As the Sochi Winter Olympics focus the eyes of the world on sporting prowess once more, GTW has a look at a couple of options for groups, whether they are interested in sporting heritage, sport today, or even taking part themselves.

With the largest collection of golf memorabilia in Europe, the British Golf Museum welcomes fans of the sport to the St Andrews course

The British Golf Museum is situated just yards from the first tee of the famous Old Course at St Andrews and the Royal and Ancient Golf Clubhouse. From the roof of the museum, panoramic views of the course help evoke the sense of history that makes this corner of St Andrews so special.

In the twenty years since opening, the British Golf Museum has entertained and informed thousands of visitors through its innovative presentations of the largest collection of golf memorabilia in Europe. The museum offers a wealth of sporting heritage spanning more than three centuries. High-quality displays bring to life the people and events that have shaped the game’s history and influenced its growing popularity, not just in the UK, but worldwide.

Once inside, the history of golf unfolds before the eyes of visitors. The museum is home to star attractions such as the oldest known set of golf clubs in the world, the first Open Championship medal, which was presented to Tom Morris Jr following his 1872 win, and the oldest known footage of a golf match, dating back to 1898. Imaginative exhibitions and stunning displays set the museum apart as the world’s premier heritage centre for golf.

At the end of a visit, groups have the chance to sink a putt to win The Open and have their picture taken with the Claret Jug in The R&A Gallery. A gift shop sells exclusive souvenirs based on the collections of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, including prints, ceramics and stationery. The museum is open seven days a week throughout the year and every visitor is given a complimentary guidebook as a memento.

The J.P. Morgan Media Centre at Lord’s

2014 is a great year to visit Lord’s Cricket Ground. The bicentenary of this ‘home of cricket’ is an ideal opportunity to take a tour of Lord’s and explore behind the scenes. As well as being the most famous cricket ground in the world, Lord’s is steeped in history and charm, with extraordinary architecture and fine art. Led by expert guides, tours take in the dressing rooms, the pavilion and the J. P. Morgan Media Centre. Groups can see the Ashes Urn and discover the treasure house of Lord’s in the MCC Museum. Beneath the famous 'Honours Boards', they get a chance to sit on the seats usually occupied by the England team.

The MCC Museum is launching a new exhibition this year in partnership with J. P. Morgan, entitled ‘Cricket’s Crown Jewels’. Fascinating gems of cricketing memorabilia are on display alongside information about the great collectors who have contributed to this historic collection.

Lord’s Cricket Ground, the sport’s home

The tours also include plenty of chances to enjoy the award-winning architecture of the J.P. Morgan Media Centre. Originally built in 1999 for the Cricket World Cup, it is truly an innovative and iconic building, housing around 150 journalists on major match days.

At the end of the tour, the Lord’s shop offers a wide range of cricket equipment, gifts and souvenirs to remember the day by, and the Lord’s Tavern serves traditional pub food with a discount for tour visitors. Public tours are daily, and private tours can also be arranged.

Finally, for those groups who are looking for the adrenalin rush of actually taking part, an unforgettable day with a group of friends or somewhere to celebrate a special occasion, Lee Valley White Water Centre will make the experience one all visitors will remember.

White water rafting is the perfect group activity, with up to nine people fitting into every raft. The ‘March Mayhem’ offer allows smaller groups to book on the same days for just £30 per person and has great prices for all group sizes. There has never been a better time to tick white water rafting off the bucket list, as this newly upgraded and expanded London 2012 venue provides a first-class experience.

White water rafting on the Lee Valley course

Upon arrival, visitors are kitted out with a wetsuit, buoyancy aid, helmet and boots before going through a safety assessment and some flat water exercises on the lake, where they will learn the secrets of navigating this world-class white water course. Rafters can then tackle the Olympic Standard Competition Course; with 13,000 litres of water pummelling down per second, it is rated as the best course in the world for rafting, canoeing and kayaking. Journeys start with an adventurous first run designed to get participants used to the feel of the raft and working as a team. Raft guides progressively ‘up’ the fear factor each time, depending on group abilities, so that by the final run the group could be surfing, high siding, spinning and nose dunking!

Groups of adrenalin fans can also challenge the rapids with a new hydrospeeding activity. This fun and physical white water challenge involves navigating the rapids of the Legacy Loop course using a hydrospeed to carve, turn and surf. Hydrospeeds are a cross between a bodyboard and the floats used when learning to swim, and excellent group discounts are available.