The Golf Foundation's position at the R&A SwingZone, just off the 15th fairway at Royal Troon, has been helping the national charity to promote its innovative programs which encourage young people from all backgrounds to enjoy golf and improve their mental health through the game. .
The Foundation has been working closely with Scottish Golf during the week of the 152nd Open Championship, courtesy of The R&A, and has been welcoming crowds of young people and families to the challenges of the Golfway, while these spectators then watch their golf heroes on the beautiful links of Troon along the Firth of Clyde in South Ayrshire.
While the vibe at SwingZone was 100 percent about fun, inclusion and motivation for kids, the Golf Foundation was able to showcase its programs that specifically encourage all young people to start and stay in the game while gaining tools for mental toughness. that can make a huge positive impact on their resilience, confidence, focus and well-being. In partnership with Scottish Golf, great progress is being made in Scotland with a focus on Royal Troon.
During a visit to the R&A and Open venue by Scotland's Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes, Head of Foundation Development Martin Crowder highlighted the success of the 'Unleash Your Drive in Schools' program where almost 1,000 schools have registered their interest since launched in September 2023. Initial results from schools have shown some powerful results – a 26% increase in awareness of mental health tools and their use, along with a 6% improvement in mental health in just six weeks.
Growing one nation at a time, in June, Unleash Your Drive took its first steps in Scotland with two impactful workshops led by fitness guru Pete Wortley alongside Andy Leigh, who leads the Unleash Your Drive program at the Golf Foundation. The sessions were attended by Scottish golf staff, golf coaches, and representatives from six local authority areas – Aberdeenshire, Angus, Clackmannanshire, Dundee, Fife, and Moray.
The second new initiative supported by Scottish Golf is the Golf Foundation's 'Golf Nines' pilot, a format designed to build on the success of the highly popular GolfSixes League across the Home Nations. While GolfSixes is the most junior golf club, Golf Nines encourages the budding player with a handicap of 36-24 – although it is still played in team pairs in the fun and inclusive Texas Scramble format over nine holes now.
Six of Scotland's local clubs came to The R&A SwingZone to celebrate the pilot run by Scottish Golf, to The Open courtesy of The R&A after playing their Golf Nines match earlier in the day.
Young player Matteo Balzan told us: “It was great. The Golf Nines was really fun and we enjoyed the game today against the other teams. I look forward to getting up and playing 18 holes when I'm ready. It was great to be at The Open today and watch the players on the course. I hope to see Scottie Scheffler do well, and Scottie and Jordan Spieth signed my golf glove on the course, which was awesome!”
In this busy week for the Golf Foundation team, promotion of the organisation's values of making golf fun, inclusive, innovative and enriching, comes in many forms, including: speaking to hundreds of families on site at Royal Troon; hosting around 30 junior teams from regional golf clubs (again with the support of Scottish Golf); sharing the well-presented R&A SwingZone with Scottish Golf, The PGA and EDGA; meeting with all of the United Nations, key golf industry stakeholders and supporters of the Foundation, including their major funder, the R&A.
But the main theme is always fun for kids!
South African rugby union legend and R&A Development Ambassador Bryan Habana lit up the R&A SwingZone at The Open with the example he set in encouraging young people to learn the importance of resilience, focus and a positive attitude.
Martin Crowder of the Golf Foundation said: “Bryan's tour with the Golf Foundation has been a great experience for all involved. She is an inspirational person and her thoughts on getting the best out of you and accepting the challenge echoes much of our work to support the mental wellbeing of young people. We were all impressed and appreciated Bryan's support.”
Bryan recently said: “I want to promote how beneficial golf is at all levels and the ways there are to enjoy it. I am fortunate to be a part of this group of amazing ambassadors who will promote this game and I hope I can encourage more people to play this great game.”
R&A Ambassador Partner, Olympic Champion Jonathan Edwards; and the leading junior international players of 'G4D' (golf for the disabled) Adem Wahbi from Belgium and Tycho Kuiper from the Netherlands (who last played in The R&A Junior Open in Barassie earlier in the week), were in other words took on the '10 shot challenge' of the Foundation , while Finders Keepers, Cliffhanger Putting and other Golfway games are enjoyed by younger guests. Meanwhile, all family members enjoy the 'long putt' of trying to win Titleist prizes each day.
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