Golf in Society

What Golf in Society does

Golf in Society is a UK Community Interest Company (CIC) founded in 2015 by Anthony Blackburn, headquartered in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, that delivers inclusive, golf-based health and wellbeing programmes for people living with long-term conditions such as dementia, Parkinson's, stroke, frailty, and chronic loneliness. The core service is a network of Golf Health Hubs — weekly sessions hosted at 20 partner golf clubs across the UK, plus an international partnership with Dementality in Switzerland — where trained facilitators deliver co-designed, person-centred sessions that combine gentle movement, fresh air, social interaction, and cognitive engagement in non-clinical settings.

The product surface spans Taster Sessions (free one-hour assessments), weekly Golf Health Hub sessions (priced from £10 per hour), a 6-week Get into Golf programme, Forever Golf Days (£55 per 5-hour experience with built-in carer respite), One-to-One and Group Sessions, Care Home Golf Services delivered into residential facilities, and Dementia Friendly Weekend Respite Breaks. Underlying methodology is evidence-based: programmes are co-designed with service users, validated through Sheffield Hallam University's Wellbeing Accelerator and University of Lincoln research partnerships, and tracked against a documented social return on investment of £16.46 per £1 invested.

Revenue is generated through a mix of participant fees (£10/hr sessions, £55 Forever Golf Days), Stripe-enabled charitable donations, Co-op Local Community Fund support, and grant funding from UKRI (Healthy Ageing Challenge), Sport England, and UnLtd. Go-to-market relies on healthcare professional referrals via NHS social prescribing pathways, direct-to-consumer taster bookings, and a multi-channel awareness layer comprising a podcast, blog, and social media. The company employs 11 staff and operates as a non-profit social enterprise with no disclosed equity funding rounds.

Name

Golf in Society

Legal name

Golf in Society

Website

https://golfinsociety.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Golf in Society is a UK Community Interest Company that runs inclusive golf-based health and wellbeing programmes at 20 partner golf clubs for people living with dementia, Parkinson's, and other long-term conditions, plus their carers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Health and Wellbeing Services

NAICS

Golf Courses and Country Clubs (713910), Golf Courses and Country Clubs (71391), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Golf Courses & Golf Facilities (MPAKAEAD)

Keywords

• Inclusive golf programmes
• Dementia wellbeing services
• Social prescribing programmes
• Community health sessions
• Carer respite activities

Headquarters

HQ city

Harrogate

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Session Fees: Weekly golf sessions and taster sessions charged at £10 per hour. One-to-one sessions, group sessions, and Forever Golf Days (£55 per session) provide direct revenue from participants and carers.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Charitable donations accepted through Stripe platform. Community fundraising support provided including digital media packs for fundraisers.
3. Venue Partnerships: Golf clubs host Golf Health Hubs on their premises, with Golf in Society delivering programmes at venues across the UK, creating a network of accessible locations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Golf in Society runs Golf Health Hubs and related programmes at partner golf club venues across the UK, delivering inclusive, co-designed, evidence-based golf-based health and wellbeing sessions for people living with long-term conditions (dementia, Parkinson's, stroke recovery, loneliness, depression, frailty). Offerings are sold as paid taster, weekly group, one-to-one, care home and Forever Golf Day sessions, with built-in respite for unpaid carers. The programmes are supplemented by a 6-week Get into Golf course and weekend respite breaks for couples living with dementia.

Product overview

Golf in Society is a social enterprise offering inclusive golf-based health and wellbeing services. The core offering consists of Golf Health Hubs — weekly tailored golf sessions at local golf clubs for people living with long-term conditions (dementia, Parkinson's, stroke recovery, loneliness, depression, frailty) — supplemented by Care Home Golf Services and Taster Sessions. A structured Get into Golf Programme provides a 6-week introduction, while Forever Golf Days offer 5-hour combined golf and wellness experiences. Additional offerings include One-to-One Sessions, Group Sessions, and Dementia Friendly Weekend Respite Breaks. The company also produces the Golf in Society Podcast and employs Community Golf Activators across UK venues. Sessions are priced from £10 per hour, with Forever Golf Days at £55.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Golf Health Hubs Welcoming weekly golf sessions at local golf clubs for people living with long-term conditions, providing gentle movement, fresh air, social connection and respite for carers. Sessions are inclusive, low-pressure, evidence-based and free for participants referred via healthcare partners.
• Care Home Golf Services Golf sessions designed and delivered on-site at residential care homes, allowing residents living with dementia and other chronic conditions to experience the fun and social benefits of playing golf in a safe, supervised environment.
• Taster Sessions One-hour introductory sessions that assess individual needs, provide a warm welcome and offer fun golf-based exercises. Sessions start from £10 per hour and require no prior experience.
• Get into Golf Programme A 6-session programme delivered over 6 weeks designed for anyone interested in improving wellbeing and learning golf. Begins with holding a club and putting, and is tailored to individual needs and health conditions.
• Forever Golf Days 5-hour full-day experience combining golf-inspired exercise, coaching, competitions and hospitality at Rudding Park and other partner venues. Priced at £55 per day including a £5 lunch supplement, and provides up to 5 hours of respite for caregivers.
• One to One Sessions Person-centred sessions delivered by trained facilitators at local venues, providing enjoyable days out for loved ones and respite breaks for carers, scheduled around individual customer needs.
• Group Sessions Weekly group sessions designed for people who enjoy socialising, being part of a team and group coaching, offered alongside individual and one-to-one formats.
• Dementia Friendly Weekend Respite Breaks Piloted weekend respite breaks for couples living with dementia, offering a supportive environment in which both partners can enjoy meaningful activity together while accessing built-in respite.

Quantifiable outcome

• £16.46 in social value generated for every £1 invested
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sheffield Hallam UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGolf in Society was accepted onto Sheffield Hallam University's Wellbeing Accelerator programme. The university evaluates the venture and researches its effectiveness from academic and medical perspectives, building the evidence base for the programme's impact.
• University of LincolncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with University of Lincoln for dementia and golf research. Students produced an excellent dementia research project in partnership with Golf In Society and Lincoln Golf Centre. The university supports and is proud to be part of the venture, with plans to evaluate impact and research effectiveness.
• Dementality (Switzerland)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnership with Dementality in Switzerland showcasing commitment to creating meaningful and inclusive golfing experiences. Golf in Society is working to bring the wellbeing benefits of golf to communities worldwide through this collaboration.
• Active North YorkshireminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Matthew O'Sullivan from Active North Yorkshire to integrate exercise and wellbeing sessions into existing golf days, leading to the Forever Golf Days programme.
• NHScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNHS is listed among trusted partners who share the belief in the power of community, movement, and connection to change lives. Healthcare professionals can refer patients through social prescribing pathways.
• Alzheimer's SocietycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAlzheimer's Society Programme Partnerships Officer visited Golf in Society sessions and supports leisure centres, gyms, and sports clubs to become more dementia-friendly. The organisation promotes Golf in Society as a trusted partner.
• Dementia ForwardcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCharity partner providing support for people with dementia. Working with Golf in Society has been 'extremely inspiring' for their clients, providing fun and accessible activities during difficult times.
• The R&A (Royal and Ancient)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerListed among trusted partners. The R&A supports initiatives that promote the sport and its benefits to broader society.
• Mytime ActiveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr Sonia Fihosy, Lead Psychologist at Mytime Active, consulted with Golf in Society when setting up a new golf programme, benefiting from Anthony's experience and counsel.
• Co-opminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGolf in Society is a Co-op Local Community Fund Good Cause, allowing members to support the organisation through the Co-op's charitable giving programme.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Age UK: UK's leading charity for older people, delivering wellbeing and physical-activity programmes at national scale. Comparable target population and wellbeing framing; vastly larger scale and broader portfolio of services.
• Parkinson's UK: UK Parkinson's disease charity serving a core participant population for Golf in Society. Comparable audience focus and exercise-as-medicine messaging; broader research/support portfolio rather than activity delivery.
• Alzheimer's Society: UK's leading dementia charity and a documented partner of Golf in Society. Operates much more broadly across research, support, and advocacy but competes for the same dementia-family audience and social-prescribing funding.

Direct peers

• Dementia Adventure: UK charity delivering outdoor and activity-based interventions for people living with dementia and their carers. Directly comparable service model — co-designed programmes, family-inclusive, evidence-led — applied to outdoor activity rather than golf specifically.
• Sporting Memories Network: UK charity using sport reminiscence to support people living with dementia. Comparable audience (dementia + carers) and similar sport-for-wellbeing model, but uses reminiscence rather than active golf participation.
• Mytime Active: UK health and wellbeing charity operating golf, leisure, and community health programmes. Directly comparable combination of golf programming and health/wellbeing delivery; broader scope and larger scale than Golf in Society.
• Get Golfing: UK golf charity operating golf facilities for community benefit and broadening participation. Comparable community-golf mission; less specialised in clinical/health populations but directly comparable venue-based delivery model.
• Golf Foundation: UK charity using golf to drive social impact, particularly for younger and underrepresented groups. Closest direct peer in mission (golf-as-social-intervention) though focused on youth rather than chronic-illness populations.

Emerging players

• Move it or Lose it: UK provider of evidence-based exercise programmes for older adults, including those living with long-term conditions. Comparable target population and health-outcome framing, but focused on indoor functional fitness rather than sport.
• The ExtraCare Charitable Trust: UK charity operating retirement villages and wellbeing programmes for older adults. Comparable mission around healthy ageing and meaningful activity, delivered through a residential rather than community-golf model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GolfInSociety
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCM4pq5TBQoycFX2RnLXXf0g
• Facebookfacebook.com/wearegolfinsociety
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/golf-in-society
• Instagraminstagram.com/golfinsociety

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Golf in Society