One of the country’s leading golf centre groups is putting on a month-long festival across its UK venues to forge links with local communities and introduce hundreds of first-timers to the game.
At seven Glendale Golf centres across the UK, from Portsmouth in the south to Chorley in the north, teams of golf centre staff will be encouraging local residents to visit their centre for the first time. Each centre’s goal is to interact with at least 100 first-time visitors during August, whether for a golf lesson, a fun golf-themed event, or a session on the driving range.
The seven Glendale centres are Tilgate Forest, West Sussex; Richmond Park (pictured), Surrey; Beckenham, Surrey; Portsmouth GC, Hants; Castle Point, Essex; Edwalton, Nottingham; and Duxbury Park in Chorley, Lancs.
Each centre will also invite local community leaders to discuss how golf can spread through the area – whether through schools, youth clubs, community centres or at a Glendale Golf centre itself.
Golf camps and free rounds for youngsters, free beginner golf lessons, FootGolf events, Ladies’ days, and fun days for the family are being lined up, while each centre will be emphasising the social benefits of being involved with a golf centre for older players.
“One hundred people per golf centre may not sound like a large number,” said Tom Brooke, operations director of Glendale Golf. “But if it’s a young person, then family members will probably help them get to the golf centre, and once they are there, there’s a good chance they will be inspired to have a go themselves. Each person who tries golf for the first time at a Glendale golf centre in August will almost certainly share the experience with at least six others – if we make it a good experience. That’s the local snowball effect we are trying to create at each of the seven locations.”
He added: “What matters is that people feel welcomed by a Glendale Golf centre, and our teams are determined to meet people from all walks of life at their place during the festival.”
As examples of next month’s activity, Tilgate Forest has partnered with Crawley Wellbeing, the Golf Foundation, UK FootGolf, Tilgate Park and Crawley Borough Council to put on a series of golf-related activities for its local community.
To find out more about the Glendale Golf Festival visit www.glendalegolf.co.uk.