Scottish Golf has confirmed its strong commitment to helping thousands of schoolkids develop mental toughness and levels of resilience in their everyday life simply through playing the game.
As part of Mental Health Awareness Week, Scottish Golf recognise the strong connection between active lives and improved wellbeing and how golf can be used as a positive vehicle for change.
In collaboration with The Golf Foundation, their ‘Unleash Your Drive’ campaign is gathering pace across Scotland.
Unleash Your Drive is a movement created by the Golf Foundation and supported by Scottish Golf that is designed to change the face of mental wellbeing in schools by introducing golf to children from all backgrounds.
By using fun golfing games and activities embedded with nine mental toughness tools, the programme not only introduces a new audience to the sport but is specifically designed to prepare children for all of life’s challenges.
The beauty of the programme is that it’s fun, impactful and simple to deliver. Any teacher can coach the six-week programme, indoors our outdoors, thanks to the easy-to-follow printed and digital resources, specially adapted kit and built-in evaluation tools. Already, Scottish Golf has helped make a real difference to children in communities across the country.
To date the programme has helped:
95 schools receive a fully funded Unleash Your Drive package
4 schools receive a subsidised Unleash Your Drive package
21 local authorities engage with the programme through Scottish Golf
Alex Knight, Community Impact Manager at Scottish Golf, believes the programme offers kids the perfect blend of fun and learning to improve mental and physical health.
She said: “Unleash Your Drive is a brilliant initiative that is starting to gather real momentum. Adults who already play golf recognise the mental health benefits that result from playing a social sport surrounded by nature.
“But there’s no reason why children – many from disadvantaged backgrounds who have never considered picking up a golf club before – cannot also benefit from the life skills that golf can teach. At the same time, we hope they will develop a love of the game that will stay with them forever.
“We’re starting to see the impact this is making in schools in every region of the country with teachers embracing the opportunity to teach a new activity with so many mental and physical benefits.
“I would commend any school considering ways to strengthen the wellbeing of their pupils while also giving them a fun and engaging way to sample a new sport to get in touch.
“We will get the ball rolling and encourage even more kids to unleash their drive!”
