Top of the Pyle

New Golf Foundation chief executive Brendon Pyle has been tasked with encouraging the next generation of young golfers.

Pyle has been appointed as the new chief executive, following the departure of Mike Round to the Ladies European Tour in September.

The 43 year old will lead a Golf Foundation team that is committed to helping young people from all backgrounds and circumstances to enjoy golf and its benefits; managing a strategy that is at the heart of golf’s drive to grow player participation, supported by some of the major organisations in the sport.

Pyle’s selection is an appointment from within the charity – he has been the national golf development manager of the Foundation since 2005.

However, his appointment comes following a comprehensive recruitment process which started in early September, and was supported by leading specialists in the field.

Pyle, an MSc in Exercise and Sport Psychology from Exeter University, joined the Golf Foundation back in 1999 as one of four regional development officers, where he covered the south west of England before spending three years as the Foundation’s representative in Scotland.

His period as national development manager has coincided with probably the charity’s most progressive decade.

The Foundation’s HSBC Golf Roots programme has flourished in that time, connecting with hundreds of thousands of young people each year in schools and communities, facilitating direct links with golf clubs and creating the opportunity for many youngsters to enjoy a new sport at club level for the rest of their lives.

During the last decade golf has seen an unprecedented level of growth in schools to now being an established competitive sport as part of the School Games, thanks to the Golf Foundation developing easy-to-learn golf formats like Tri-Golf and Golf Xtreme and offering an extensive programme of teacher training.

In this period the Foundation has also strengthened its ties with major stakeholders in the game. HSBC Golf Roots is supported by The R&A, headline sponsor HSBC,  The European Tour, The Professional Golfers’ Association, the Ryder Cup Committee and Trust, England Golf, Sport England and the British Golf Industry Association’s ‘Grow Golf’ Fund. 

Charles Harrison, chairman of the Golf Foundation, said: “The recruitment process has been extremely thorough and over 100 candidates applied for the role.

“The decision to appoint Brendon was based entirely on merit. The Trustees are delighted to have Brendon at the helm, and have no doubt that the Foundation will be in good hands given his knowledge of the business, and his energy and passion for working with our partners to achieve our objectives.”

Pyle commented: “I am delighted to have been offered this opportunity.  While I understand this charity’s strengths and have clear views on its direction, I look forward to working with our partners and supporters and all those who have a stake in golf to not only recruit more young people into the game but also to retain them in the sport.

“I’m very fortunate to work with a brilliant set of people connected with the charity and now want to develop further with this team to deliver outstanding results for the Foundation going forwards.”