LIV Golf sets long-term metrics to measure South Africa lasting impact

Beyond the action on the course and the entertainment, the league is committed to driving meaningful community impact, sustainability, and responsible event hosting .

Speaking exclusively to SABC Sport, at Steyn City shortly before tee-off, Jones broke down LIV Golf’s relationship with the Southern Guards academy, as well as the Steyn City foundation, to ensure that lives are impacted and that money filters back into South African businesses. 

"A lot of metrics actually, one is lives impacted and that ranges from super deep impact like the Southern Guards Academy where they are taking 40 young people just for this year as a pilot for 12 months through education. It's a really long, committed 52 week programme for 40 young people,” Jones said.

“Through to the work we are doing with Steyn City Foundation where they are able to feed 3000 young people in Diepsloot every year and 14 000 young children to ensure that they have a full belly ready for school. 

“So, we measure all of those details as we go through as well as the wider supply chain. So, how do we ensure which we have here today that 99% of our supply chain is fully South African, going back into South African businesses. 

“So, we will always crunch the numbers to ensure that those metrics are moving upwards and we can come back post event and say, this is the impact we've had."

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Jones says the role of LIV Golf is to engage with communities where they can make a meaningful difference, ensuring that people feel part of the event. 

"I often don't use the word legacy too much because it has that connotation. It's a great word but I do understand where some people might come from, from the community itself. For LIV Golf personally, our role is that we are a global league that comes into a community that we need to make a difference to,” he added.

“Our role is how do we make sure that the community can feel like they are part of our event. Some of that is absolutely during the event week itself we open up our doors, we'll have a 1000 young golfers from the Gauteng province to come along and experience it. 

“We've got the World of Golf facility 20 minutes away and we are offering free golf lessons and the broadcasters are being pumped in there. So, lots of stuff during the week, it is our deep impact. 

“Beyond that week we are committed to ensure that the communities that we touch, in this instance particularly Diepsloot and Steyn City of course, have some kind of lasting impact. The way we are doing that here at the moment is we work with the Southern Guards to support those young people through a 12 month programme. 

“Naturally with Steyn City support we can make sure that the wider 2000, 3000 people who are in primary schools Diepsloot are seeing the benefit for the whole year through the food, education programme."