Golfway Launch To Help 2 Million Kids Try Golf For The First Time

Golf Foundation Ambassador Nicola Bennett is helping to launch Golfway at Royal St George’s this week

Golfway Launch To Help 2 Million Kids Try Golf For The First Time

As the best golfers in the world compete in The 149th Open this week, national junior charity the Golf Foundation will be introducing the next generation of youngsters to a unique new way of starting in golf, and it all begins at Royal St George’s.

This new way is called ‘Golfway’, which was officially launched on Wednesday, July 14, in The R&A SwingZone in the Spectator Village.

Golfway is a fun new method of learning golf for kids in school that has been created for teachers to get to grips with easily, and to enhance the outreach work of PGA Professionals in schools and communities.

The Golfway equipment is designed and produced by The Masters Golf Company, a new partner to the Golf Foundation, and Golfway has been created to play a key role in a major new schools’ programme from the Golf Foundation for 2021.

The Golfway clubs themselves are designed for young children of all abilities and allow games and practice drills, developed by the Golf Foundation, to deliver fun and meaningful golf sessions.

The games-based approach naturally encourages fun which is important to engage the audience.

Blending the games with the ‘key points to success’ to promote fundamental golf skills, and ‘Skills for Life’ learning, ensures a meaningful experience for all participants.

This all helps to bridge the gap between those first hits in school and the first lesson at a golf venue with a PGA Professional coach. See more on Golfway at golfway.com

Major new golf programme

The new Golfway format is at the core of the new Golf Foundation Primary School Programme for 2021 which will give a first try at golf to two million children from all backgrounds, in 7,500 schools over the next five years, as a key part of the Foundation’s HSBC Golf Roots initiative in schools, communities and golf clubs.

The School Programme links schools and local PGA Professionals together and provides four coaching sessions which progress children through to a fifth session at an accredited local golf club.

Within this new model, a local competition framework has been created that encourages schools to deliver inter-competition with neighbouring schools, either in physical fixtures or through online virtual leagues.

Golfway will also be used widely across the national extensive School Games network run by the Youth Sport Trust.

Golfway is designed and produced by Masters Golf for the Golf Foundation.

The Bristol-based golf company has years of experience in supporting PGA Professionals and junior beginners of all abilities.

Chris Smith of Masters Golf said: “We are thrilled that the expertise we have developed over many years in junior golf, which has led to the creation of Golfway and the game format, ShortGolf, will now support the Golf Foundation’s drive to bring golf to a new generation of young people.”

Related: How PGA Pros are nurturing the next generation of golfers

London school pupils have first Golfway hit with Nicola

The Golf Foundation is delighted that the charity’s new ambassador Nicola Bennett is helping to launch Golfway on July 14.

Nicola is an emerging professional golfer, social influencer and committed PGA golf coach who has a stated desire to make golf more inclusive and has been taking golf into the London area where she herself grew up.

PGA Trainee Professional Nicola, from Bush Hill Park Golf Club, has supported the Golf Foundation’s recent community golf project in East London, presenting a golf session for youngsters at Valence Primary School in Dagenham to tee it off and then lending her support to children from six schools last week in helping present the Crowlands Schools Festival, alongside Chris Jenkins, PGA Professional at Crowlands Golf Centre.

Nicola will be reuniting with the boys and girls from Valence in The R&A SwingZone at Royal St George’s.

Together they will show watching families, PGA coaches and media why Golfway is perfect for the school setting.

Andy Leigh, who leads on schools for the Golf Foundation, said: “The four new key elements of our primary school support, which includes new equipment, a structured programme, training, and a realigned School Games competition, is very exciting. We really feel this new, reimagined way of presenting golf is ready to take golf to the masses by engaging with more schools.

“The Golf Foundation Schools Programme has been designed to inspire, motivate and reward young people as their start in learning to play golf at school. We are delighted that Golfway offers fantastic equipment to take our work to a whole new level in schools for the future.”

The Golf Foundation introduces youngsters to the game, from all backgrounds, creating golfers.

The charity does this because golf can change lives, and #CreatingGolfers will be its hashtag for The Open week across social media.

The Golf Foundation is present at The Open as guest of its strongest supporter The R&A, and is partnering England Golf in The R&A SwingZone in the Spectator Village for the whole week (from Sunday to Sunday July 11-18).