GENERATE AND ENGLAND GOLF LAUNCH ‘RAISING OUR GAME’ STRATEGY

Earlier this week, our PR team headed to City Golf on Coleman St to launch England Golf’s new strategy – a strategy that is designed to shift the perception of golf and increase membership and participation. With a room filled with eager journalists (Sunday Times, City AM and Sky Sports News to name a few) the panel debate kicked off with Sky’s pundit Sarah Stairk sparking conversation.

David Joy, CEO of England Golf sat alongside England Golf board member Anabel Sexton, Performance Diretor Nigel Edwards, John Bushell, MD of SPORTS MARKETING SURVEYS INC. and Charlie Pillinger from Sturminster Marshall Golf Club. The panel openly discussed the challenges facing the game and their clear vision to combat these issues.

Topics of conversation included changing the image of golf by making local clubs more accessible, cheaper to play at and more diverse (including gym facilities, cafes, children’s areas). A hot discussion point was over price and time – both two major contributing factors in the decrease in partnership. David Joy spoke about increasing the amount of nine-hole golf courses in order to make the game quicker and therefore more appealing to those with a busy schedule as well as encouraging clubs to offer a flexible membership to help those with little time to play the game.

As part of the launch, England Golf also announced that Justin Rose and Charley Hull have agreed to become England Golf’s Ambassadors to help champion the work England Golf are doing.

Appetite for the story was high with a series of one on one press interviews being set up post the debate with the likes of Sky Sports, The Guardian, The Times, Marketing Week, City AM.

We have seen some great coverage to date with lots more planned for around The Open!

The Times

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/sport/golf/article4478561.ece

City AM

http://www.cityam.com/218654/nine-hole-golf-help-england-unearth-its-own-jordan-spieth

Women and Golf

http://womenandgolf.com/england-golf-ambassadors/

Marketing Week

https://www.marketingweek.com/2015/06/23/england-golfs-ceo-on-changing-the-sports-perception-and-appealing-more-to-women/

Sports Industry

http://www.sportindustry.biz/news/rose-hull-champion-england-golf-initiative

Perfect Pearl Solutions

http://www.perfectpearlsolutions.co.uk/england-golfs-ceo-on-changing-the-sports-perception-and-appealing-more-to-women/