Have you written your Will? It’s a question you hear all the time, but one that’s easy to brush off and leave for another day. You might have noticed an increased focus on Wills this month. With Free Wills Month, and many charities asking people to leave gifts in their Will, there is no doubt the subject of legacy is high on the agenda.
So have you written a Will? Have you thought about your own legacy, and considered a gift to a charity of your choice?
If golf has played a big part in your life – bringing so many happy moments and memories – then giving something back to the game, for future generations of players, is a fabulous way to celebrate our great sport.
After all, golf is a sport cherished by so many of us, enjoyed over decades, where friends for life are made and personal challenges are met head on. Golf offers us crucial mental and physical health benefits over time, while the life lessons we learn from the game can be genuinely nurturing.
Putting something back
A gift in your Will helps us to keep making a difference, changing the lives of young people by introducing them to golf. Leaving a gift in your Will is an important decision but it doesn’t have to be complicated. We can provide information and guidance to make the process as easy as possible. Our team are available to help at any time and all conversations are held in strict confidence. Click here to drop us a line.
We know – our team sees it all the time – that golf can genuinely enhance the lives of the children we come into contact with. We’ve seen mental wellbeing improve by an average of 20% among young people who have taken part in our schools programme. Practically, we reach thousands of young people each year in three clear ways – through golf clubs, through schools, and via deserving community projects. Our charity is only able to look to the future with excitement because of the help we get from the golf community, those who want to give something to the next generation.
Indeed, some golfers become so much a part of the weave in the pattern of the game that it is natural for them to wish to support the future when they can.
A LASTING LEGACY: TIM BEBB, WORPLESDON GC
Tim Bebb was a 100%, wholly committed golfer, who grew up near the 14th green tee at Worplesdon Golf Club in Surrey. Tim was one of the first generation of children to receive golf coaching in school delivered by the Golf Foundation, the charity set up in 1952 by three-times Open champion Sir Henry Cotton and his friends. The experience gave Tim his first taste of golf and from that moment his passion for the game only grew. He would become a life-time member at Worplesdon GC and long-standing member of The R&A, he played in many of the prestigious amateur tournaments and became a popular Secretary of the historic Moles Golfing Society. Tim’s involvement in golf was marked by his love of the game, and part of his legacy included the gift he made in his Will to the Golf Foundation, the charity from which it all began.
Your money goes to great causes
In recent times we have been involved in some hugely innovative work, including:
Golf Foundation Head of Fundraising Vanessa Bell said: “All of this progress is hitting home but to thrive as a charity we continue to need help. We rely on the support of golfers who share our love and passion for the game, and leaving a legacy gift enables us to plan for the future.”
A LASTING LEGACY: DINAH OXLEY, WEST BYFLEET GC
A personal Will isn’t the only way to help in Legacy giving. A ‘Gift in Memory’ for a family member who loved golf, can also be a fulfilling way to honour them.
In 2021, our charity felt privileged to receive a significant gift from the niece of Dinah Oxley, who was a titan of our sport. Dinah started her golfing journey at West Byfleet Golf Club and through the 1960s and ’70s competed for her country and county more than 40 times. She was crowned British Girl Champion twice (1963 and 1970), English Girl Champion three times and competed four times between 1968 and 1976 as a member of Britain’s Curtis Cup team.
In her honour, the Golf Foundation created the inaugural ‘Dinah Oxley Spirit of Golf Award’ for young players, and used her gift to fund worthy projects including supporting girls from all backgrounds to enjoy a start in golf.
You can help the game in many ways
Everyone can leave their mark on the game, and our team is fortunate to meet so many great people, from coaches to teachers, administrators and volunteers, to individual players who contribute to golf in their unique way.
Every gift, no matter how large or small, could go a long way to providing more opportunities for young people to become involved in golf and help to secure the future of the game.
Thanks for thinking of the Golf Foundation. And don’t forget to do your Will!
