Girls Golf Rocks campaign working

According to England Golf, a campaign to get more girls in England playing golf is working.

Girls Golf Rocks kicked off in 2016 after research found that girls were disproportionately under–represented among UK golf clubs. Not that a research piece was really needed to confirm this, as it was blindingly obvious!

Now over 80 per cent of girls who try the game at special trial sessions are going on to take coaching courses – and many are expected to move into club membership.

The campaign is being run jointly by England Golf and the Golf Foundation and has received the backing of leading women players, including Annabel Dimmock, an England international in her amateur days and now a player on the Ladies European Tour, Carly Booth and Mel Reid.

15 counties are taking part in this year’s Girls Golf Rocks, up from nine counties in 2016.

The campaign has been designed to encourage hundreds of girls to take free taster sessions followed by coaching courses with PGA professionals and then a fun golf day, also involving the ambassadors.

Anyone completing at least four sessions is receiving a free, custom–fitted seven–iron from US Kids Golf, the official equipment supplier to the Golf Foundation.

Annabel Dimmock

Notable successes include Dorset with 71 out of 72 girls going on to take coaching, while in Cheshire all 53 girls made the transition.

Lauren Spray, England Golf women and girls’ participation manager, said: “Girls Golf Rocks is creating a growing awareness of girls’ golf and proving that if we can get them to try the game they will keep on playing. We hope this will encourage clubs to run more girls–only events to get them involved.

“We’re also making much more impact on social media and it’s a really effective way to reach more girls.”

It has taken a very long time for the game to start addressing this glaring gap, but at least action is now being taken, and the immediate noises are positive.

Related:

Why Brooke Henderson is Super Happy