News just in:
BBC news story: UK heatwave sees golf courses ban smoking while playing. GCMA members surveyed and quoted here.
1. Why not name the date? Montrose have…
What’s happened:
Montrose Golf Links have decided to rename their Medal course The 1562 Course.
What does it mean?
It will be interesting to see if this catches on elsewhere. Montrose is made up of two courses – the Medal and Broomfield – and has three associated golf clubs: Montrose Caledonia, Montrose Mercantile and Royal Montrose.
With the Open at Carnoustie on the very near horizon, the club have decided to relaunch their Medal course as The 1562 Course in order, they say, to better recognise 450 years of golfing heritage at the east coast venue.
It so happens that, just after the Open, the club will stage Montrose Open Week – and that will see the first competition played over the relaunched course. Coincidence? Almost certainly not, especially as the Montrose Open will also finish on a Sunday for the very first time. Jason Boyd, PGA professional and operations manager at Montrose Golf Links, explained the change, saying: “The idea is to bring an important piece of golfing history into the public’s consciousness.
Golf was first recorded here in 1562. “It is a special place and The 1562 Course is a direct link to the golfing past that established this
great game.
“We intend to celebrate that fact this summer through a series of special events.”
Should it prove a financial boon for the club, it will only further emphasise the importance of getting your club’s branding right as a way of bringing in new custom.
How many of your clubs with long histories would think of
following suit?
2. England Golf drive new sustainability commitment
What happened:
England Golf announced a partnership with the GEO Foundation, the not-for-profit organisation dedicated to supporting sustainability in and through golf.
What does it mean?
The partnership will help promote the business benefits of good environmental management to England Golf’s affiliated clubs. They will get a discount on subscriptions to OnCourse, a web based programme for club and course management.
Nick Pink, England Golf chief executive, said: “Our goal is to help clubs unlock a range of new business opportunities by providing high quality guidance and tools and sharing best practice across the sport.
“We believe that OnCourse will help clubs embed sustainability into their operations, to discover new efficiencies and ways to
enhance their courses. “At the same time, it will enable us to better measure and promote the real social and environmental value of golf in England.”
3. Women’s Golf Day proves a huge success
What happened:
The third annual celebration of women and girls golf – Women’s Golf Day – was held on June 5.
What does it mean?
Some 58 countries participated, in more than 900 venues, with thousands of women enjoying a day of golf and sharing their experiences on social media. A number of GCMA member clubs took part, including Frilford Heath, who held a fun competition and introduced a dozen new ladies to the sport.
Elisa Gaudet, the founder of Women’s Golf Day, said: “I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved with Women’s Golf Day. The positivity and enthusiasm shown by the golfing community across the world just blew me away. The game of golf has transcended national borders and the incredible women involved in the game across the globe showed the world how much we all have in common.”
