IMG, a global leader in sports, events, media and fashion announced today the launch of www.thisiswhygolf.com, a web-based portal, which shares current and reliably sourced research and data to provide insights into the golf marketplace and to explain the benefits of golf. As part of the launch, a brand-new podcast called ‘This is Why Golf: Opinion Matters’ went live today featuring three-time major winner Pádraig Harrington as the first guest star.
Speaking to Di Stewart on the first episode of This is Why Golf: Opinion Matters, four-time Champions Tour winner Pádraig Harrington said, “To be the greatest game in the world, golf has to be sustainable and has to be good for the environment. If your golf course runs a tournament, I cannot tell you how much the environment around a golf course improves. A golf course brings in so much revenue into the area, that the area around the golf course expediently improves over the years - opportunities, housing and businesses, they all get better over the years.”
Powered by Endeavor Analytics, the website will act as a ‘one stop shop’ for organisations, federations, and individuals who are seeking quick and digestible stats. This information extols and rationalises the virtues of golf to help aid decision making in the investment and development of the sport. Endeavor Analytics utilises best-in-class data resources and expertise to provide reliable data and holistic insights in sports and entertainment.
The platform features three specific sections; ‘Spotlight On’, which will focus on a specific geographical area of the world and share insight and research into the golf marketplace; ‘Dig Deep’, taking an in depth look into a specific subject matter within ‘This is Why Golf’ and providing a report which provides the current research perspectives; and ‘Opinion Matters’, a podcast featuring some of the biggest names in the industry to provide thought-provoking discussions with different perspectives on golfs hot topics.
The first episode of This is Why Golf: Opinion Matters features guest star, Pádraig Harrington, who holds six PGA Tour titles and 15 European Tour titles. Harrington was also a member of six consecutive Ryder Cup teams between 1999 and 2010, before being named European captain for the 2021 edition of the competition which took place at Whistling Straits. Presented by Di Stewart, this episode delves into the latest insights and analysis brought by This if Why golf. Harrington and Stewart take a look at what the golf landscape looks like heading into 2023, talking about what is going well, what improvements are needed, and what priorities it needs focussing on.
Ross Hallett, SVP, Golf at IMG added, “We are thrilled to announce the launch of ‘This is Why Golf’ and to be providing the golf industry with a fantastic resource which offers a holistic view on a variety of topics within golf. IMG are not alone in wanting to promote all that golf has to offer and in today’s world where individuals and brands have such a huge choice of what to play or where to invest, we wanted to create a platform that talks to the many positives of the game. Drawing on the expertise of Endeavor Analytics we are providing world-class data resources to obtain in depth analytics and uncover unknown insights into the golf industry. Our hope is that This is Why Golf will help inform, inspire and educate.”
The This is Why Golf: Opinion Matters podcast is now live across all major podcast providers including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, where you can listen to the very first episode with guest star Padraig Harrington. The website is also available for access at www.thisiswhygolf.com