Annual Review. 2018/19 The R&A Annual Review 1 Foreword Welcome to the 2018/19 review of The R&A’s activities; last year was a significant and successful one for our organisation. The year 2018 marked an important by the achievements of Francesco golf’s appeal globally and take the milestone for The R&A as we launched Molinari and Georgia Hall in winning sport forward. our new brand identity and set out The Open and the Ricoh Women’s our vision for our work across the key British Open respectively. In June, we had some sad news with areas of governance, championships, the loss of Peter Thomson, who, development and sustainability. Both players created history by winning with five victories, was one of the their first major championships; truly great Champion Golfers. We want to ensure that golf continues Francesco became the first Italian The R&A was represented at his to thrive 50 years from now and will Campione Golfista dell’Anno, while memorial service in Sydney as the be enjoyed by many generations to Georgia is the first golfer to add world of golf celebrated his life and come. We have therefore developed a the Women’s British Open to earlier many wonderful achievements. He range of initiatives to help modernise successes in the Women’s Amateur will be greatly missed by all who the sport and make it not only more and Girls Amateur championships and admired both the quality of his play accessible and appealing but also play in the Curtis Cup for Great Britain and his sportsmanship. more inclusive for today’s society. and Ireland. We really hope that their victories will inspire millions of young This is the first year of my tenure The introduction of the new Rules of golfers around the world. as Chairman of The R&A and I look Golf and the launch of the Women in forward to serving and representing Golf Charter are just two examples The commercial success of The Open our organisation as we work with our of this. Both initiatives will act as enables us to invest proceeds from partners in golf around the world in important drivers for the growth and the Championship into the growth what is an exciting time for the sport. Contents . improvement of the sport around the and development of the sport around world by providing more opportunities the world. In 2018, over 80 countries and making it easier for people to take received direct funding from The R&A Chief Executive’s Review . 2 up and enjoy golf as a healthy and and indirect contributions were made fulfilling pursuit. to 20 others. We will continue to use Our Purpose . 4 these funds wisely in working with Governance . 6 In our professional championships, our affiliated national associations Ian Pattinson golf fans worldwide were captivated and other stakeholders to enhance Chairman, The R&A The Open . .8 Commercial . 10 Amateur Golf . 12 Relationships . 14 Development . 16 Sustainability . 18 The R&A Foundation . 20 Affiliates . 22 Our world of golf . 24 2 The R&A Annual Review 3 Chief Executive’s Review A new chapter in the long history of is staged and we were delighted that The R&A began last September as we The 147th Open delivered £120 million set out our vision as a global leader in of economic benefit to Scotland. We golf, working collaboratively to ensure also invested more than £100,000 in the long-term success of the sport. legacy projects which will positively enhance the local communities in and Our new brand identity was unveiled around Carnoustie. together with a Playbook which outlines our vision, purpose and values. The new Georgia Hall created history on her brand brings together everything we have way to winning the Ricoh Women’s done over the last three years to modernise British Open for the first time in the sport and drive golf forward. front of a delighted home crowd at Royal Lytham & St Annes. We have listened to our key stakeholders during this time and the message was We are delighted that Georgia has clear: The R&A has a global role to play agreed to support The R&A’s drive to in leading the sport forward while inspire more women, girls and families working with our partners and affiliates into playing golf by becoming an around the world to grow and nurture ambassador. She will play a key role golf to ensure that it continues to thrive in raising the profile of women’s and 50 years from now. girls’ golf in support of the Women in Golf Charter. Realising this vision will require the organisation to become financially In the financial year to 31 December stronger and we aim to invest £200 2018, we reported an operating million over the next ten years to grow profit of £12.1m (2017, £12.4m). This and develop golf around the world. profit is stated after covering our Golf Development commitments The modernised Rules of Golf came into of £6.2m (2017, £5.9m), our global effect for all golfers on 1 January 2019, governance commitments of £5.3m marking the biggest set of changes to (2017, £5.9m), as well as the costs of the Rules in a generation. The revised supporting amateur championships Rules are more in tune with the way the and other initiatives of £4.2m (2017, modern sport is played. We hope that £3.8m). Based on our latest forecasts all golfers around the world enjoy the we remain on track to deliver on our new Rules and the key changes aimed at aim of investing £200m into the sport improving pace of play. over the ten years from 2017 to 2026. The Modified Rules of Golf for Players This has been an exciting and with Disabilities also supports our aim historic year for the organisation of ensuring that golf is an inclusive sport and I would like to thank everyone Martin Slumbers visited Mission Hills in China to launch The and welcoming to golfers of all abilities. who has contributed to a successful R&A’s funding of a new golf scholarship programme. See p.17 The World Ranking for Golfers with twelve months as well as those who Disability launched at the start of 2019 give up their time to support the will also help to grow participation and We continue to conduct this process of women and girls playing golf and Research has shown that golf It was another record-breaking year for growth and development of golf competition in this area. openly, comprehensively and promptly to encourage more opportunities can provide significant physical The Open as we welcomed 172,000 fans around the world in so many different and will work with key stakeholders for women to work within the and mental benefits and we were to Carnoustie, surpassing the previous ways. Their continuing passion and Together with the USGA we have to ensure we have a fully rounded golf industry. delighted to present the 2018 best attendance at the venue set in commitment are vital to the future launched a comprehensive project to view of distance and its implications. International Consensus Statement 1999. We were privileged to watch history of the sport.. analyse distance in golf and gather Our primary objective in this review We are asking the golf industry to take on Golf and Health at the 7th being made as Francesco Molinari perspectives from the worldwide golf is to ensure an appropriate balance measures to achieve positive change Congress of the International Society became the first Italian ever to win The community. Distance in golf is a complex between skill and technology. for women, girls and families and for Physical Activity and Health Open and be crowned Champion Golfer issue and the Distance Insights project capitalise on this major opportunity (ISPAH) in London. The Statement will of the Year. aims to collate and examine all the The launch of the first ever Women in for the sport. We will be increasing guide actions to be taken by people, relevant data as well as capture the Golf Charter in May last year signalled our investment in women’s, girls’ and policymakers and the golf industry The Open has a proven track record many different perspectives that exist our intent to galvanise the golf mixed golf to £80m over the next ten and was published in the British of generating substantial economic Martin Slumbers around the world. industry around increasing the number years to help realise this vision. Journal of Sports Medicine. benefit for the host country in which it Chief Executive, The R&A 4 The R&A Annual Review 5 Our Purpose In 2018, The R&A unveiled a new ● Commercial: brand identity and a Playbook Deliver world class championships outlining its vision, purpose and while growing revenue and maximising values. The new brand was the profit for reinvestment in the sport. culmination of The R&A’s work over the last three years to modernise ● Amateur Golf: golf and change perceptions of Preserve amateur golf and develop the sport. a robust environment for elite amateur golf including world class The R&A’s vision is to lead by championships and strong links example as a global organisation, to education. working collaboratively with its partners in the sport, ● Relationships: that is renowned for its Establish deep, connected and valued governance work and staging relationships with our home affiliates, of world class professional and the USGA, professional tours and amateur championships. major golf nations.