Andalusia has hit the sweet spot with the Junior Golf Program, a new initiative launched this summer and whose balance has been a success. Nearly 2,000 children have taken advantage of the benefits of the Junior Golf Program during the summer months, which has offered free green fees to children under thirteen accompanied by an adult and at a maximum price of 25 euros per 18 holes for youngsters between 14 and 25 years of age. The Program has been a success and the Federation wants to thank the support of the children for using it, the courses for offering it and the parents for coming and playing with their children.
From the beginning, the Andalusian clubs were very pleased with this program launched by the Royal Andalusian Golf Federation and the conclusions are very positive. Both users and courses are very satisfied with the final result. A total of 35 clubs joined the Program with the illusion and commitment to continue in the future. It has only been a first step in a plan that seeks to promote golf among children and family practice.
The standard bearer of the program is Carlos Pitarch, President of the Promotion Committee of the Royal Andalusian Golf Federation: “Now that the school year has begun it is time to take stock and, the truth is that the reception that the Junior Golf program has had has been very good. From the Royal Andalusian Golf Federation, we can not fail to thank them for their commitment to grassroots golf. This has been just the first of many steps we want to take in this direction, the implementation of a project that we want to continue, maintain and improve in the future,” he explains.
The fundamental idea is not only to look for new players, but to reactivate the golfing ‘consciences’ of those who for one reason or another decided to park golf from their lives. “We are losing a generation of golf -the one between 18 and 40 years old, approximately-, who are young people, who have played as children with their parents, and who stop doing it when they become socially independent, but not economically. When they return from their studies, when they start to have economic capacity, they are focused on other sports disciplines and it takes them years to remember golf again. We cannot accept that golf is the sport of those who are no longer fit for other more intense activities, and this is something that we can remedy with a small effort with the golfers included in the Golf Joven program”, he points out.
This year has broken the record of tourists who have traveled to Andalusia with the main objective of playing golf. Specifically, it has exceeded half a million players. For this reason, from the Federation there is the conviction that it is a great time to bet and emphasize the local golfer. This type of promotional activities aims precisely to take care of and increase the number of players in Andalusia.
The Junior Golf Program has been a success from east to west of the community. The conclusions of the courses that have signed up are very positive. They all agree that they will continue to invest in this same line, with promotions of this caliber. Thus, Eliat Pérez, director of Cabopino (Málaga) comments that “we will always continue to support this type of initiative among the youngest, for whom we have had special promotions for some time. This year, we joined the Junior Golf Program of the Royal Andalusian Golf Federation and the result has been very positive”.
Some courses have even taken the opportunity to organize their own leagues among the youngest players. This is the case of Islantilla Golf, Huelva. “Islantilla has had an active rate for children for several years, whereby children under 13 play for free all year round, and those between 13 and 18 can benefit from a special reduced price, so our support for the program has been based on being more flexible with the ages during the summer season. It has worked very well and, in addition, we have organized a children’s league that has allowed us to have kids competing every week around here”, assures Tino Cordero, its director.
And in line with Pitarch’s comments, this Junior Golf Program has also allowed some parents who had golf off the radar to bring it back. María del Mar Martín, director of La Envía Golf, in Almería, tells us. “I consider that, indeed, we have to promote golf among children and that the best way to do it is with this type of initiative. Thanks to the Golf Joven program, we have had a group of children who have been going out to the course regularly during the summer. In fact, we have had the case of a father who had stopped playing and has taken up golf again this summer, on the basis of accompanying his children. In the end, it was the children who dragged the father back to the course. This is one of the most beautiful values of golf and is that it is a perfect sport to practice as a family”.
And if there is one thing golf has, it is the possibility of being able to practice it all the family together at the same time, with games that include several generations, from grandparents, parents, children and grandchildren. The Junior Golf Program goes further and after its first year, the foundations are already being laid to make it even better, with new promotions and facilities so that golf continues to grow in Andalusia.
The courses that have participated this year in the Junior Golf Program and have been key to the success of this initiative are: Lauro Golf, Cabopino, Parador Malaga Golf, Baviera Golf, El Chaparral, Miguel Angel Jimenez Golf School, Alhaurin Golf, Doña Julia Golf Club, La Cala Resort, Real Club El Candado, La Quinta Golf & Country Club, Añoreta Golf, Alboran Golf, Aguilon Golf, La Envia Golf, Golf Alboran Golf, Aguilon Golf, La Envia Golf, Alboran Golf, Alboran Golf, La Envia Golf, Alhaurín Golf, Alhaurín Golf, Alhaurín Golf Country Club, Añoreta Golf, Alborán Golf, Aguilón Golf, La Envía Golf, Golf Almerimar, Club de Golf Bellavista, Costa Esuri H2O Golf Club, Isla Canela Golf, La Monacilla Golf Club, Islantilla Golf Resort, Club Zaudín Golf, Club Hato Verde, Real Club Sevilla Golf, Escuela Pública La Cartuja, Santa Clara Golf Club Granada, Real Club de Campo de Córdoba, Club de Golf Pozoblanco, Parque Deportivo La Garza, Sherry Golf Jerez, Arcos Golf, Villa Nueva Golf Resort, San Roque Club, Costa Ballena Ocean Golf Club and Montecastillo Barceló Golf Club.
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