Three of golf’s leading bodies have forged a unique partnership to help golf clubs meet the modern day challenges facing the sport.
The Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA), Golf Club Managers’ Association (GCMA) and the British and International Golf Greenkeepers’ Association (BIGGA) have formed the Golf Club Management Partnership to assist UK clubs in operating more effectively and efficiently.
Representing a total of 16,000 members and with a collective experience of over 200 years in the industry, the agreement between the triumvirate, was signed at the Open Championship at Turnberry.
It is designed to encourage the fostering of closer ties between the key stakeholders at a golf club – the PGA professional, the course manager and the club manager – with the ultimate aim of providing a coordinated approach to the management of golf clubs.
Benefits for clubs will include clarification of employment roles, job titles, skill sets and qualifications across the three organisations, helping employers find the right people.
In addition there will be exciting educational opportunities with mutual recognition of respective training programmes and the chance to open up opportunities across the industry. There is also cost-saving potential with joint conferences and exhibitions. The first meeting of the partnership will take place in the autumn.
“This is a momentous decision which recognises the expertise of each of the associations, the value of establishing closer ties for benefit of golf clubs across the UK and the desire of all three to work together,” said PGA chief executive Sandy Jones.
“We are all aware golf clubs face many new challenges especially in the current economic climate and this partnership is fundamentally about combining skills and expertise to make them successful in meeting those challenges.
“The members of all three associations play pivotal and important roles at clubs and this partnership is about assisting clubs to use them to their full potential for their ultimate benefit.”
Keith Lloyd, chief executive of the GCMA, commented: “The Golf Club Managers’ Association is confident that the newly formed Golf Club Management Partnership brings a collective skills-set unique and unparalleled in delivering the service expertise golf clubs require for addressing the challenges the 21st Century has brought upon them.”
John Pemberton, chief executive of BIGGA, said: “The development of an alliance between the three main bodies representing the management of golf clubs will be of significant benefit to the golf industry as well as the membership of the respective partners. The move is a major initiative that presents some exciting opportunities and clearly demonstrates BIGGA‘s commitment to the future of the game.”
The mission statement of the partnership is as follows: ‘Members of the Partnership will work together to maximise the value and effectiveness of golf club management through shared learning, professional development and the promotion of best practice’.