Parliamentarians urged to get into golf

MPs and Peers were invited to Get into golf recently when golf was one of the sports showcased at the inaugural Parliamentary Sports Fair. It was organised by the Sport and Recreation Alliance as part of the #GetYourKitOn campaign, which urges continued investment in grassroots sport and recreation to create an active nation.

The All Party Parliamentary Golf Group encouraged decision-makers to have a go at golf, to find out about England Golf’s Get into golf campaign and to learn about the health and well-being benefits of the game. They were given a fun introduction to the sport by Community Golf, which offers opportunities for disadvantaged and disabled people to play golf in Surrey and parts of Sussex, Kent and London.

Richard Shaw, director and founder of Community Golf, said: “The day was fantastic and we had around 40 MPs and peers have a go at our stand! We were certainly one of the busiest stands, which is fantastic for our sport.”

Parliamentarians also heard about the Get into golf campaign, run by England Golf and supported by Sky Sports, which inspires more people to play the game and enjoy a sociable sport with many health benefits. According to the Sport and Recreation Alliance, the cost of health related conditions associated with inactivity, including obesity and diabetes, is costing the nation £7.4bn each year.

In a 9-hole round golfers will walk two to three miles, take over 5000 steps and burn over 450 calories – all within a couple of hours. Studies show it can help people live longer, reduce their stress levels, and improve their self-esteem.

England Golf Chief Executive Nick Pink said: “Golf makes a huge contribution to the Government’s agenda to promote an active and healthy lifestyle. We’re very pleased to have today’s opportunity to involve MPs and Peers and hope they will join us to spread the message about the health benefits of golf and attract many more people to enjoy our great game.”

Speaking after the event, Chair of the Parliamentary Golf Group and MP for Lincoln, Karl McCartney, said: “I am delighted that Members of Parliament have had the opportunity to find out more about golf in their constituencies. Get into golf is a fantastic initiative to promote participation golf in communities across the UK, and we need to encourage Members of Parliament to learn more about the sport and its importance to the nation’s health and wellbeing.”

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A graduate of Cardiff University’s highly respected post-graduate magazine journalism course, Andy has successfully edited four different publications across the B2B, trade and consumer sectors. He is skilled at all aspects of the magazine process in addition to editing websites and managing social media channels.