Tommy Fleetwood has launched his own golf academy which aims to provide opportunities for juniors to take up the sport, whilst also helping to broaden the game’s appeal.
The inaugural Tommy Fleetwood Academy will open its doors at Formby Hall Golf Club, where the Ryder Cup star learned to play and it will be led by his first coach, Norman Marshall.
Fleetwood hopes to use his Academy to help to teach youngsters about golf’s discipline and etiquette, whilst also making the game more fun and accessible to kids.
The 28 year old grew up in Southport, in the north west of England, and has gone on to enjoy global success, winning four times on the European Tour and being crowned Race to Dubai Champion in 2017. He was runner up in the 2018 US Open and made a spectacular Ryder Cup debut last September, claiming four points as part of a formidable partnership with Open Champion Francesco Molinari.
This week, Fleetwood welcomes the stars of the European Tour to the region as he hosts the Betfred British Masters at Hillside Golf Club. He used the occasion to announce details of his inaugural academy, which he hopes will benefit the Southport and north west area, with the long term aim of extending the concept nationally and internationally.
“From a young age, sport and golf, in particular, have brought me a lot of happiness and many friends,” said Fleetwood. “Golf has taught me many valuable lessons along the way, lessons that I continue to learn each and every day.
“My family and I are now truly grateful to be in a position where I can give something back and help kids who are in a similar position to me when I was growing up. We want to give them the same opportunity to learn and enjoy the game that I love and be able to start their own journey, all whilst growing the game the way I believe it should be.
“My wife Clare and I are therefore so proud to be starting our ‘Tommy Fleetwood Golf Academy’ at Formby Hall Golf Club, the place where I grew up playing golf. I am also extremely proud to be launching it during the week I am hosting the British Masters at Hillside, as this region welcomes some of Europe's leading players, which I hope will provide further inspiration to kids in the area.
“Guidance is so important when you are learning the game and Norman Marshall played a significant part in my development as a junior golfer. I believe his enthusiasm and passion for junior golf are outstanding, so I am delighted he will be involved in the Tommy Fleetwood Golf Academy. It’s important to us all that we have a structure in place that balances the discipline and etiquette of golf whilst still having fun and learning new techniques. We hope to deliver this to the community and establish a system that can be replicated globally.
“To all our future academy members, whether you have one lesson or whether you join us for many years, I hope you enjoy the experience and thank you for being part of another dream of mine.”
British Masters title sponsor Betfred has offered its support to the Tommy Fleetwood Academy by contributing £1000 for every birdie Fleetwood makes in the British Masters and £2,000 for every eagle, while the European Tour Foundation will match that pledge as part of its commitment to developing the game of golf.
Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the European Tour, said: “One of the guiding principles of the European Tour Foundation is to support our players in their charitable initiatives and academies, so we are delighted to be helping Tommy with the launch of the Tommy Fleetwood Academy.
“Tommy is not only an incredibly talented golfer but he also has a terrific personality which makes other people, particularly juniors, identify with him. This is, in many ways, the perfect combination to help widen golf’s appeal and inspire kids to take up the game.”
