*CUSTOM PRESS RELEASE*
National Golf Month 2017 kickstarts this Bank Holiday Weekend
[INSERT DATE OF RELEASE]:
[INSERT NAME OF CLUB / CENTRE / PRO / ORGANISATION] will be supporting National Golf
Month, a nationwide effort to inspire more women to try golf this May and address golf’s
gender imbalance, which kicks off this weekend.
Free taster sessions exclusively for women are being offered by clubs, centres and pros
across the country. New participants search for and book these taster sessions via
nationalgolfmonth.com. Participants and clubs can use the hashtag #GirlsGetGolfing
throughout the month on social media to share their experiences on course and in ranges
across the UK.
Figures from Sport England, show just 14% of players in England are female. Existing players
are being asked to bring along family members and new players to their local clubs and
centres to try golf.
INSERT DETAILS OF CLUB / CENTRE ACTIVITIES TAKING PLACE IN NATIONAL GOLF MONTH
 Taster sessions
 Special events
INSERT RELEVANT QUOTE (some examples of spokespeople are given below):
 Club Captain
 Ladies’ Captain
 Club Pro
Brian McFadden, a keen player who achieved global success as a member the band Westlife
and is now part of the duo Boyzlife, is backing the campaign. He said, “I think it’s so
important to stress that golf can be enjoyed in mixed groups – it’s one of the few activities
which men and women can play together. Not only that, you can all club together and enjoy
a laugh as you go around the course and hit a few balls. Boyzlife are well and truly behind
#GirlsGetGolfing!”
Among the other celebrities to have added their backing to the campaign the BBC’s Dan
Walker and Naga Munchetty. Ladies European Tour pros Charley Hull and Mel Reid as
spokespeople, whilst broadcasters Henni Zuel (Sky Sports) and Georgie Bingham (TalkSport)
have declared their support.
The campaign aims to showcase the social and health benefits from playing the game as a
means of promoting the game. Research carried out jointly by the World Golf Foundation
and the University of Edinburgh last year found that playing golf made you live longer. Among
the findings:
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A total energy expenditure between 531–2467 calories can be achieved over 18 holes
and a walking distance between 11,245 and 16,667 steps
The physical activity benefits associated with golf, such as releases mood-enhancing
endorphins, can help reduce the risk of anxiety and depression.
Golf could help women prevent and treat more than 40 major chronic diseases such as
breast cancer, heart attacks, stroke and diabetes.
“The This Girl Can campaign has shown that women are willing to get active and try new
sports. We’re saying: golf is the new Zumba - it’s great way of getting fit. This campaign is all
about making the game more accessible, to more women and getting them to play more
often. If we can boost the number of women who play the sport, then we can also revitalize
the playing base of the sport through increased family participation too,” said Doug Poole,
Project Director of National Golf Month.
It is hoped that this year’s campaign will address key barriers currently preventing women
from starting the game in the first place, as highlighted by Syngenta’s recent research: the
cost of taster sessions, easy access and the chance to try the game with their friends.
Bauer Media have renewed their sponsorship of National Golf Month which will provide the
campaign with radio and print exposure across several of their titles including Top Santé and
Yours, two of their major publications, both of which have substantial female readerships.
ENDS
Notes to editors
National Golf Month is an annual programme conducted by the British Golf Industry
Association (BGIA) aimed at growing participation in the sport coordinated by the British Golf
Industry Association. For May 2017, it will focus on encouraging women to take up the game
as its primary target for this year’s month long campaign, which starts on May 1st 2017. New
and lapsed players can search for local opportunities to try golf in May by visiting
nationalgolfmonth.com.
Data is taken from:
- ‘Unlocking Golf’s Potential’ (Syngenta, 2016)
- Golf Participation Report for Europe (KPMG, 2016)
- A. Murray et al, The relationships between golf and health: a scoping review, vol 51 issue
1 (British Medical Journal, October 2016) - http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/51/1/12
Media enquiries
INSERT RELEVANT CONTACT DETAILS
BGIA enquiries:
[email protected]
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