Wales Golf welcomes new guide to grow the game
Wales Golf welcomes new guide to grow the game
October 28, 2019.
Wales Golf has today issued a new governance guide for clubs in the ongoing drive to modernise and grow the game.
Key stakeholders across the sport recognise the value of improving the organisation and structures of clubs in order to maximise their potential for profitability and growth.
Wales Golf is committed to inspiring good governance within the game and has joined forces with The British and International Golf Greenkeepers’ Association (BIGGA), The Golf Club Managers’ Association (GCMA), The Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA), The R&A, Scottish Golf and Wales Golf to provide this invaluable resource for all clubs to consider.
By co-ordinating a unified approach to good governance and setting this out in an easy-to-read format in the second edition of the guide, clubs the length and breadth of the country will now benefit from a strong template which can either be adopted or adapted to meet needs of individual organisations.
The document provides tools, activities, discussion points and best practice ideas for clubs to take on board.
It will also provide clear signposting for clubs in order that they may face the future with confidence. Clubs can find pointers on how best to tackle the challenges of an evolving membership structure, constantly-changing legal requirements and all-important safeguarding procedures.
A well-run club is a thriving club and the ‘9-holes of Excellent Governance’ feature of the new guide will help clubs to improve sustainability both financially and administratively.
In an ever-changing marketplace, clubs can learn to manage resources, effectively recruit for staff and committee positions and meet the needs of members and golf consumers by following the good governance blueprint.
Clubs – no matter how large or small their membership, how modern or traditional their facilities – can learn how to set their own standards of excellence to drive improvement and, at the same time, develop the culture of the organisation.
The varied case studies from England, Scotland and Wales also provide real-time reference points to demonstrate the practical benefits of adopting good practice at all levels of club management.
“We know golf club membership in Wales overall has recently gone up by almost 1,000, reversing a downward trend,” said Wales Golf chief executive Richard Dixon.
“Good club governance is essential to change this trend for the long term. We are fully committed to supporting our clubs to do this, combining the support of our Development Team with this guide.
“We also know that increasing membership has been led by clubs with good governance, there are clear lessons in how they are showcasing the considerable benefits of club membership. They have adapted to cope with modern society and satisfy the needs of their members, as well as attracting new people to our sport.
“The Wales Golf strategy ‘Everyone’s Game, Anywhere,’ is focused on inclusive golf and stronger clubs. Governance is a key part of that and we have worked hard, along with our partners, to produce Version 2 of this guide.
“It will be added to the resources and support available through Wales Golf to help clubs operate as more effective businesses.”
The R&A’s backing for the governance guide underlines their ongoing commitment to the modernisation of golf.
“We all have a role to play in growing golf and if we are to achieve that goal then we have to modernise and make the sport more appealing, accessible and inclusive,” commented Duncan Weir, Executive Director – Golf Development and Amateur Championships.
“Good governance in the running of clubs is a key element of ensuring that golf is attractive both to existing members and potential new members.
“This guide is designed to promote best practice in governance and act as a reference resource for clubs to help them continue to improve and develop their management processes.”
Here is a link to the Club Business Support that the WALES GOLF team provide https://www.walesgolf.org/club-business-support/
Along with the link to the resource https://www.walesgolf.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/CLUB-Governance-Guide-Version-2-0-LINKS.pdf
Please contact the development team for help and support to accompany this document.
Hard copies are available by contacting Wales Golf