by Jordan Parker, Sport Quarterly contributor

When the Nova Scotia Golf Association looked at the accessibility of the sport in the area, they soon realized there was a gap to fill. 

There were plenty of intermediate tournaments, but beginners to the game just didn’t have the same support. 

“We saw that, and we assessed ways to get a competitive base in junior golf. There just wasn’t much for entry-level competition,” said Jason Lohnes, executive director of the NSGA.

“We saw junior invitationals disappear due to the pandemic, and we saw a way to rejuvenate these things. We went back to clubs who used to do it and asked them to bring them back.”

That was how the Junior Invitational Tour began this year, which saw 170 players aged 11-19 participating in 12 events province-wide.

“We were just really happy to have something people could get involved in. We saw some clubs who had continued junior invitationals, and they were well-oiled machines. They didn’t need much help from us,” he said.

“Then there were others who’d never done it. They needed guidance, a bit of a budget, some marketing juice and our sponsorship connections to see results.”

The Invitational comes from the Nova Scotia Golf Association’s mission to provide “a low-cost, one-day competition” for Nova Scotia junior golfers, regardless of level or age. It allowed younger golfers to play on courses all over the province, and during 2023 there were more than 500 participants.

“This has just been a fabulous thing for the sport, the area and the younger golfers getting involved. It really just grew from the energy of the kids and parents,” she said. 

Lohnes says it’s amazing to see people come together and rally around sports, and the low-cost entries make things easier.

“The community aspect really fuels the fire here. We get to see friendship and community develop just like it does in other sports. We understand the need for the social aspect in sport, and it’s nice to bring something that’s been missing,” he said.

There were nine events in 2023 and 17 events are planned for an expanded 2024.

“We have all but three dates confirmed and it’ll help families plan their vacations. We want to build the pieces up, look at the survey from this year that we distributed, and see what we can do,” said Wilson.

The association is excited to see the tournament become a bigger event and for it to serve even more people.

“There’s a walk-before-you-run approach at play here, and we want this to be a success. We don’t want to disrupt what’s already going on, but are more than willing to add and support where we can. We know this concept can just become bigger and better.”  

Calling All NS Golf Courses!

Please Consider Participating in the 2024 Links Fore Lungs Bo-Go Golf Book! Supporting Nova Scotians Living with Lung Disease While Attracting New Golfers to Your Course!

This year, you may notice that we have a new name and a new look to better reflect what we do and the people we serve. LungNSPEI is committed to improving lung health in NS. Funds raised from the Links Fore Lungs Golf Book continue to provide local programs and services.

The Links Fore Lungs Golf book has been growing a loyal customer base, while also appealing to new golfers looking to explore beautiful and diverse courses, such as yours. As we continue to bring on partners, both in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, we expect our books will appeal to an even greater number of golfers.

Not only does this book provide opportunities for new customer acquisition it also provides great promotional exposure for your course, including:

· Promotion through Golf Nova Scotia

· Promotion through the Prince Edward Island Golf Association

· Recognition on the LungNSPEI’s growing social media platforms (both paid and organic)

· Local exposure at 41 retailers (with more retailers expected in 2024)

· Being featured on the LANSPEI website, which can see up to 50,000 visitors per month

· Onsite promotion at the LANSPEI offices

· Promoted in local print publications, such as the Business Voice magazine

· PSA coverage on local radio and TV

· Emails sent to a database of over 13,000, with open rates over 50% (on average)

Enclosed, you will find our sign-up form for 2024.

CLICK HERE TO FILL OUT THE FORM

Deadline for participation is October 26th! To participate, simply fill out the attached form and return to myself. Thank you for supporting people living with lung disease. We wish you and your course a successful 2024 golfing season. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Jennifer MacKenzie

Office & Programs Coordinator jennifermackenzie@lungnspei.ca

902-443-8141×28

331 Lady Hammond Road, Suite 200 Halifax NS B3K 2S