GOLF EUROPE – Growing Golf Sustainably3 min read

Approximately 7.9 million European citizens play golf in an industry that contributes over €15.1 billion to the European economy.

Golf Europe, a group of European golf’s major stakeholders, will aim to progress golf’s contribution to European society and the focus it receives within the community. The Europe 2020 strategy, which outlines the European Union’s vision for the 21st century, included sustainability as a key driver for economic growth and resource efficiency.

In this context, Golf Europe’s activities of growing the sport of golf in an environmentally, socially and economically sustainable way are in line and contribute to realising Europe’s 2020 vision.

Golf Commits to European Week of Sport – September 7-13

The stakeholders of Golf Europe united at the Annual European Union Sports Forum to sign a letter of intent with the European Commission committing their support for the 2015 European Week of Sport.

Golf Europe will promote the #BeActive campaign and participate by collectively mobilising the golf community network (governing bodies, national federations, clubs, coaches, sponsors, professional players and media) to raise awareness of the societal benefits of golf participation through a range of activities including:

• Implementing golf development initiatives across several Member States with structured coaching being delivered by PGA Professionals;
• Showcasing golf’s European youth engagement strategy while simultaneously promoting sport’s value for health and wellbeing;
• Utilising the inspirational role of professional golfers – notably the team captains of both the Solheim Cup and the Ryder Cup – to communicate to young people and to support the delivery of the European Week of Sport objectives; and
• Developing and implementing legacy and outreach programmes, aligned with social and environmental policy agendas, enabled by the success of major golf events in Europe.

GoGolf!

A Collaborative Project on Sport, Health & Participation Achieves European Commission Erasmus+ Award.

Under Erasmus+, the EU programme for Education, Training, Youth and Sport for 2014-2020, the European Commission has awarded funding to the GoGolf! project, which be focused on sport, health and participation with transnational collaboration and two high-level aims:

• Increasing the evidence base for the health benefits of golf for the European citizen
• Driving increased participation in the sport at a pan- European level

In the context of EU policy, the project aims to target the recently published Eurobarometer report on Sport and Physical Activity, which found that:

• 59% of EU citizens never or seldom exercise or play sport at least once a week
• Almost three-quarters of EU citizens (74%) say that they are not members of any sports club, a 67% increase since 2009.

With golf functioning as a major participation sport across Europe, the GoGolf! project will seek to identify how the European golf community can come together to address some of these impending health challenges for the European Community.

A key aim of GoGolf! is to compose a multi-national, multi- stakeholder planning and delivery team which can bring a diverse set of skills, perspectives and resources to the work being undertaken.

GoGolf! Project Hosts First Expert Advisory Board Meeting in Paris

The first Expert Advisory Board (EAB) meeting of the GoGolf Europe project was hosted by the French Golf Federation on 13th of May 2015 at Le Golf National in Paris, venue of the 2018 Ryder Cup.

The meeting gathered a broad group of representatives from the golf sector, with the project lead, the European Golf Association (EGA), being joined by The R&A, the French Golf Federation, the European Tour and the European Disabled Golf Association (EDGA). Expert contributors from outside the golf sector were also present, including the Gender Hub, Think Young, The Association For International Sport for All (TAFISA) and the European Observatoire of Sport and Employment (EOSE).

Following a welcoming message given by the EAB Chairman, Antti Peltoniemi, Past President of the EGA, clarifying the objectives of the meeting and the role of the EAB, an introduction was given to all of the participating organisations and their specific areas of contribution to the project.

A detailed presentation of the GoGolf Europe initiative, along with its objectives and planned outcomes, was subsequently delivered.  The discussions emphasised the importance of working towards making golf an enjoyable, accessible, inclusive and beneficial sport for youth across Europe.