Getting Into The ‘Swing’ Of Things On Parliament Hill
Representatives Of Golf Associations From Across Canada Including BC Golf President Patrick Kelly (7th from left) And Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum (8th from right) Participate In “National Golf Day” On The Front Lawn Of Parliament Hill - Image Credit Kris Jonasson/BC Golf
(OTTAWA), May 29, 2018 – Today, to mark Canada’s first annual National Golf Day, Canadians are invited to take a swing on Parliament Hill with a number of We Are Golf interactive golf activities.
As well, PGA of Canada professionals will be on hand to provide golf tips and share their enthusiasm for the game with golfers and Ottawa-area school students.
The event is aimed at raising awareness among the public and government decision-makers on the many positive health, economic, social, environmental and charitable impacts of the golf industry across Canada.
“Golf is a game for everyone. And not only do more Canadians play golf than any other participation sport, our industry also drives more economic impact, employment and charity fundraising,” said Jeff Calderwood, We Are Golf Chair. “So we want to celebrate the golf on National Golf Day and we invite Canadians to join us on Parliament Hill to talk golf and take a few swings.”
The conversations will include the healthy fitness benefits of the sport, with a typical 18-hole round being an eight to ten- kilometre walk that burns up to 2,000 calories. And the environmental stewardship of golf preserving over 175,000 hectares of green space managed by over 2,300 golf course operators, including 30,000 hectares of unmanaged wildlife habitat.
There will also be an emphasis on junior golf, noting that golf develops important life skills for children of all ages. Programs like Adopt A School and Take A Kid To The Course will be promoted on the front lawn during National Golf Day. Thirty-seven percent of the 126,000 Canadians employed by golf are also youth students.
Since golf is not only a great game, but also a highly developed industry, the economic impact generated is substantial and leads all other participation sports in Canada. Golf’s $14.3 billion annual direct GDP includes tourism benefits exceeding one million overnight trips by Canadian golfers, creating spending of $2.5 billion annually on golf travel within Canada. Foreign visiting golfers spend an additional $1.6 billion on golf related travel each year.
“We are looking forward to welcoming golf enthusiasts, area residents and students out to the We Are Golf activities on the front lawn of Parliament to learn about all the many ways that the golf experience contributes to life in Canada,” added Golf Canada CEO Laurence Applebaum. “There are so many meaningful benefits that golf delivers in communities from coast to coast and it will be exciting to share those insights on National Golf Day.”
Golf activities are available on the front lawn of Parliament Hill from 9 am to 5 pm, May 29, 2018.
We Are Golf is an organization of Canada’s leading golf associations which includes Golf Canada, Canadian Golf Superintendents Association, Professional Golfers’ Association of Canada, Canadian Society of Club Managers and the National Golf Course Owners Association Canada. For more information, visit www.wearegolf.ca
For more information, please contact:
Barbara Barrett, Public Relations
Telephone: 613-233-8906/343-998-8906 (cell) Email: WeAreGolf@impactcanada.com