At the recent England Golf Awards 2019, Players 1st were proud to sponsor and present the inaugural Innovation Award, which was fought by a competitive list of worthy nominees and the shortlisted final four.

It was Mytime Active who took the maiden title, for their pioneering scheme for GPs to prescribe golf to inactive patients at its Bromley and Orpington Golf Centres in Kent. The benefits to patients who have taken part in the scheme have included lower blood pressure, better grip strength – which indicates greater vitality among older people – and improved well-being.

Golf on referral was developed by Mytime Active, working with England Golf and UK active and sees people from south east London and Kent referred by GPs for a six-week series of 12 sessions. The session combines golf lessons with advice on changing behaviour and will be available at three further Mytime Active venues, as Barnehurst, Hatchford Brook and Dibden start to offer the six-week programme to patients.

The judges were particularly impressed by the opportunity it offers to strengthen golf’s community links and to scale up the project nationally.

Amelia Lewis, UK Regional Manager at Players 1st, who presented the award, was impressed by the positive impacts the scheme has already had within the pilot areas, and the energy and drive of the delivery team.

“Having become a partner of England Golf in 2018, we are excited by the passion of those who work within the industry and by initiatives helping to promote the sport. Players 1st have collated member and guest experience feedback at over 100 golf courses and facilities across England and we know that health and well-being is often cited as one of the most important reasons for players taking up the sport. With the proven health benefits from the GP referral scheme, we are excited to see the potential impact it can have on growing the game nationally.” 

“We believe that Clubs who can offer initiatives like this, have a genuine USP for the club and can make a positive impact on the community."

Raising awareness of health benefits

The establishment of this new award coincides with the launch of a dedicated campaign to raise awareness of the health benefits of golf for people of all ages and abilities. The first ever ‘Golf and Health Week’ will take place from 15-19 April and will aim to encourage golfers, non-golfers and lapsed golfers into taking part in the sport.

The collaborative campaign, led by the R&A with support from multiple golf bodies and professional players, will run across digital and social media channels using the hashtag #GolfHealthWeek and include content focused on highlighting the physical and mental health benefits of playing golf. 

The tangible benefits between golf and health should hopefully continue to encourage more initiatives to help grow the game and support delivery in schemes such as the GP referral scheme.

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