As a child, I simply did not have access to golf as a sport.
Growing up in a single-parent household with three siblings meant that the luxury of a set of golf clubs or a green fee once a week was not a priority, especially when participation in other sports was far more affordable and accessible.
There were far fewer hoops to jump through in order to join my local football or rugby team, so the proposition of spending a fortune on green fees, memberships, the correct clothing, clubs, balls and footwear for us to play golf was not a particularly appealing one.
As someone who found the game of golf much later in life, I do feel disappointed to have missed out on the sport in my formative years - but the blame certainly doesn’t lie with my parents... golf is just hard to get into for many families and young people.
The cynic in me might suggest that certain areas of the sport aren't particularly bothered about whether or not golf has an accessibility problem, as it doesn't impact their participation and enjoyment of the game.
I have, however, after working in the golf industry for a number of years, noticed that the culture is starting to shift in the right direction - with some admirable examples blazing a trail that I hope many will follow.
Leicester Golf Centre is one such example. PGA Pro Anders Mankert set up a golf club with no rules, as they strive to remove barriers to participation and welcome customers of all ages, experience levels and backgrounds to play the game of golf.
This is a model that is being adapted and implemented by facilities in other areas of the country.
I recently became aware of an interesting inclusivity policy at Whalebone Golf Club in Romford, which once again restored my faith that some organisations are challenging norms in an attempt to make the game more accessible.
First and foremost, Whalebone Golf Club adopts a ‘come as you are, play as you are’ approach that challenges outdated etiquette rules within the game by introducing a relaxed dress code.
This creates a more welcoming environment that would certainly have helped to get me through the front gates as a child, but their wider initiative to encourage junior participation would truly have transformed my ability to access the game.
One of the biggest barriers to participation in golf is the financial outlay. Simply put, the start-up cost for a beginner, whether a child or an adult, is significant due to the need to comply with the dress code at traditional clubs and wider rules of the game.
At Whalebone Golf Club, they are significantly cutting that cost by offering free golf to kids after 4pm - every single day.
Providing they are playing with a paying adult, children can have a go at the sport for nothing, with no need for specific attire or footwear as there is no dress code.
With a free bucket of range balls on your first visit, a family day out at the golf course suddenly becomes an affordable way to spend time with your loved ones and enjoy a sport with so many physical and psychological benefits.
Similarly to other forward thinking facilities like Leicester Golf Centre, the introduction of an adventure golf course, tech-laden driving range and formats like foot golf can help juniors and beginners to dip their toe into the game in a fun and welcoming way.
Whether that leads to longer term participation in the game is yet to be determined, but traditional golf isn't for everyone and welcoming people into the golf community through various mediums can only be a good thing, in my opinion.
The 'free golf for kids' policy would undoubtedly face strong opposition from members at many traditional clubs, especially as this would naturally impact the availability of tee times, but according to general manager Ashley Maistry, the response at Whalebone Golf Club has been wholly positive.
“What’s been encouraging is that people understand this isn’t about lowering standards - it’s about widening access.
"Members have seen more families, beginners and younger people getting involved, and that creates a better atmosphere for everyone.
“We’re already seeing more first-time golfers coming through the doors, especially younger people and families.
"The biggest success for us is repeat participation - people trying golf once and then actually wanting to come back.”
As well as the financial burden, many young people and families decide to avoid the game of golf due to fear of getting things wrong.
An extensive list of rules and vague etiquette practices often put people off, but many appear to lack logical reasoning, instead being applied blindly because that’s ‘the way it’s always been’.
I have heard so many horror stories about members or club staff lambasting juniors for wearing incorrect clothing and not conducting themselves ‘properly’ on the course, so I can’t blame them for not wanting to stick with the game long term.
This is a sentiment that has been echoed by Whalebone Golf Club’s head professional George Lings, who said:
“Young people want sport to feel social, flexible and welcoming. If golf feels too formal or too difficult to access, you lose them before they start.
"We’ve tried to create an environment where people can discover the game naturally and enjoy it at their own pace.
“The important thing was making sure people knew we still care deeply about the game itself.
"We still teach respect, pace of play and enjoyment of the course - we just don’t believe people should feel judged before they’ve even hit a shot.”
If more golf institutions embraced this way of thinking, I truly believe the game would be in a better place.
The idea that a junior wearing a football shirt and a pair of trainers would in any way affect someone else’s enjoyment of the game is ludicrous - and every club could (and should) do more to make golf a little less difficult for the next generation to access.
By allowing young people to turn up, play for free, feel welcome and wear what they already have at home, families can seriously entertain the prospect of getting their children into golf and sticking with it.
