LOCKER ROOM CHAT
Pop star Niall Horan on his new European Tour event and his plans to bring kids into golf.
How excited are you to have a mixed event on the European Tour calendar?
From day one, European Tour supremo Keith Pelley believed we could move the needle in growing the game and I believe that if we can get more women into golf, we change the sport completely. I always say if I can get a couple of percent of the 41 million of my social media followers interested in golf, it’s a game-changer. So we’re going to try and move the needle as much as we can and this summer’s World Invitational is a hell of a starting point. It’s live on TV, the first of its kind in the Northern Hemisphere, and top men and women players (will be) competing for an equal share of the £2 million-plus prize money.
How invested are you in trying to make a difference in the game of golf?
Obviously, my day-to-day job is as a musician and it’s something I dreamt about being since a child. But away from my job, my biggest love is golf, and has been from when I used to watch the Masters as a kid with my father. When I started Modest! Golf my intention was always to do my bit to get more young people into the game and to support the younger generation of professional golfers. Hopefully the work we’re doing in the event space and in addition to our work with The R&A helps. We like to think we’re doing our bit, but of course it needs all the stakeholders in golf to pull together to make the biggest difference.
Would you describe yourself as a golf nut?
I absolutely love golf, I’m obsessed with it. I grew up with it back home… it’s a huge part of our culture with so many great Irish golfers down the years. Plus, growing up watching Mr Woods dominate the sport made it very easy for me to get more into golf. Over the years I became really passionate about it, I love seeing players racing up the back nine on a Sunday and I count myself lucky to have witnessed some great Major Championship moments in my life.
What is driving you on?
Having travelled all over the world, I’ve obviously witnessed the power of my fans and it’s a passion of knowing what power the young ladies have… and that can only lead to great things. I watch and study all sorts of golf to be honest, it’s always been all inclusive to me, and it’s about getting young girls to pick up a club. I feel very passionate about this – if we can grow the female game, we can grow the game in general. Events and initiatives such as the World Invitational can do just that.
Girls and women still make up a ridiculously low percentage of members at golf clubs. What do you think needs to be done to address this divide?
I think some of the female golf professionals who currently play need to be celebrated more so these young girls have icons to look up to, and that was a part of the reason I was so passionate about making our event co-sanctioned with the LPGA and LET. There are so many amazing female professional golfers out there and they all deserve a bigger platform to showcase their talent. In addition, I think educating these young girls and getting rid of some of the preconceived ideas of golf being an old man’s sport can play a part.
Do you think your social media presence and having 26.5 million Instagram followers puts you in a better position than most to inspire the millennial generation, especially women?
There are so many influential people out there with a voice, regardless of their follower numbers. I’m fortunate enough to be in an amazing position to help encourage more non-golfers to give the game a try. If just two percent of my following gave golf a try, you’re talking about upwards of over half-a-million new eyes on the sport!
Having recently partnered with The R&A to get more kids into golf, what kind of grassroots programmes will you be helping to design and develop?
We’re currently in the planning process and will be looking to release further news on that in the coming weeks and months. However, our major focus will be around helping to break down some of the perceived barriers in the game to encourage the sport to be more accessible. As I say, I’m particularly excited to try and get more young girls into the game as I feel this is a huge opportunity to grow numbers in the sport.
If you could change one thing in golf right now, what would it be?
The perception of it being a sport for the ‘older man’. So many of my friends in the music and sports industry love the game, it’s an incredibly social sport with many health benefits also.
What are your golfing ambitions?
When I came up with the idea of Modest! Golf, I didn’t realise how hard the work was going to be! But it’s been such an amazing four-and-a-half years since we launched the business. Getting the players that we wanted has been interesting, trying to convince these up-and-coming amateurs that we are the ones for them when they turn pro. It has somehow unfolded and the signing of Tyrrell (Hatton, below) 18 months ago has been huge and has really boosted the other players in our stable. It’s been an exciting time and I try to be as hands-on as I can on that side of things, and then there’s the events side which kicked off a few years ago when we got involved with the Challenge Tour. We want to continue to grow the events division, continue to look after amazing talent, and finally continue our drive for greater inclusivity and equality in the game. And personally, I would love to play off a one or two handicap.