GolfSixes League will expand across Europe in 2022 in a continuing drive to encourage young people into playing, enjoying and remaining in the sport.
The expansion is a collaboration between the R&A, the Confederation of Professional Golf, the Ryder Cup European Development Trust, DP World Tour and Ladies European Tour – the leading bodies aligning in support of a development initiative for the first time.
GolfSixes League has seen great success across Great Britain and Ireland where it is administered by the Golf Foundation, England Golf, Golf Ireland, Scottish Golf and Wales Golf.
In 2021 across GB&I, 386 golf venues offered 74 GolfSixes Leagues in which 5,252 players participated, with 30 percent of those being girls. Following on from the GolfSixes League, there was a 35-percent increase in junior membership at participating clubs.
GolfSixes League, and its off-course version GolfSixes Mini League, will expand in 2022 to also run in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Switzerland.
An estimated 8,000 young people will experience the sport this year thanks to GolfSixes League, which will be played across the 10 countries, with around 750 golf clubs participating in events this summer.
“It is important to build on the early momentum gained in Great Britain and Ireland and introduce the initiative to more countries throughout Europe so that more opportunities to enjoy playing golf in this format are offered to young people ..."
Phil Anderton
Phil Anderton, chief development officer at the R&A, said, “We are very supportive of initiatives that encourage young people into golf and be retained within the sport, and GolfSixes League has already shown itself to be a popular and enjoyable short-form activity with both young people and their parents.
“It is important to build on the early momentum gained in Great Britain and Ireland and introduce the initiative to more countries throughout Europe so that more opportunities to enjoy playing golf in this format are offered to young people and they can experience the health and social benefits that we know it can provide to them.”
GolfSixes League is a development initiative which introduces young people to golf in a fun and inclusive environment, along with an added competitive element.
In a short time period, it enables young people to move from beginners on driving ranges or practice facilities to playing golf in teams of six, playing over six holes, using the two-person scramble format on courses adapted to their skill levels.
Evidence from GolfSixes League in Great Britain and Ireland has clearly demonstrated that practicing and playing in teams is a successful way to engage young people and their parents with the sport.
A GolfSixes League digital platform has been developed by Golf Genius to easily enable participating golf clubs to implement and manage their league as it is introduced to other countries this year.
For more information on GolfSixes League, click HERE.
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The R&A