New government figures have revealed that the Golf Foundation, the charity which is the single largest recipient of funding generated by The Open Championship, receiving £540,000 in 2009, is succeeding in making the game more accessible to children of all backgrounds.

 

The PE and Sport Survey 2008-09 for England demonstrates that the Golf Foundation's strategy of taking golf into schools and then introducing those schools to golf clubs and driving ranges is paying dividends. The survey indicates that the number of schools offering golf increased from 38% in 2007-8 to 42% in 2008-9. This figure was 23% in 2005-06 and just 14% in 2003-4.

 

Other key findings of the survey, which was commissioned by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, illustrated that 36% of primary schools and 66% of secondary schools now offer golf to their students. Furthermore, the number of schools with formal links to golf clubs and driving ranges increased from 22% to 26% during the last academic year. In 2004, this figure was just 9%.

 

Mike Round, Chief Executive of the Golf Foundation, said: "We are very pleased to see these new government figures. Combining the results for percentage increases in school-based provision and school/club links, it appears that golf has been more successful than any other sport in the last academic year and this is a credit to all the teachers, volunteers, professional golfers and sports development officers involved.”

 

Much of the success of the Foundation's work in schools has been due to clear, easy to deliver initiatives like Tri-Golf and Golf Xtreme that have been well received. A strong sense of partnership has been achieved with both national partners and with more than 300 local school sport partnerships. And the continued growth of the experienced and committed team of Regional Development Officers has been possible, in part, through the ongoing support and funding of The R&A.

 

“The Golf Foundation has been in existence for over 50 years and throughout this time it has done an excellent job for golf,” said The R&A’s Director of Golf Development, Duncan Weir. “The impressive latest figures show how the Golf Foundation’s programmes continue to impact positively on the lives of so many young people.”