Welcoming school groups and introducing brand new players is a feature of our work at The Open at Royal Birkdale.

The reaction from students and staff from one visiting school also showed the vast potential of golf as part of a positive, sporty mindset on the curriculum.

Students present at The R&A Swingzone from Christ the King Catholic High School & Sixth Form Centre in Southport were enjoying playing supervised games of Golfway with our team. There were plenty of smiles, laughter and encouragement between the students as they took on a team challenge.

Associate Acting Head at Christ the King, Cath Plummer, said: "We want to be sure that our students can have the opportunity to try a range of sports, to find their talent. Golf could offer the difference for some pupils on their sporting journey that they can take forward into adulthood, which is very important.”

The Southport school has supported The Road To The Opens legacy project we are running with The R&A and England Golf in the North West. Following the success of the secondary school ‘Golf Sixes Mini League’ pilot at Aintree Golf Centre, Christ the King is keen to be a part of that league, and to deliver our Unleash Your Drive initiative in the school year to come.

We spoke with Joanna, aged 12, who is completely new to golf, only having played ‘crazy golf’ at nearby Hesketh Park. She has never watched the game on TV and hadn’t heard of Rory McIlroy until now.

“I play netball, football, cricket, basketball and rounders,” said Joanna. “This was my first go at golf and it was really good. Hitting the shots was easier than I thought, and the games were fun. We will go and watch The Open, it’s a brand new experience!”

Cath Plummer also explained that the school is allowing any student to come to school in their PE kit. “This seems to encourage a more active approach to the day for some students, making them more likely to play some sport in the day, and they appreciate wearing the kit; they feel encouraged.”

Ali Watt, school games organiser for the area, said: “So many youngsters will want to try a new sport but it’s about access. This school is close to a number of golf courses of course. You can be a mile away, but unless there is a feeling of accessibility you may as well be 100 miles away. That’s why the Golf Foundation is so important, and initiatives like Unleash Your Drive and GolfSixes League are so valuable.”