Golf Foundation CEO to write for The Golf Business

The chief executive of the charity the Golf Foundation is to write a semi-regular column for The Golf Business.

Brendon Pyle, along with other key members of staff at the British charity, will pen several articles in 2018 which will ultimately show how golf clubs can appeal more to juniors.

The Golf Foundation was founded in 1952 by, among others, Sir Henry Cotton, and today continues to provide the playing and personal benefits of golf to young people by following its motto of getting youngsters to ‘Start, Learn and Stay’ in the sport.

Brendon Pyle has been chief executive for three years and has served the national charity for 18 years. He started at the grass roots as the first regional development officer (RDO) in the south west of England. He then became the first RDO to cover Scotland as the Golf Foundation expanded, before being appointed as the charity’s national development manager for eight years.

Brendon Pyle. Image: Hugh Routledge

As CEO of the charity, which works closely with England Golf, Wales Golf, Scottish Golf and the PGA, along with respected national partners, he now leads a committed and growing team that supports hundreds of golf clubs as they work together to welcome more junior players through initiatives such as GolfSixes, Girls Golf Rocks and the Box of Tricks (see more at www.golf-foundation.org).

These three initiatives, designed to help clubs retain more juniors, sit under the headline programme, HSBC Golf Roots, which is committed to maintaining a reach of 500,000 young people per year and aims, per year, on achieving 50,000 youngsters attending a coaching session at a golf club, 25,000 entering regular PGA coaching and 15,000 continuing to play regularly. Underpinning all this is the teaching of life skills.

The charity also takes golf into schools and shows young people that the game is fun, child-centred, inclusive, inspiring, innovative and enriching.

“I’m delighted that we will be contributing articles to The Golf Business,” Brendon said.

“Far from being just about the numbers, the Golf Foundation wants to encourage more young people, from whatever background or level of ability, to enjoy their golf and thrive in their personal development. Golf is a great sport, offering a game for life, ‘Skills for Life’ and a healthy life.

“We hope and believe The Golf Business will help us in this endeavour.”