R&A Appoints Niall Horan's Modest! Golf To Increase Youth Participation

It is hoped that the appointment will help to get more young people into the game

R&A Appoints Niall Horan
(Image credit: Getty Images)

It is hoped that the appointment will help to get more young people into the game through fun, accessible formats and by using influencers

R&A Appoints Niall Horan's Modest! Golf To Increase Youth Participation

The R&A has appointed Niall Horan's Modest! Golf to work on designing and developing a series of future grassroots programmes aimed at inspiring more young people into golf and retain them within the sport.

The new programmes will be launched later this year and aim to provide more opportunities for young people to be introduced to golf through offering fun and accessible formats of the sport that are more in tune with how today’s generation uses its leisure time.

The arrangement will see focus on increasing the appeal of golf for young people by leveraging the power of influencers from the sports and entertainment world to present golf in a more positive light to new audiences and challenge some of the more unhelpful perceptions that exist about golf.

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Phil Anderton, Chief Development Offer at The R&A, said, “Modest! Golf has a wealth of expertise and insight from the entertainment and sports industries that will be combined with our experience of developing golf around the world to establish exciting new initiatives aimed at reaching new audiences and inspiring more young people into playing golf with their family and friends.

“Our relationship with Modest! Golf is built on a shared ambition for golf to be viewed as a fun, friendly and accessible sport that is inclusive of all people no matter their age, gender, ability or background. We look forward to working together to broaden its appeal through our networks in golf and encourage young people to enjoy its many social and health benefits.”

Niall Horan, founder of Modest! Golf, said, “I am so proud to work alongside The R&A in developing programmes to encourage and inspire more young people to play the game of golf. It is something my company Modest! Golf is hugely passionate about and I am honoured that the chief executive Martin Slumbers, Phil Anderton and The R&A are entrusting my agency to help drive the game forward.

“The R&A has a long legacy within the game and I look forward to helping to create new and modern initiatives to showcase to the younger generation just what a great sport golf is.”

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Modest! Golf evolved from entertainment agency Modest! Management and was founded by Niall Horan and Mark McDonnell in 2016.

The group currently manages a number of professional golfers including Tyrrell Hatton, Leona Maguire, Connor Syme, Olivia Cowan and Guido Migliozzi as well as world top five disability golfer Brendan Lawlor.

It also aims to promote inclusivity and opportunity through renowned events like the ISPS Handa World Invitational and the Horan & Rose charity tournament which has raised over £2 million for children’s charities across the world.

Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV