Wednesday 10 August 2016 17:26, UK
The Golf Foundation has been named as the official charity of the British Masters supported by Sky Sports, which will take place at The Grove from October 13.
The tournament, hosted this season by former world No 1 Luke Donald, will help raise awareness and funds for the Foundation, which was set up by Sir Henry Cotton in 1952 and makes golf and its benefits more accessible to young people of all abilities and from many different backgrounds.
Sky Sports and the European Tour have already teamed up with the grassroots initiative Get Into Golf, to build on the success of last year's British Masters, encouraging children and adults to play golf.
Initiatives such as live masterclasses planned for the tournament week and "Sky Sports Thursday", which gave away 20,000 free tickets to the first round of this year's British Masters at The Grove, also aim to help engage with new and existing audiences.
The charity partnership with the Golf Foundation continues this theme and European Tour star Eddie Pepperell, a strong supporter of junior golf development, was joined by 30 children from the Golf Foundation at The Grove to launch the tournament's official charity campaign.
Pepperell recently returned the sponsorship paid to him by his home club, Frilford Heath, to allow 51 youngsters to become junior members which increased the club's junior section by two thirds. Pepperell believes the British Masters, and its association with the Golf Foundation, will have a similar effect on inspiring youngsters to try the game.
"The Golf Foundation is a superb charity which takes golf to kids who might otherwise not have the opportunity to participate in the game," said Pepperell. "These youngsters are precisely the demographic the British Masters, the European Tour and Sky Sports are trying to engage as we all attempt to grow the game of golf and reach new audiences.
"It was fantastic to have so many of the kids from the Golf Foundation at The Grove today to launch the official charity, and have a go at some of the golf activities we had set up. Hopefully, the tournament itself will help raise money and awareness so the Golf Foundation can continue the great work it does at the grassroots level of the game."
The Golf Foundation is a superb charity which takes golf to kids who might otherwise not have the opportunity to participate in the game
Tournament host Donald added: "We saw at the British Masters last year how much fun kids can have by getting involved with the game of golf and with the various initiatives we have planned for this year, including having the Golf Foundation as our official charity, will really build on that good work.
"It was great that Eddie could be at The Grove today to help with the launch and meet some of the kids. We've already done quite a bit of work at The Grove with some local youngsters through Sky Sports and the European Tour as part of the tournament build-up, which people will be able to watch very soon on various digital platforms.
"With the Golf Foundation now on board as the official charity, we can continue the strong golf development theme of the event and help to engage a new audience at the British Masters this October."
Brendon Pyle, chief executive of the Golf Foundation, said: "The Golf Foundation greatly values the support of the European Tour and its players such as Luke Donald and Eddie Pepperell. To be selected as the official charity for the British Masters is a real honour for the Golf Foundation, which aims to bring the benefits of golf to more young people across England, Scotland and Wales."
More than 57,000 spectators attended last year's British Masters supported by Sky Sports at Woburn Golf Club, where England's Matthew Fitzpatrick - the youngest player in the field - claimed his maiden European Tour title.
Tickets for the 2016 British Masters supported by Sky Sports are now on general sale, with fans able to buy tickets for the final three rounds of the European Tour tournament at The Grove. They are available jointly via www.europeantourtickets.com and www.sky.com/tickets.
Hospitality packages are also available for the British Masters supported by Sky Sports. For further information or to request a brochure call 01344 8404550 email [email protected] or visit www.europeantourtickets.com.
