A YEAR OF GOLF IN ENGLAND ANNUAL REVIEW 2016 CONTENTS WELCOME 4 RUNNING COMPETITIVE EVENTS 22 HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR 6 CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS 24 OUR YEAR IN NUMBERS 8 MAJOR PERFORMANCES GROWING THE GAME 12 AND RESULTS 26 GETTING WOMEN AND GIRLS INTO GOLF 14 INCOME AND EXPENDITURE 28 SUPPORTING BUSINESSES 16 CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION 29 STRENGTHENING COUNTIES 18 DEVELOPING TALENT 20 2017 AND BEYOND 30 4 WELCOME 2 16 WAS QUITE A YEAR WELCOME 5 WELCOME Out on the course at every level we saw some memorable performances and thrilling down-to-the-wire finals. In clubhouses the length of the country more families, youngsters and women were welcomed than ever before. Even some of the game’s rules and organisations looked a little different and worked a lot better by the end of the year. Danny Willett’s victory at the US Masters in During the year we also saw some terrific April turned the global golfing spotlight on results start to come out of our Golf Express England, highlighting the incredible talent that initiative which is now offered by over 200 comes through our club, county and national facilities. It’s good to see that the European programmes. This was reinforced again and Tour and R&A are promoting shorter formats again through the year as individuals and teams through their own championships and that fought magnificently for local and regional we’re all aligned on this. honours and brought back an impressive haul of trophies from overseas competitions. The issue of governance took centre stage in 2016 too. We started implementing the Golf’s return to the Olympics after 112 years saw recommendations of our own governance England Golf Ambassador Justin Rose achieve review, produced a Club Governance Guide an inspiring victory. With the debate about golf’s to help clubs in running their businesses and participation leading up to the Games fading once supported three counties through the merger the global media and fans showed their support, of their men’s and women’s organisations. it seems safe to say we’ll see more Olympic golf in four years’ time. We also started some exciting projects in 2016 that will make a big difference to the All of these players will have cut their competitive way we operate and the way golf is perceived. teeth in the championships and tournaments we First there’s a new customer relationship run around the country. We’ve really enjoyed management (CRM) system which will be a experiencing some of these for ourselves during one-stop-shop database for all our activity the year – and hearing first-hand the hugely and then there’s our new website, which positive feedback England Golf events get will go live in the spring of 2017. from players, spectators and volunteers. There’s a lot to celebrate about the game Underpinning everything, of course, are the of golf and I hope you enjoy reading more golf clubs on whose robustness and resilience about 2016’s highlights in these pages – the sport relies, and 2016 has been a significant and sharing the satisfaction of a job year here too. Nearly half have taken up the well done, together. opportunity to talk to us about their challenges and work with our regional support staff to Graham Yates Nick Pink get the tailored business support they need. Chairman Chief Executive FINANCE DIRECTOR & PRESIDENT NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS AS AT APRIL 2016 COMPANY SECRETARY Marian Rae Carol Alford Pat Crowson Craig Wagstaff Jill Dean Ron Harrison PRESIDENT ELECT Colin Legg John Peters John Williams Carole Waights Ian Watkins Les Wilson John Weir 6 HIGHLIGHTS 3 4 5 2 7 HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR Our selection of the victories, awards, launches and achievements that helped to make 2016 such a memorable year. 1 Danny Willett wins the US Masters in Augusta 4 Girls Golf Rocks expands into 9 counties, and leads four other England Golf graduates inspiring girls from 5 to 18 to play golf, have into the top 10. fun and discover a new passion. 2 Our Training and Education programme for 5 Bronte Law becomes European Women’s clubs gained significant momentum, kicking Amateur Champion with a brilliant closing off with 24 Business Growth Hubs attended by 66 to snatch a one-shot victory. 600 clubs. 3 England’s Women win the European Team 6 England Golf’s first-everClub Governance Championship in Iceland for the first time Guide is published, giving advice and support in 23 years. to help clubs realise their potential. HIGHLIGHTS 7 9 10 11 13 14 7 Our 2016 Annual Conference and Awards 11 England Golf Ambassador Justin Rose celebrates golfers and golf clubs who are wins gold on golf’s return to the Olympics making golf in England great. after 112 years. 8 With two counties already merged, 12 England wins the silver medal at the World a further two decide to merge their Amateur Team Championship for the women’s and men’s golf organisations Eisenhower Trophy. with assistance from England Golf. 9 Golf Week 2016 at Frilford Heath 13 Scott Gregory becomes British Amateur brings 500 club players together in Champion at Royal Porthcawl. the individual and team finals to enjoy the full championship experience. 10 The thrilling finale at the end of five 14 Sophie Lamb becomes British Ladies’ glorious days of play saw Gloucestershire Stroke Play Champion at Knock Golf Club. win the 2016 Women’s County Finals. 8 OUR YEAR IN NUMBERS INSPIRING NEW PLAYERS AND MEMBERS In 2016, county activity resulted in: 135,215 9,428 people playing golf new memberships GET INTO GOLF GOLF EXPRESS Get into golf encouraged new players Golf Express promoted 9-hole golf to give golf a try and continue along a taking less than two hours to play – pathway to full club membership. and proved a big hit. 737 250 clubs engaged clubs engaged inspiring over… 32,595 , people were introduced to the game 10 300 golfers to play over… £1.7m 50% value created for clubs through memberships between ages of 30-44 CASE STUDY “Flexible membership has definitely As part of its Get into golf helped us attract new players to our programme, Bingley St Ives Golf club and is something I can only see Club developed a structured growing across golf clubs in the membership pathway with flexible next five years.” offers catering for different working Ben Tawell patterns which inspired 70 women Club Manager Newton Green Golf Club to try the game and generated additional revenue of £15,800. OUR YEAR IN NUMBERS 9 SUCCESS STORY GETTING WOMEN INTO GOLF 175 clubs set up sessions specifically for women 4,386 GIRLS GOLF ROCKS women tried golf for the first time Girls Golf Rocks brought a fresh, modern approach GETTING FAMILIES to golf, providing girls with taster sessions and a structured coaching programme – and achieving INTO GOLF an impressive retention rate. 56% 110 of clubs who offered family open county squad girls trained as days increased coaching sales Girls Golf Rocks ambassadors 9 89% of clubs offering family open days counties adopted the programme reported new club visitors GETTING JUNIORS AND 628 YOUNG PEOPLE INTO GOLF girls introduced to golf Juniors and young people were encouraged by clubs, colleges, universities and schools to experience golf and make it part of their lives through England Golf’s work in partnership 37% with the Golf Foundation. of participants joined their local club 73,000 “This project gave the young county girls young people took part in golf for the first time the opportunity to develop their leadership and communication skills while their commitment and passion to encourage 3,500 more girls golfing was clear to see.” students played golf while at university or college Katie Moggan Regional Development Officer The Golf Foundation 4,166 new memberships 10 OUR YEAR IN NUMBERS BUILDING STRONGER COUNTIES AND CLUBS TOPLINE STATISTICS THE BOTTOM LINE 769 £10,600 clubs received support to grow additional income gained by one club their business and membership from conversion of women beginners into members following a taster session £4.2m , invested back into the game £100 000 from business coaching spend boost to non-golf income at one club through diversification of hiring facilities We produced a… CLUB GOVERNANCE GUIDE for counties on merger and incorporation £115,535 earned by one club from further We achieved the Preliminary level of the… coaching and memberships after EQUALITY STANDARD Get into golf activities FOR SPORT as part of our commitment to a consistent, best practice approach to equality in how we operate and how we engage and involve all sectors of “Mystery shopping pointed out the population areas that could be improved such as how we deal with phone calls. CASE STUDY We now have a structured process for handling calls that’s led to the sale of 75 trial memberships, with Business support inspired Gloucester Golf Club to draft a business plan, around 20% being converted to measure progress, improve volunteer full memberships.” recruitment and induction and introduce Adrian Cooper a six-week trial membership – which went Club Manager on to achieve a 25% conversion rate. Henley Golf & Country Club OUR YEAR IN NUMBERS 11 RUNNING TURNING PLAYERS EXCELLENT INTO WINNERS We CHAMPIONSHIPSimplemented the recommendations of our… 46 OVER 6,300 national squad players and… competitors took part in… 205 55 regional players were supported by championships and tournaments our talent development programme This is an increase of… We invested… £1.7m 13% from 2015 in the talent pathway Over 1,000 volunteers assisted in the running of our events “County coaching has been phenomenal and a key factor in my success and development.