Encouraging ‘hard to reach’ youngsters from deprived inner city areas, to sample all that sport has to offer is the purpose of an ambitious scheme operated by the UK’s GOLF FOUNDATION and now part-funded by the RCEDT.
The project, entitled simply GRASS ROOTS, will enable junior golf development to be delivered in 16 ‘inner city’ or ‘urban’ areas across England and Wales so that these otherwise ‘hard to reach’ boys and girls can be encouraged to participate in golf on a regular basis.
The Golf Foundation’s presentation to the RCEDT stressed how they are targeting disadvantaged children in order to help them to develop ‘a range of skills and personal qualities’ via golf including respect, honesty, integrity, co-operation and the like, while also enjoying a healthy outdoor sport.
The project also embraces the basic of training in golf of teachers and volunteer helpers along with the progressive step of coaching by PGA professionals. The overall aim is to expose 12,800 boys and girls to their first experience of golf while training some 160 teachers/volunteers.
The well-researched and detailed timetable, with its widening scope, is estimated to cost £250,000 for each of its two years. Several sponsors will be contributing towards this figure and others are being sought while, because of the amount assembled since its inception, The Ryder Cup Development Trust is in a position to play a major role.
