Foremost Golf has become the Melanoma Fund’s Official Partner for golf, launching a long-term programme intended to make sun protection a routine part of playing and working in the sport.
The partnership will provide Foremost members across the UK and Ireland with training, educational content and practical resources. PGA Professionals will be encouraged to promote sun-safe habits through conversations with golfers at their clubs and in local communities.
Golfers and PGA Professionals can spend several hours outdoors during a single round, while those working at clubs may be exposed to ultraviolet radiation throughout the day. The programme will focus on education and behaviour change, alongside the value of checking the skin regularly to support early detection.
Andy Martin, managing director of Foremost Golf, said the aim was to help golfers continue enjoying the outdoor nature of the game while taking simple precautions.
“Golf is one of the world’s great outdoor sports, and we encourage everyone to get out there and enjoy it. But with golfers and PGA Professionals spending so much time outdoors, it’s important that sun safety becomes part of the game too,” Martin said.
Training for PGA Professionals
Foremost members will have access to the Melanoma Fund’s CPD-accredited Sunguarding® course. They will also be able to become Sunguard Ambassadors, giving them the knowledge and confidence to discuss UV exposure and model safer behaviour around their clubs.
The partnership places PGA Professionals at the centre of the programme because of their regular contact with members, visitors and other golfers. Foremost and the Melanoma Fund believe those trusted relationships can help turn general awareness into consistent action.
Michelle Baker, CEO of the Melanoma Fund, said many golfers understand the risks but do not protect themselves every time they play.
“Awareness isn’t the challenge. Behaviour is. Most golfers know they should protect themselves from the sun, yet many still don’t do it consistently. PGA Professionals can influence that by leading by example. We’re delighted with the support that Foremost Golf is providing and looking forward to working with Andy and the team at Foremost Golf to help make sun safety a normal part of the game and encourage more golfers to adopt simple sun-safe habits.” Baker said.
Slip! Slap! Swing! Campaign Expands
Foremost will also support the expansion of the Melanoma Fund’s Slip! Slap! Swing! campaign, which offers practical sun-safety guidance developed for golf clubs.
The campaign asks golfers to wear sun-protective clothing, apply SPF30+ sunscreen, use shade where possible, wear a hat and check their skin regularly. Its approach is based on making manageable precautions part of the normal preparation for a round, rather than treating protection as an occasional response to hot weather.
Foremost’s network will give the campaign wider access to golf clubs across the UK and Ireland. The two organisations plan to use the partnership to establish repeatable habits among golfers and the PGA Professionals who spend prolonged periods on the course.
For more information about Foremost Golf, visit www.foremostgolf.com.
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Simon Bale
Simon Bale is the publisher of Golf Today. A low single-figure handicap golfer, he was previously a major shareholder and course reviewer for Top100GolfCourses.com for over a decade, starting in 2010. Through this role, he developed extensive knowledge of golf course design and architecture while playing more than 300 courses worldwide.