Inner Cities

Golf Roots is a national junior golf development project that includes community activity in schools and clubs as well as special projects that target inner city and urban areas.

Under the banner of ‘Golf Roots’, the Golf Foundation has supported a network of city and urban projects since 2003. In that first year, there were just four projects. In 2010, there were 21 projects spread across England and Wales. The purpose of this report is to outline the various elements of the city projects and to provide a summary of the monitoring information.

Through the 2010 Golf Roots City Projects, the Golf Foundation was aiming to:

i) Raise the profile of golf in city and urban areas and challenge the perceptions of golf and its ability to reach into communities where it may not have been considered an option.

ii) Create sustainable opportunities by engaging with a local delivery partner, empowering individuals through training, and providing appropriate resources.

iii) Demonstrate how golf can be used to develop a range of life skills and personal qualities.

iv) Create exit routes into golf facilities for those who wish to further develop their skills and knowledge.

Golf Roots activity took place in 21 city/urban areas in 2010, those being:

1. Birmingham

2. Derby City

3. Leicester

4. Newcastle

5. Sheffield

6. Coventry

7. Carlisle

8. East London

9. Westminster

10. Croydon

11. Telford

12. Chester

13. Durham

14. North East Lincolnshire (Grimsby)

15. Brighton & Hove

16. Portsmouth

17. Ipswich

18. Exeter

19. Dorset

20. Wrexham

21. Cardiff

As in previous years, a delivery agreement was signed in each area with a local partner, which detailed the responsibilities of the partner and the level of support from the Golf Foundation. Each delivery partner made a commitment to:

1. Deliver Tri-Golf and Golf Xtreme in the schools

2. Run training workshops for teachers, volunteers and coaches

3. Organise schools festivals

4. Offer follow-on coaching in golf facilities and/or clubs

5. Provide golfing activity at a public venue event

Why not click here and take a few minutes to watch the video clip about the Golf Roots City Project, which was called ‘The Back Nine’ in Hackney, London?