BGIA donates £15,000 to Golf Foundation

The Golf Foundation will receive a £15,000 donation from the British Golf Industry Association to help with its golf development programmes in schools, communities and golf clubs

Golf Foundation

The Golf Foundation will receive a £15,000 donation from the British Golf Industry Association to help with its golf development programmes in schools, communities and golf clubs.

Around £8,000 was raised at the BGIA golf day at Woburn on April 16, and trustees of the organisation's 'Grow Golf' initiative have decided to supplement that figure by £7,000.

The money will be put towards the Golf Foundation's 'HSBC Golf Roots' programme, which reaches hundreds of thousands of youngsters each year through Tri-Golf, Golf Xtreme, the Junior Golf Passport and other initiatives.

"We would like to offer a big thank you to the Grow Golf Trustees again this year, who have chosen to support our strategy that works to include more boys and girls in a great sport, while helping to protect the future of the golf industry," said Mike Round, the Golf Foundation's Chief Executive.

"A special thank you also to every player who took part in the BGIA Golf Day at Woburn. Their organisations have supported our cause by contributing to a really well-run event for golf industry professionals."

The donation was announced at the BGIA event's annual dinners, which was sponsored by Golf Monthly.

Before the latest contribution, the Grow Golf grant totalled £120,000 over the last three years.

Original contributors were Acushnet Europe, Callaway Golf, PING Europe and Taylor-Made adidas Golf, and this group has now been joined by Brand Fusion International, Eaton Golf Pride, Motocaddy, Peter Millar, Sports Marketing Surveys Inc. and Yonex.

These companies pay an annual level based on UK turnover into the Grow Golf fund.

Anyone wishing to contribute, or those looking for financial support for innovative proposals to stimulate growth, should email info@bgia.org.uk or call 02476 414 999.

Nick Bonfield
Features Editor

Nick Bonfield joined Golf Monthly in 2012 after graduating from Exeter University and earning an NCTJ-accredited journalism diploma from News Associates in Wimbledon. He is responsible for managing production of the magazine, sub-editing, writing, commissioning and coordinating all features across print and online. Most of his online work is opinion-based and typically centres around the Majors and significant events in the global golfing calendar. Nick has been an avid golf fan since the age of ten and became obsessed with the professional game after watching Mike Weir and Shaun Micheel win The Masters and PGA Championship respectively in 2003. In his time with Golf Monthly, he's interviewed the likes of Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Jose Maria Olazabal, Henrik Stenson, Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood and Billy Horschel and has ghost-written columns for Westwood, Wayne Riley, Matthew Southgate, Chris Wood and Eddie Pepperell. Nick is a 12-handicap golfer and his favourite courses include Old Head, Sunningdale New, Penha Longha, Valderrama and Bearwood Lakes. If you have a feature pitch for Nick, please email nick.bonfield@futurenet.com with 'Pitch' in the subject line. Nick is currently playing: Driver: TaylorMade M1 Fairway wood: TaylorMade RBZ Stage 2 Hybrid: Ping Crossover Irons (4-9): Nike Vapor Speed Wedges: Cleveland CBX Full Face, 56˚, Titleist Vokey SM4, 60˚ Putter: testing in progress! Ball: TaylorMade TP5x