Welcome to our 2024–25 Impact Report
The Golf Foundation has much to be proud of when reflecting on the past year. This year's Impact Report not only reflects some of our highlights but also our shift towards demonstrating our impact under 4 strategic goals:
- Introducing more young people to golf in their schools and communities
- Helping more young people to play at their local golf club or facility
- Increasing the diversity of young people within golf
- Strengthening the mental wellbeing of young people
Welcome From The CEO
"It is an incredible honour and privilege to lead the Golf Foundation, and we've had another incredible year of impact. We are proud of our history and connection to Sir Henry Cotton, 3 times winner of The Open Championship, driven by our values of making the introduction of golf to young people – FUN, Inclusive, Inspiring, Innovative and Enriching.
The charity continues to evolve and test new ways of attracting and keeping young people in the sport. With the support of a skilled and dedicated Board, and driven by excellent people within the organisation, we look forward to being laser focused in our mission to provide young people with a fun and inclusive introduction to golf, the chance to play regularly at clubs and develop lifelong skills."
Unleash Your Drive
In support of Unleash Your Drive, our inspirational President Nick Dougherty hosted a qualifying golf tournament at Wentworth Club, with the 3 winners playing in the BMW PGA Championship Pro-Am. Only 18 months after launch, our stand-alone mental toughness programme has now reached 1,403 schools and consistently measures an average 6% increase in overall mental wellbeing of pupils taking part.
"Any increase, or simply maintaining wellbeing in today's challenging world, is a meaningful success worth celebrating."
— Dr John Perry, sports psychologist, University of LimerickGolfSixes League
Our GolfSixes League programme is now established in 800 clubs across GB&I, reaching over 9,000 participants in 2024 (25% girls). Created and developed by the Golf Foundation, generously supported by The R&A, and delivered across GB&I thanks to England Golf, Scottish Golf, Wales Golf and Golf Ireland — our charity is making a measurable difference to young golfers enjoying their early experience of competitive golf.
"It's not just golf – it's fitness, friendship, and fun. GolfSixes League got my child off screens and onto the course."
Eagles For Education
Thanks to our relationship with the DP World Tour, our President's Awards returned to Wentworth Club. We received the backing of BMW via the Eagles for Education initiative. As a result of these key partnerships, we look forward to being the Official Charity Partner of the BMW PGA Championship in September 2025, a huge opportunity for the Golf Foundation in terms of both profile and fundraising.
Introducing Young People to Golf in Schools & Communities
Our Impact
- 226,265 young people introduced to golf via schools and communities
- 1,403 schools registered for Unleash Your Drive in Schools
- Holiday Activity and Food projects introduced 2,552 young people to golf
The Context
- That's enough to fill Wembley Stadium THREE TIMES
- We are 7% of the way to getting golf in every school in the UK
- Children from lower-income families are FIVE times less likely to access golf than their peers
Why We Do This
Research shows only 47% of UK children meet the Chief Medical Officer's guidelines for daily physical activity. PE time in schools has fallen in the past decade, and access to a variety of sports is uneven – children in disadvantaged areas are 40% less likely to access non‑traditional sports like golf.
School Games
The School Games inspires young people to stay active for life through positive experiences of daily physical activity and competition. Through our long-standing partnership with the Youth Sport Trust, the Golf Foundation has embraced the School Games since its launch in 2010.
Unleash Your Drive in Schools
In only its second year, our headline schools programme continued to attract applications from hundreds of schools across GB&I. We were delighted to see its expansion into the island of Ireland as part of a national programme supported by Golf Ireland.
Community Projects
Working strategically with Street Games and the Holidays and Activity Food (HAF) programme in Birmingham and Lincolnshire, we introduced 2,552 young people to golf.
Bring It On Brum
The Golf Foundation supported the largest HAF programme in England for the fourth year running and has now introduced over 2,000 young people to golf, 82% are on free school meals.
- 4 festivals delivered including 2 at the Betfred British Masters
- 28 youth groups with equipment and staff trained
- 70% participants from ethnically diverse communities
Lincolnshire HAF Programme
For the second year running, Lincolnshire County Council included golf in its holiday community programme, expanding the number of youth clubs offering golf from 25 to 36, training 18 members of staff and running 2 festivals including an innovative 'Glow Golf' event in mid-winter. The project also now offers scholarships to local golf clubs and free equipment kindly provided by local business, PING.
Helping More Young People to Play at Golf Clubs
Our Impact
- GolfSixes League saw 127 leagues played across more than 600 clubs
- 88% of players want to keep playing after GSL
- 25% of GSL participants are girls
The Context
- In 2017, there were just 24 clubs taking part across six leagues!
- Retention rates in youth sport often fall below 50% by age 14; GolfSixes nearly doubles that
- That's nearly double the usual share (15%) of girls in junior golf!
Why We Do This
Junior golf club membership has declined in the last 15 years, with under‑18s making up less than 10% of club members in England. Clubs that fail to attract juniors face long‑term sustainability challenges, both in participation and in nurturing future volunteers and club leaders.
GolfSixes League
"It's not just golf – it's fitness, friendship, and fun. GolfSixes League got my child off screens and onto the course."
The GolfSixes League Pathway in Action – Suffolk
When the Suffolk Golf Union announced their 2025 under 16 squad, a clear pattern emerged — half of the 14 players had started their golf journey in the Golf Foundation's GolfSixes League programme.
"To know they started their journey with GolfSixes League and are now playing county golf shows we are doing something right."
Junior Hubs
We work with a network of junior friendly clubs to grow their junior offering. Last year, our network contributed to creating 14,000 new regular golfers who are committing to coaching and playing on a course (including GolfSixes League), which is a 17% increase on 2023 and a 34% increase on 2022 figures.
372 golf clubs across England, Scotland and Wales received Golf Foundation support in five key pillars — Admin, Coaching, Playing opportunities, Recruitment and Building A Support Team.
Case Study – Royal Dornoch GC, Junior Club of the Year
Royal Dornoch are a special club, who have worked hard to give every child in the town the opportunity to try golf. Each year, the club runs 75 golf sessions in all of the local primary and secondary schools, delivered by trainee PGA Professional coaches. 100 juniors take part weekly and it is estimated that over 50% of the primary age children in the area are actively involved at the golf club.
Unleash Your Drive in Clubs
Through the funding support of the British Golf Industry Association and The R&A, we are piloting 42 projects in England, Wales and Scotland that are testing a new club introductory programme with the primary objective of introducing at least 50% of pupils from an Unleash Your Drive programme in school to their local golf club and PGA Professional.
Increasing the Diversity of Young People in Golf
Our Impact
- 25% of GolfSixes League participants were girls
- 17% of juniors introduced to golf have a disability
- 25% of juniors introduced to golf were from ethnically diverse backgrounds
The Context
- Golf traditionally sees less than 15% female participation
- Well above the 10% of disabled children meeting activity guidelines nationally
- Just 5% of golf club members are from ethnically diverse backgrounds — our programmes are five times more representative
"Golf Foundation activity looks like modern Britain – with a quarter of participants from ethnically diverse communities."
Why We Do This
Sport England data shows children from lower‑income families are 20% less likely to be active than their peers. Girls drop out of sport at a higher rate during adolescence — by age 14, only 10% of girls meet recommended activity levels. Ethnically diverse communities remain under‑represented in club golf, with some counties reporting less than 5% participation.
Growing The Game For Girls
Thanks to a new partnership with the LPGA Foundation, the number of girls being introduced to the sport and continuing their journey into membership is growing:
Bringing The Sport to Ethnically Diverse Backgrounds
The Golf Foundation supported the largest HAF programme in England — Bring it on Brum — for the fourth year running and has now introduced over 2,000 young people to golf, 82% are on free school meals.
Strengthening Mental Wellbeing & Teaching Life Skills
Our Impact
- 20% rise in pupils' understanding of mental toughness tools
- 6% average rise in wellbeing
The Context
- The ONS uses WEMWBS to track UK wellbeing; annual changes are typically under 1% at national level
- Studies in schools show interventions often achieve 1–3% improvements over several months
Why We Do This
The NHS reports that 1 in 5 children aged 8–16 has a probable mental health disorder. Levels of anxiety and low mood have risen sharply post‑pandemic, particularly among disadvantaged groups.
"The results from Unleash Your Drive are so impressive because they are founded on mental toughness, and we know that leaves a lasting impact, not just a temporary improvement in mental wellbeing. These kids are being better prepared for life!"
— Dr John Perry, sports psychologist, University of LimerickUnleash Your Drive in Schools
Our mental toughness programme in schools has gone from strength to strength since launching in September 2023. Year two saw us pass 1,400 schools registered to deliver Unleash Your Drive in Schools, and the impacts have started to be seen. The programme is proving to be a powerful force in supporting young people's mental health.
"So when you are stepping up, it's quite nerve wracking, so you have to try and calm down and get your focus on. I've used the skills in a test in class. Breathing. Just clear your mind and try and answer the question or do the shot."
— Josh, Year 6 pupilOur Results Indicate:
- Pupils showed a 20% increase in understanding about how to apply mental toughness skills
- Pupils measured a 6% increase in overall mental wellbeing
- Pupils showed a 93% increase in understanding of key golf skills (Grip, Aim, Stance, Posture)
Events, Enablers & A Few Thank Yous
Underpinning all of our front-facing programmes is our work around fundraising, events, digital transformation and people development. These enable the Golf Foundation to deliver the activities, tell our story and secure the income we require.
The Open 2024
"The Open is a world class event and an important platform for us to encourage more people to play more golf, more often. We have been delighted and indebted to have such expert partners working on our Swingzone."
— Kevin Barker, The R&ABMW PGA Championship 2024
We celebrated a busy week at the BMW PGA Championship. Our first #PlayInMay winners took part in the Pro-Am, our stand was filled with groups all week long, our President's Awards took place on the Wednesday evening in the Clubhouse, and the BMW Eagles For Education saw an incredible £89,000 raised throughout the week.
Play In May
Through his own drive and initiative, Nick Dougherty launched, hosted and inspired a brand new competition for the Golf Foundation, encouraging all golfers to 'Play in May' and win the chance to play in a Final at Wentworth Club, with the 3 winners then getting to play in the BMW PGA Championship.
The initiative raised £15,000 and helped to raise more profile for the Golf Foundation in clubs and with the media.
Fundraisers — Thank You
