England Golf's Innovation Award: Mytime Active. Sponsored by Players 1st.
ENGLAND GOLF’S INNOVATION AWARD: MYTIME ACTIVE. SPONSORED BY PLAYERS 1ST.
LAST WEEK THE ENGLAND GOLF AWARDS 2019 CELEBRATED TRUE HEROES OF THE GAME. PLAYERS 1ST PRESENTED ENGLAND GOLF’S NEW INNOVATION AWARD TO MYTIME ACTIVE FOR THEIR PIONEERING SCHEME.
Celebrating outstanding achievements
The Royal Lancaster was once again the setting of a celebration of golf across England, the venue for England Golf Awards 2019. Clubs, Counties, players and volunteers were all celebrated, with special video messages of congratulations from golf stars Tommy Fleetwood, Dame Laura Davies, Tyrrell Hatton and Jordan Smith.
And the Innovation Award goes to
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.
Innovation Award, Mytime Active’s Scott Bartlett and Jason Stanton with Amelia Lewis
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.
High spirits and gratitude
It was another rousing evening to hear about the dedication of the volunteers and Club’s who help support and deliver the game nationally. Players 1st are proud to play our part by continuing to help Clubs manage their members and guest feedback to continue to evolve and improve their services.
Read about all the winners of the England Golf Awards 2019 here. Among the winners were The Exeter Golf and Country Club for the Most Welcoming Club of the Year, and sixteen year old Conor Gough of Stoke Park Golf Club who won Performance of the Year.