Golf Foundation raises £80,000 in Annual Appeal

Golf Foundation raises £80,000 in Annual appeal and thanks Club Car for support

Press Release

Members of golf clubs all over Britain have played their part in raising around £80,000 for the Golf Foundation's annual appeal for 2005. Golf clubs were asked to make donations to help fund the Golf Foundation's important grass roots golf development work in schools, golf facilities and through local authorities all over Britain, which is making the sport more accessible for both boys and girls.

Added spice for this year's appeal was provided thanks to Club Car, who had presented one of its Precedent golf cars to Ken Schofield, to mark his retirement as Executive Director of the European Tour, who in turn donated the Precedent to the Golf Foundation. The car was then put forward as a prize, and any golf club that donated £250 or more to the Foundation was entered into a draw to win the Precedent. Neil Woodfin, Club Car's Sales Director for Europe, Africa and the Middle East was delighted to help the Foundation achieve its targets in this way, "The work that the Golf Foundation carries out is essential in bringing new people into the sport and we are pleased to be able to offer our support in this way."

In all, 67 golf clubs were entered into the draw and Ken Schofield himself selected Epsom Golf Club in Surrey as the winner. David Bowles, Secretary at Epsom Golf Club, said: "We were shocked and, of course, delighted to be informed that we had won this great prize. We are also very pleased that it has come from supporting the Golf Foundation, an organisation that is doing so much good work for junior golf."

The Foundation's work in 2005 has included; introducing 300,000 children to golf through the Golf Foundation's European Tour-endorsed Tri-Golf initiative; nearly 3,000 primary schools welcoming golf into their schools; and 45,000 children from a diverse range of backgrounds joining community golf schemes thanks to the Daily Telegraph Marriott Golf Roots project.

Mike Round, Chief Executive of the Golf Foundation, said, "We would like to thank every club member who has given money or time to junior golf, and we'd like to offer special thanks to Club Car and Ken Schofield for donating this prize which served as a great added incentive for the clubs. We are hugely grateful for this level of support."

• The Golf Foundation is a British Isles charity dedicated to bringing more young people into the sport.
• The Golf Foundation is committed to developing the sport at the junior level by supporting the implementation of national development plans and by working in partnership with the golfing bodies in England through the England Golf Partnership, in Wales through Golf Development Wales, in Scotland through clubgolf, and in Ireland through Junior Golf Ireland.
• Each year around 500,000 children across the British Isles benefit from the initiatives and resources available through the Golf Foundation.