6 Icelandic golfers got grants from Forskot

On June 26th 2013 it was announced who those Icelandic golfers were, who are sponsored this year by Forskot, an Icelandic Achievement Fund For Golfers. Founders of the Fund are Eimskip (Icelands biggest shipping company), Valitor  (Mastercard Iceland), the Icelandic Golf Federation, Íslandsbanki (one of the 3 biggest banks in Iceland) and Icelandair Group (largest airline in Iceland).

From left.: Björgólfur Jóhannsson, CEO of Icelandair Grop, Birna Þórðardóttir, bankier of Islandsbanki; Þórður Rafn Gissurarson, GR; Ólafur Björn Loftsson, NK; Axel Bóasson, GK; Birgir Leifur Hafþórsson, Viðar Þorkelsson, CEO Valitor and og Hörður Þorsteinsson, Director of the Icelandic Golf Federation.

These companies have actively supported golf in the past, but are now united through Forskot, a fund supporting and sponsoring Icelandic Golfers.  The fund’s objective is to support the players, professionals and amateurs, the aim being to get Icelandic golfers among those leading the world of golf.

The goal is to create an experience base with regard to the future players and to which young players can look at in their future plans.

Golf will return as a competition event at the Olympic Games in 2016 after an over 100 year break. The fund supports  Icelandic players so that they can achieve the goal of getting to the Olympics and/or succeed in getting on one of the major tours such as the European Tour / PGA Tour or LET/LPGA.

The fund will focus on two to five players every year  striving to make it easier for Icelandic golfers to practice and compete in the very best conditions and in line with what happens in the international arena.

At the founding emphasize was put on the importance of creating strong role models, that are achievers in golf, which is one of many  important factors in trying to get more children and adolescents to participate in golf.  The Fund is regarded as an important step to promote golf among children and young people and encourage them to succeed.

One representative from each of the founding partners is on the board of the Fund but the Board of Directors is also advised by a professional team which makes recommendations who gets the grants each year. The professional team includes the following individuals Úlfar Jonsson, coach of Team Iceland i.e. the Icelandic National Golf Team, Theódór Kristjánsson, Chairman of the Comittee of the Icelandic National Golf Team at the Icelandic Golf Federation (abbreviated GSI in Icelandic), Brynjar Geirsson, Assitant National Golf Coach, Sigurpáll Geir Sveinsson, chairman of PGA Iceland and Gauti Grétarsson, Physiotherapist.

The board has decided to support the following players in 2013 and the overall sum is 15 million Icelandic kronas this year:

Professionals who are sponsored by Forskot 2013 are:

Birgir Leifur Hafþórsson GKG

Ólafur Björn Loftsson NK

Þórður Rafn Gissurarson GR

Sponsored amateurs:

Axel Bóasson GK

Ólafía Þórunn Kristinsdóttir GR

Other grants: 

Einar Haukur Óskarsson, GK Nordea Tour

Rigid requirements are made in order for these athletes to achieve  grants from Forskot and are everyone is required to submit drills and competition plans and budgets for their projects as well as ​​a special contract is made with each golfer that they respect the rules of Golf and those of the Olympic Movement.