HSBC & R&A Partner On ‘Golf Roots’ Youth Programme

In July 2011 The Open title sponsor HSBC unveiled its youngster targeted ‘Golf Roots’ programme in tandem with The R&A. Expanding its relationship with the sport’s guardian body, the scheme is the bank’s take on the umbrella ‘Grow Golf’ fund, a foundation that is also backed by The European Tour, the Ryder Cup Committee and Trust, the British Golf Industry Association and Sport England.

The goal is to make the game more accessible for children from all backgrounds and circumstances.

HSBC Golf Roots’ objective is to make the game more accessible to children from all backgrounds and circumstances and offers them personal development opportunities, ‘Skills for Life’. HSBC Golf Roots projects aim to create sustainable links between schools and golf clubs and driving ranges in support of the national plans for the development of the game in England, Scotland and Wales.

The new partnership was highlighted at this year’s Open Championship at Royal St George’s when Golf Foundation President Colin Montgomerie made an appearance at The R&A Swingzone and other members of the scheme were on hand to talk to journalists about how the new partnership will enable the charity to continue to work towards improving grassroots golf opportunities in the UK.

This initiative sees HSBC further expand its locally-driven golf sponsorship strategy. HSBC Group Head of Sponsorship Giles Morgan said: “Our commitment to growing golf at every level is absolute and whilst we’re very proud to be the sponsor of some of the leading golf events in the world our longer-term goal is to create a legacy through our support of youth development and grassroots programmes.

The Golf Foundation’s ‘HSBC Golf Roots’ programme is a key part of the framework of British golf and we are excited to join forces with The R&A to support it.  It’s very appropriate that we are announcing this on the eve of The Open Championship as the two go hand in hand – today’s HSBC Golf Roots youngsters may well be tomorrow’s Open heroes.’

Comment:

HSBC recently became the flagship patron backer of The Open Championship in a five-year deal. This move marks an expansion from the bank brand’s original focus on sponsoring the game in Asia, through initiatives such as the Abu Dhabi golf championships, and the HSBC Champions Tournament and a parallel set of grass roots scheme in China.

It is part of a strategy that aims to position the brand as golf’s leading top-to-bottom sponsor.

The move also reflects HSBC’s ongoing commitment to and focus on golf and rugby sponsorship – despite its overall 20% reduction in sponsorship spend in 2011. It is concentrating on its core spaces and reducing some of its less central initiatives such as F1 and smaller and more local events such as City To Surf in Australia.

The addition of the Golf Roots youth-focused fund to its programme certainly reflects its umbrella strategy of playing a role in helping develop and grow the game globally whilst still maintaining an element of local expertise and knowledge.

Links:

http://www.golf-foundation.org

http://www.hsbcgolf.com/theopen/latest-news

http://www.hsbcgolf.com/more/open/1.html