4 Englishmen selected for the 2006 European Ryder Cup squad ● An English woman won the 2006 European Order of Merit ● 3 English women were selected for the 2005 European Solheim Cup squad and 2

for the 2007 team● 9 English women in the top 50 of the European Ladies Tour Money List 2007 Amateur:● The England men’s and women’s teams have achieved their best ever finish in their

respective World Championships● National teams have achieved medals at all levels in their respective European

Championships● In 2006 English men and women amateurs won 23 medals in targetted internationally

ranked championships and 15 in 2007● English amateur players filled 50% of the Walker Cup places and 37.5% of the Curtis

Cup places

CASE STUDY: ENGLISH SUCCESS AT INTERNATIONAL LEVEL

Age Player Pathway

20

Representative Golf (County and England)

County

Training Centre

15 Club Membership/Junior Membership

Club Junior Academy

School Club Links Coaching

After School Club (School Club Links)

10 Golf Xtreme

Tri-Golf

(Figure 10)


Sustained involvement with an elite

international squad and exposure to the

high level of coaching and associated

support that this entails can lead to

opportunities within the professional game.

There are notable examples of players that

have been involved in elite squads making

the transition to the professional game over

the past year including Oliver Fisher,

who became the youngest ever Walker Cup

participant in 2005 and 2006 Curtis Cup

player Kiran Matharu.

The player pathway provides a route for

those who want to simply improve, a means

to progress to the top of the amateur

game and an opportunity for the very best

to become professionals and, maybe,

win the world’s biggest tournaments.

The pathway can provide inspiration

and motivation to sustain participation.

The challenge for all involved in ‘Growing

the Game’ is to ensure that the current

period of English international golfing

success continues in order for it to meet its

stated aim of becoming the world’s leading

golf nation by 2020. The implementation of

a comprehensive player pathway is

designed to help it pursue this aspiration.

Development Officers Development Officers have played a key

role in the implementation of Whole Sport

Plan activity. The EGU/EWGA Development

Teams now work as one team on Club and

County based activity. The Golf Foundation’s

Regional Development Officer team takes

responsibility for school related activity

(School Sports Partnerships, School Links,

Community Links). The officers work in pairs

across the country ie there is one

EGU/EWGA officer and one Golf Foundation

in each pair. In this way, a strategic focus

has been created for the work of all the

Development Officers, so that the

‘spine of development’ described earlier is

very much at the centre of what they do.

Additional funding from Sport England has

enabled the capacity of the Regional

Development Officer team to be increased

from 8 in 2005 to 15 by the end of 2007.

In addition, 3 officers will be appointed

through the Club and Coach fund to help

with the implementation of that programme

and ensure that personal development

programmes are in place for all the

coaches working on that initiative directly

with the players.

The contact details for all the RDOs can be

found at: ● www.englishgolfunion.org● www.englishwomensgolf.org ● www.golf-foundation.org

Equality and Child ProtectionAs a forward thinking sport, golf has a

responsibility to meet the necessary

standards of equality of access and child

protection that are now accepted

as commonplace in modern life.

England Golf collectively agreed to

appoint a Compliance Officer to support

development in these important areas.

She works with the partner organisations

to help ensure they meet the required

standards for child protection and equality.

across the country, as well as providing

support to county and club representatives.

England Golf has achieved appropriate

Standards in both areas and is now working

towards higher levels. An Equality Group

provides a lead in this area of work.

In addition, a Disability Golf Group, which

includes representatives from disability golf

groups, Special Olympics and the English

Federation of Disability Sport is working on

actions that will widen participation in golf

for disabled people.


Pho

tog

rap

h c

our

tesy

of T

om

Wa

rd/E

GU

Oliver Fisher Kiran Matharu



8. Funding for Golf Development

Financial InvestmentPrior to April 2005, golf benefited from World Class Performance Programme funding

which benefited elite amateur golf. This support was retained through the Whole Sport

Plan and further funding was attracted from Sport England to support golf’s aspiration to

increase participation in the sport and develop in areas such as equality and safeguarding

children. The chart below shows how the level of funding has increased year-on-year

through Sport England. The second chart shows the level of funding that has been

directed through each of the partners to help with the objective of ‘Growing The Game’:

Increased Sport England Funding for ‘Growing the Game’

£3,000,000£2,500,000£2,000,000£1,500,000£1,000,000

£500.000£0

2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08

Increased Partner Funding for ‘Growing the Game’

£1,000,000£800,000£600,000£400,000£200,000

£0EGU EWGA GOLF PGA EGP

FOUNDATION

2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08

In the three years since the Whole Sport Plan was introduced, around £8.5m of external

funding has been invested in golf development at all levels. In addition, there has been

a ninefold increase in the investment in ‘Increasing Participation’. In addition, operating

costs have been kept to a minimum and represent only 3% of total expenditure on the

Whole Sport Plan:

Directing Funding For ‘Growing the Game’

£1,500,000£1,250,000£1,000,000

£750,000£500,000£250,000

£02004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08

Increasing Participation Player Pathway

Supporting Implementation Operating Costs

In the three yearssince the WholeSport Plan was

introduced,around £8.5m

of external fundinghas been investedin golf development

at all levels.


Here are some places where you can find

out more about England Golf

initiatives and learn:

● How you can get involved in golf

● How your club can benefit more

● How to apply for the GolfMark award

● How your or your children’s school can

get involved● How to go about setting up a County

Golf Partnership

● How you can volunteer to play a bigger

role in the sport

www.disabilitygolf.org (live Summer 2008)

www.englandgolfpartnership.com

(live Summer 2008)

www.englishgolfunion.org

www.englishwomensgolf.org

www.getintogolf.org

www.golf-foundation.org

www.golfmark.org

www.golfvolunteers.org

www.pga.info

You can find out more about Sport England’s

aspirations for increasing participation in

sport here:

www.sportengland.org

If you think more could be done, then why

not let us know your suggestions for Growing

the Game in England.

Email us with your thoughts at:

[email protected]

Or write to:

England Golf,

c/o The National Golf Centre,

Woodhall Spa,

Lincolnshire,

LN10 6PU


9. How to get Involved

We hope you have been inspired by what you have read about our

progress in growing the game of golf in England. If you have, then why

not look at ways in which you can get involved?


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