Players pledge to introduce a friend to golf to help grow the women's game
Saturday 30 July 2016 20:09, UK
200 players at the English Girls' Championships have pledged to help grow the game of golf by introducing one friend to the sport.
The aim of the campaign is for that friend to then pledge to introduce one of their friends to golf, creating a ripple effect across the country and in turn helping to boost participation levels of the sport.
England Golf ambassador Charley Hull, who was playing at the RICOH Women's British Open in Woburn, has backed the campaign.
"I have pledged to get one of my friends to take up golf so I can help grow the game and inspire the next generation to play," Hull said. "Golf is great to play with your friends - it's a good way of spending some quality time together whilst doing exercise at the same time!"
Lauren Spray, Women & Girls' Participation Manager at England Golf said: "It's fantastic to see so many young girls pledging to help grow the game. This year is a really exciting year for golf with the sport being included in the Olympics for the first time in 112 years.
"With professional women such as Charley Hull and Scotland's Catriona Matthew representing Team GB in Rio we are hoping that this will also help to inspire more women and girls all across the country to take up the game".
England Golf is working hard to tackle the challenges facing the game and create an even brighter future for golf. 'Get into golf' is a national campaign to get more people golfing.
The campaign is designed to introduce new golfers, juniors and adults, to start playing as well as increasing the interest and participation in golf. Visit www.getintogolf.org to find out about beginner courses, taster lessons and special events at clubs and ranges nationwide.
Other England Golf programmes to grow participation include Golf Express, which promotes 9-hole golf to encourage busy people to play all the game in half the time. It recognises the pace of modern life and offers 9-hole formats that most golfers can conveniently fit into a busy schedule.
The golfexpress9.org website offers places to play across the country through its online directory and also features special offers.
England Golf is also working to attract more women and girls to golf and has just held Women's Golf Month to draw attention to the opportunities available.
These include the successful Girls Golf Rocks programme, which is run jointly with the Golf Foundation. It encourages beginners to have fun, learn a new sport, get active and play alongside friends, with the encouragement of young ambassadors from county girls' squads.
