England Golf Club Support Guide - Draft

CLUB SUPPORT GUIDE www.englandgolf.org

The National Golf Centre | Woodhall Spa | Lincolnshire | LN10 6PU Tel: 44 (0) 1526 354500 | Email: info@englandgolf.org

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AS A MEMBER CLUB OF ENGLAND GOLF, YOU CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF NUMEROUS RESOURCES AND BENEFITS TO HELP ENSURE YOUR CLUB IS VIABLE AND SUSTAINABLE.

ENGLAND GOLF STRATEGIC PLAN England Golf has developed the Strategic Plan 2014-2017 which aims to tackle golf’s challenges and create an even brighter future for the sport.

The strategy is built around the seven key themes or priorities which require coordinated action at club, county and national levels:

Increasing the number of players who play golf regularly

Increasing the number of players in club membership

Supporting clubs to attract and retain members and to achieve a sustainable business model

Identifying and developing talented golfers at every level, leading to international amateur success

Providing excellent championships and competitions for golfers of all levels

Changing the perception of golf and improving communications within the sport

Improving the governance, building the infrastructure and strengthening the partnerships to develop golf in England

These seven key themes are referenced throughout the document to indicate how it relates to the England Golf Strategic Plan, some questions may target more than one priority area.

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All information and contact details contained with the guide are correct at the time of publication and maybe subject to change.

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CONTENTS Using the guide 3

Funding for your Club Funding Central 34

Introduction 6

County Sports Partnerships 35 Sport England Funding 36

Membership (Growth & Retention)

Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASC) 37

Get into golf 10 Junior Golf 11

Playing Support & Competitions

Schools (Golf Foundation) 12

Rules of Golf and Amateur Status 40

Women’s Participation & Membership 13

Handicapping (including the Central Database of Handicaps)

Disability 14

Running Competitions 42

Members Benefit Programme (MBP) 15

Course Rating 43

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Player Pathway 44 Business Support

England Golf Championships 45

Health & Safety 18 Employment Law & Human Resources (HR)

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Promoting your Club

Customer Service 20

Market Segmentation Reports 48

Sustainability & Environmental Guidance (Greener Golf)

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GolfMark 49

Club Governance Structures & Incorporation 22

Marketing Tools & Templates 50 England Golf Community 51

Training & Education Golf Education Calendar 26

Partners and Key Contacts

Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) 27

Find Details On Golf And Sports Industry Partners

Compliance and Safeguarding 28

England Golf Department Contacts 56

Referee Development 29

Regional Managers 57

Research Portal 30

County Development Officers 58

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INTRODUCTION As a member club of England Golf, you can take advantage of numerous resources and benefits to help ensure your club is viable and sustainable. This guide highlights what’s on offer, from advice on promoting your club effectively or securing grants to attract new players, to specialist guidance on handicapping. It has never been more important to offer members and players an attractive,

welcoming environment and this guide’s advice and resources are here to support you. The guide has been designed to showcase the support your club can access and complement the online tools and resources available through the England Golf Clubhouse. In addition, you have access to a network of professionals available to work with your club to support you in achieving your goals.

MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE Golf clubs are at the very heart of our sport and England Golf is committed to working with you to create a brighter future for the game. This new guide highlights the many ways in which we can support and help your club to achieve its goals.

By working together we really can increase the number of people playing golf and joining clubs and we can improve the image of the game.

Since we launched ‘Raising Our Game’ - our strategy to tackle the challenges facing the sport - we have seen tremendous efforts at club, county and national level. All the signs indicate that the decline in participation and membership is slowing and this is very encouraging – but there is still much to be done. We all need to stay focussed on the strategy to bring about further changes and achieve further growth.

I hope this guide will prove to be a valuable asset and will help you to attract and retain members to enjoy our great game.

The guide is designed to help you grow your club, with ideas and support available to help you deliver the very best golf experience.

Each section gives you an overview of the resource, support or programmes available. You will also see how to access it and who to contact for further information. In addition, there is a quick reference index in the back of the guide.

The guide is designed to complement our online website for clubs, the England Golf Clubhouse.

Regional Manager and County Development Officer (CDO) contact details can be found at the back of the guide.

The Clubhouse is an online platform for staff and volunteer officials to access all club specific support, websites, resources and initiatives available from England Golf.

The Clubhouse is continually updated with the latest guidance documents, case studies and club resources. It is also the meeting place for clubs to share ideas, direct questions and engage with England Golf initiatives.

Clubs can also keep informed of new developments and the latest club news through the Clubhouse notifications.

To register and access the England Golf Clubhouse visit www.englandgolf.org/clubhouse or contact your golf club secretary /manager.

www.englandgolf.org/clubhouse

David Joy Chief Executive

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MEMBERSHIP (GROWTH & RETENTION)

JUNIOR

GOLF

GET INTO

The campaign works with partners, including BBC Get Inspired and Change4Life, to increase the awareness of Get into golf. There are also direct links into workplace shemes where Get into golf activity is promoted to employees of companies, including John Lewis and BT. The campaign drives people to the Getintogolf.org website where clubs can promote activities and membership offers for free. The easy-to-use website includes access to web-toprint marketing materials to support your club in promoting your offers locally.

WHO IS IT FOR?

• Support and guidance on recruiting and retaining junior golfers.

• Volunteers involved with the junior section

• Junior organisers’ handbook – a guide to growing a vibrant junior section.

• Club Manager / Secretary

• Links with the Golf Foundation on how to create a pathway from schools into club membership.

HOW TO ACCESS IT

• Advice and guidance on junior handicapping and how to integrate juniors into club competitions.

GOLF

Get into golf is a national campaign, delivered locally, to inspire adults to take up golf and play more often. The campaign is run by England Golf with the support of Sport England National Lottery funding and is delivered by local clubs and PGA profesionals. Get into golf creates awareness of golf through national and local marketing, inspiring people to get involved in activity at their local golf facility.

England Golf is committed to supporting clubs to develop structured junior sections and has created a variety of initiatives and resources. With a dedicated national manager and trained CDOs clubs have access to one-to-one support, as well as the ability to call, email or access the various initiatives and resources online. These include:

• Promotion of training opportunities for junior organisers, volunteers and staff, including safeguarding and junior coaching courses.

WHO IS IT FOR?

• Support on how clubs and coaches approach the issue of safeguarding children in golf.

For those within the club with a responsibility for facility development, increasing membership or coaching. Including but not limited to: • Junior Organiser • PGA Professionals

Visit: www.englandgolf.org/juniorgolf or go directly to the England Golf Clubhouse

CONTACT Contact your CDO or the Participation and Club Support team for further advice or information. Contact details can be found in the back of the guide.

Employees and volunteer officials who are responsible for attracting and retaining new members and those new to the game. Including but not limited to: • General Manager / Secretary • Golf Professional

HOW TO ACCESS IT Visit: www.getintogolf.org or to upload activity go directly to the England Golf Clubhouse

CONTACT Contact your CDO for further advice or information. Contact details can be found in the back of the guide.

Over 690,000 people visited the Get into golf website between April and July of this year, up by over 530,000 on last year.

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MEMBERSHIP (GROWTH & RETENTION)

GROWING WOMEN’S

PARTICIPATION AND MEMBERSHIP

SCHOOLS

GOLF FOUNDATION The Golf Foundation is a charity committed to giving children and young people the opportunity to experience golf and the benefits it has to offer. Its underlying principle is ‘Skills for Life’ aimed at providing children and young people with; • A basic knowledge of golf and how to play the game • Confidence and the ability to handle themselves within a social setting • An understanding of the importance of adopting an active lifestyle The Golf Foundation deliver this through their HSBC Golf Roots programme, designed to support community and city projects. They support schools with the aim of creating a school/club link, delivering activities including Tri-Golf and Golf Xtreme (school activity) and the Junior Golf Passport (a club based structured learning programme).

The Golf Foundation have eight regional officers that can provide support and expertise to develop your clubs schools links and deliver the Junior Passport programme.

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Women and girls currently make up only 13% of golf club members across the country. England Golf recognises this provides clubs with an opportunity to attract more women and girls and it has created resources to support your club to do just that.

WHO IS IT FOR?

These resources include a series of factsheets which provide information on attracting and retaining female members and making your club an attractive environment for women to enjoy golf. These are backed up with case studies showing how other clubs have succeeded and by research from women’s focus groups. Additionally you can tap into Get into golf advice, county development officer (CDO) support and link in with the national marketing camplaign #ThisGirlGolfs

• General Manager / Secretary

For those within the club with a responsibility or interest to grow women’s participation and membership. Including but not limited to:

• Professionals • Ladies’ Committee

HOW TO ACCESS IT Visit: www.englandgolf.org/womenandgirls or through the England Golf Clubhouse

CONTACT Contact your CDO for further advice or information. Contact details can be found at the back of the guide.

WHO IS IT FOR? For those within the club with a responsibility or interest in developing junior golf and/or community outreach work.

Including but not limited to: • Club Professional • Junior Organiser • General Manager/Secretary

HOW TO ACCESS IT Visit www.golf-foundation.org for further details

CONTACT For further details please contact your local Golf Foundation regional officer. Contact details for the Regional Officers can be found at www.golf-foundation.org

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MEMBERS BENEFIT

PROGRAMME (MBP) By becoming a member of an affiliated golf club players can enjoy the added benefits of being a member of England Golf. These benefits include access to their handicap online, a monthly newsletter, delivered straight to the member’s inbox, online access to a handicap advisor, entry into a free, twice-monthly prize draw and access to exclusive discounts and offers from partners including BUPA, Your Golf Travel, Virgin Experiences and more.

This provides golf clubs with another exclusive benefit to promote to prospective and current members and an additional source of added value to your membership package.

• Support and guidance on recruiting and retaining disabled participants into existing activity.

• How to remove the physical, logistical and psychological barriers to participation.

• Assistance to support clubs to recognise their current disabled participants through improved data collection.

• Engagement with the County Sports Partnerships to link the club to local disabled people’s organisations.

• Promotion of training opportunities for PGA coaching professionals and facility staff and volunteers to provide a high quality experience for disabled people.

If you are responsible for promotion and marketing for your club then this is for you. The programme can be utilised by the marketing manager/committee, general manager/ secretary or owner/management committee to add value to the membership package.

HOW TO ACCESS IT Members can access their MBP profile and register for the benefits by logging into the website, www.englandgolf.org/members

CONTACT

DISABILITY England Golf recognises the importance of creating an inclusive environment to encourage disabled people to access and enjoy golf. Working within a framework to develop hub clubs to increase the participation of disabled people in golf, resources have been developed and made available to support all clubs to become more inclusive and accessible. Resources include:

WHO IS IT FOR?

Your CDO or the Participation and Club Support team will be able to provide further advice. Contact details can be found in the back of the guide.

WHO IS IT FOR? For those within the club with a responsibility for facility development, increasing membership or coaching. Including but not limited to: • General Manager / Secretary • Owner / Management Committee • Club Professional

HOW TO ACCESS IT Access to the support resources can be found on the England Golf Clubhouse

CONTACT Your England Golf Regional Manager will be able to provide further advice. Contact details can be found in the back of the guide.

• Access audits to identify how your club can adapt to become more disability friendly.

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BUSINESS SUPPORT

EMPLOYMENT AND

HUMAN RESOURCES (HR) Advice, guidance and support resources for all employment and HR matters can be accessed from our partners Xact.

Xact are a well-established provider of health & safety and human resources advice, offering sector specific advice with an emphasis on preventative procedures and processes.

All resources, guidance and advice can be found on the Xact Advice microsite that includes: • Online materials, including recruitment processes, job descriptions & contracts and disciplinary procedures… all provided with best practice, template documents and supporting guidance.

HEALTH &

• Xact Advice employment and human resources helpline.

Tel: 0330 332 2636

SAFETY

A range of resources are available to support clubs in understanding and implementing health and safety requirements, delivered through our partners Xact.

Xact are a well-established provider of health & safety and human resources advice, offering sector specific advice with an emphasis on preventative procedures and processes.

All resources, guidance and advice can be found on the Xact Advice microsite that includes: • Online materials, including risk assessments, food safety and people management… all provided with best practice, template documents and supporting guidance.

• Xact Advice health and safety helpline. Tel: 0330 332 2636 • If you want to take the hassle away keeping up-to-date with your Health & Safety requirements or need a little extra support then Xact can provide this service for you. With two options available depending on your requirements Xact can work with your club to deal with your Health & Safety needs – contact Xact for more details on their Business Assist Advice and Full Support service.

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WHO IS IT FOR? Anyone who is responsible for health & safety, including risk assessments and safe working practices. Including but not limited to:

• If you want to take the hassle away from managing your HR requirements or need a little extra support then Xact can provide this service for you. With two options available depending on your requirements Xact can work with your club to deal with your HR and Employment Law needs – contact Xact for more details on their Business Assist Advice and Full Support service.

WHO IS IT FOR? Employees and volunteer officials who are responsible for the management of people, including hiring, disciplinary procedures or training. Including but not limited to: • General Manager / Secretary • HR Manager / Administrator • Golf Professional • Owner / Management Committee

HOW TO ACCESS IT Visit: www.englandgolf.org/humanresources

CONTACT Contact your CDO or Regional Manager for further advice or information. Details can be found in the index of this guide.

• General Manager / Secretary • Bar Manager / Steward • Course Manager / Head Greenkeeper • Golf Professional • Owner / Management Committee • Health & Safety Officer

HOW TO ACCESS IT Visit: www.englandgolf.org/healthandsafety

CONTACT Contact your CDO or Regional Manager for further advice or information. Details can be found in the index of this guide.

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SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL GUIDANCE

GREENER GOLF

CUSTOMER SERVICE Do you know what your customers think of your golf club?

Are you providing the service that will keep members and visitors returning? England Golf has partnered with 59club to provide clubs with a suite of tools to support you in gaining feedback from your customers and improving your customer service.

The customer service support is complemented by specific training delivered through our training and education programme.

59club have developed a software package that enables a golf club/facility to test and manage their own customer service benchmarking at their club. This is available in four parts;

WHO IS IT FOR?

• Web Based Golf Membership Survey – create a customisable members’ survey to suit your club.

• Golf Membership Enquiry Call & Appointment - Get detailed feedback from an initial phone enquiry, right through to a tailored show round of the club’s facilities.

• Golf Mystery Shopper Visit - Covering every aspect of a visitor’s journey through the club and in turn delivering key feedback from all members of staff responsible for ensuring the experience is second to none.

• Golf Group ‘Recorded’ Sales Call – Understand how your team approach a group booking call, work through a needs analysis and then learn how to convert the business through key sales techniques.

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Visit www.englandgolf.org/trainingandeducation for details.

For those within the club who are in a customer facing role, or to manage how staff connect with members and visitors.

Including but not limited to: • General Manager / Secretary • Steward / Food & Beverage Manager

Our interactive online resource provides advice, information and guidance on anything Greener Golf, from water management and renewable energy to chemical use and carbon audit case studies. If you are looking for environmental, energy efficiency or sustainability advice then the Greener Golf website is your starting point. In addition the website also features: • An interactive environmental policy generator – If you are unsure of how environmentally compliant your club is why not use the environmental policy generator to find out the areas in which you need to improve? Answer a series of simple questions and produce your own environmental policy • Carbon calculator – Learn how much CO2 your club is producing and then use the resources to find out how you can reduce it.

• Payback calculator – Identify how making energy efficiency changes can work for your club. Use the Payback calculator to show the return on investment and how long it will take for your club to start to save money!

• A link to the Golf Environment Organization (GEO) – Is your club looking to sell its sustainable credentials? Check out the GEO OnCourse® programme and get GEO Certified®

WHO IS IT FOR? For those within the club with a responsibility or interest in environmental compliance, water management or energy efficiency. Including but not limited to: • General Manager / Secretary • Course Manager / Head Greenkeeper • Greens Committee • Owner / Management Committee

HOW TO ACCESS IT Visit: www.englandgolf.org/greenergolf or access Greener Golf through the England Golf Clubhouse

CONTACT Contact your CDO or the Participation and Club Support team for further advice or information. Contact details can be found in the back of the guide.

• Club Professional

HOW TO ACCESS IT Visit: www.59club.com

CONTACT Contact your CDO or Regional Manager for further advice or information. Contact details can be found in the back of the guide.

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CASE STUDY

MARKET RASEN GOLF CLUB The ‘pathway to incorporation’ is an example of the business support which England Golf provides to clubs. It was developed with the National Golf Clubs’ Advisory Association (NGCAA) and has already been used by Market Harborough, Market Rasen and Buckingham golf clubs. Graham Reeve of Market Rasen Golf Club said: “I thoroughly endorse the excellent support and assistance England Golf

offered during our process of incorporation. The personal guidance in a number of areas, particularly the introduction to the NGCAA’s solicitors, were pivotal in the smooth transition. “We remain reliant on the continued support of England Golf as we manage the transition to develop a more forward thinking and sustainable club for the future.”

CLUB INCORPORATION

& GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES England Golf can provide guidance, information and templates for clubs considering incorporation or reviewing their governance structure.

It is important to note that if your club is not incorporated your club officers and their assets can be put at risk. England Golf recommends that all clubs incorporate.

WHO IS IT FOR? For those private members’ clubs which wish to review their company structure and governance. This would be of interest to those within the club with a management responsibility.

Including but not limited to: • Management Committee

Information includes details of the benefits of incorporation, the process and guidance on how to become a company limited by guarantee. Furthermore, you can access information about alternative company or charity structures.

Within this information you will find details of model clauses and example Articles of Association.

• Trustees

If your club is looking to review its governance structures you can also view case studies and model constitutions. For those considering Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC) status please see the CASC section of this guide.

Visit: To find case studies and guidance please visit the England Golf Clubhouse or the Participation and Club Support team at club.services@englandgolf.org

• General Manager / Secretary • Treasurer

HOW TO ACCESS IT

CONTACT Your England Golf Regional Manager will be able to provide further advice. Contact details can be found in the back of the guide.

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TRAINING & EDUCATION

DISCLOSURE AND

BARRING SERVICE (DBS) England Golf and The PGA require that all staff and volunteers working within “regulated activity� with children must have a current DBS check (via England Golf or the PGA only) and have attended a Safeguarding and Protecting Children course (SPC) within the past three years.

To assist clubs with this process England Golf offer an online DBS service. If a volunteer or member of staff fall with the definition of regulated activity they can apply for a DBS check through England Golf. A list of the roles that would fall within this criteria can be found online.

GOLF EDUCATION

WHO IS IT FOR? If you are responsible for welfare, managing staff and volunteers or working with children and young people.

Check this list of those roles that would require a DBS check on the England Golf website.

HOW TO ACCESS IT Visit: www.englandgolf.org/dbs or contact the compliance team directly

CONTACT For further information and guidance please contact the England Golf compliance team. Contact details can be found in the back of the guide.

CALENDAR

The golf education calendar is a dedicated website promoting training and education opportunities delivered by England Golf, other home unions and golf organisations, including the Golf Foundation and PGA. The website is aimed at all those working in, aspiring to work in or volunteering in the golf industry.

WHO IS IT FOR?

The website has two main elements, an interactive calendar that lets you view upcoming training and education events. It also has a section on demand-led events. If you are interested in a subject or training opportunity then let us know and we will contact you when we have enough demand to let you know how you can access the training.

Visit: www.golfeducation.co.uk or go through the England Golf Clubhouse.

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The website is aimed at all those working in, aspiring to work in or volunteering in the golf industry.

HOW TO ACCESS IT

CONTACT Contact your CDO or the Participation and Club Support team for further advice or information. Contact details can be found in the back of the guide.

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REFEREE

DEVELOPMENT

COMPLIANCE AND

SAFEGUARDING

England Golf provides advice and guidance for clubs, parents and individuals on safeguarding and compliance matters. This includes the recruitment of volunteers, working with children and young people, guidance to disciplinary procedures, equality and diversity and anti-doping. In addition, where necessary England Golf can provide one-toone support through the compliance team; template policies and procedures; and training and education courses for club welfare officers and other members of staff and volunteer officials. Information can be found both online and by calling our compliance team at England Golf.

England Golf recognises the need to have rules officials able to support clubs, counties and at national championships.

We provide a pathway to support the development of individuals who wish to understand the rules in more depth and assist in officiating at events.

WHO IS IT FOR?

The development programme complements the support provided by the R&A and is designed to provide individuals with practical experience of refereeing, an improved knowledge of the Rules of Golf, a qualification from England Golf and the potential to become a member of the national tournament panel of referees. The development opportunities include:

• Club members and volunteer officials

For those within the club who have an interest in developing their Rules of Golf knowledge or have an interest in assisting in the running of competitions, including but not limited to:

• Section Captains • Club Professional

HOW TO ACCESS IT

• Online rules academy (R&A)

Visit: www.englandgolf.org/rulesschool or go directly to the England Golf Clubhouse

• Informal rules tutoring (provided by members of the national tournament panel)

CONTACT

• England Golf county rules school

Contact the Championship team or Toby Thorne for further advice or information. Contact details can be found in the back of the guide.

WHO IS IT FOR? If you are responsible for welfare, managing staff and volunteers or working with children and young people then the information may be useful to you. This includes roles such as: • General Manager / Secretary • Welfare Officer • Club Professional • Owner / Management Committee

HOW TO ACCESS IT Visit: www.englandgolf.org/forgolfclubs or contact the compliance team directly

CONTACT For further information and guidance please contact the England Golf compliance team. Contact details can be found in the back of the guide.

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RESEARCH

PORTAL

The research portal provides clubs with the latest research and trends within golf, bringing together research from across the industry. Information includes statistics on participation figures to the number of rounds played, the economic impact, golf club membership and lifestyle trends.

Available in two formats, clubs can access full reports or download fast-fact summary sheets produced by our partners, Sports Marketing Surveys Inc.

For more information...

Visit www.englandgolf.org WHO IS IT FOR?

Like us at facebook.com/EnglandGolf

This is for club officials and volunteers who have an interest in the national and local landscape of golf. The research has a variety of applications but can be used to support decision-making processes at the club.

Tweet us @EnglandGolf

HOW TO ACCESS IT To access the research portal you will need to be registered on the England Golf Clubhouse.

Visit www.englandgolf.org/clubhouse for more details.

CONTACT Contact your CDO or the Participation and Club Support team for further advice or information. Contact details can be found in the back of the guide.

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FUNDING FOR YOUR CLUB

COUNTY SPORTS

PARTNERSHIPS FUNDING

FUNDING

WHO IS IT FOR?

The CSP have a good understanding of the local landscape in terms of projects and funding sources. They also have dedicated staff who have expereince in writing funding applications and can provide case studies on successful applications and projects.

• Owner / Management Committee

To access County Sports Partnership funding, clubs will need to select the appropriate funding stream and ensure they meet the criteria. The funding available depends upon the CSP, as a lot of initiatives are specific to an area – for full details look at the specific CSP website in the first instance.

CENTRAL

Funding Central is a free website for charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises. It provides access to thousands of funding and finance opportunities, plus tools and resources supporting organisations to develop sustainable income strategies appropriate to their needs. It covers funding and finance opportunities for organisations registered in England from European, national, regional and local government and charitable sources.

County Sports Partnerships (CSPs) are networks of local agencies committed to working together to increase participation in sport and physical activity. CSPs help connect England Golf to the local area and local partners; supporting the CDOs with the development of clubs, coaches and volunteers and to attract external investment.

For those within the club with a responsibility or interest in fund raising for revenue projects through to facility development. Including but not limited to: • General Manager / Secretary • Club Professional

HOW TO ACCESS IT Visit: www.cspnetwork.org/en/your_csp to find the details of your local CSP network.

CONTACT Your CDO or Regional Manager will be able to provide further advice. Contact details can be found in the back of the guide.

WHO IS IT FOR? For those within the club with a responsibility or interest in fund raising for revenue projects through to facility development. Including but not limited to: • General Manager / Secretary • Owner / Management Committee • Club Professional

HOW TO ACCESS IT Visit: www.fundingcentral.org.uk

CONTACT Your CDO or Regional Manager will be able to provide further advice. Contact details can be found in the back of the guide.

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COMMUNITY AMATEUR

SPORTS CLUB (CASC)

SPORT ENGLAND

FUNDING

Whether you need to make your make your clubhouse more accessible, want to improve the drainage on your course or need financial help to put on more coaching sessions, Sport England have a funding stream that could help.

The two main funding pots open to clubs are: • Inspired Facilities - Inspired Facilities is a £110 million programme that funds the renovation and modernisation of local sports facilities.

• Small Grants - Small Grants uses Lottery funding to make awards of between £300 and £10,000 to not-for-profit organisations to help more people play sport.

For eligibility criteria and further details please check the Sport England website.

WHO IS IT FOR?

CASC is a HMRC scheme designed to provide tax benefits to qualifying clubs through rate relief, corporation tax savings and gift aid. Following significant consultation the CASC regulations changed in April 2015, this bought about a number of benefits and also some challenges for clubs to consider.

WHO IS IT FOR?

England Golf can provide guidance for clubs who are either currently in the scheme or considering becoming a CASC. This includes FAQs available on the England Golf website, phone and email support.

• Management Committee

For those within an eligible club with a responsibility or interest in governance and financial management. Including but not limited to: • General Manager / Secretary • Treasurer

HOW TO ACCESS IT Visit: www.englandgolf.org/casc

CONTACT CASC enquiries can be directed to the England Golf Club Support Manager using the club.services@englandgolf.org email. Alternatively you can call the office on 01526 354500.

For specific CASC queries relating to the regulations please use the ‘contact us’ form on the CASC Info website www.cascinfo.co.uk

For those within the club with a responsibility or interest in fund raising for revenue projects through to facility development. Including but not limited to: • General Manager / Secretary • Owner / Management Committee • Club Professional

HOW TO ACCESS IT Visit: www.sportengland.org/funding/our-different-funds

CONTACT Your CDO or Regional Manager will be able to provide further advice. Contact details can be found in the back of the guide.

Should you have a specific question or need clarification around funding criteria, you can contact the Sport England shared services advice line on 08458 508508 or email funding@sportengland.org

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PLAYING SUPPORT & COMPETITIONS

HANDICAPPING

RULES OF GOLF AND

AMATEUR STATUS

England Golf forms part of the Council of National Golf Unions (CONGU) who are the authorising body of the only official handicap for golfers within Great Britain and Ireland. As an affiliated golf club you are authorised to offer official CONGU handicaps to your members. As part of your affiliation to England Golf we provide support to you in a number of different ways:

WHO IS IT FOR?

• Central Database of Handicaps – providing players with a unique CDH ID number to allow a club to receive away scores, maintain an up-to-date handicap record and make the transition of moving clubs easier

• Handicap Committee

• County and regional handicap advisors to support your club by answering handicap queries

• Event or Competition Organiser

• The Handicap Support System allows clubs to raise handicap enquiries and send them directly to the county handicap advisor • Junior and disability handicapping guidance

Understanding the Rules of Golf can be a difficult task, not only for the club golfer but experienced club officials.

England Golf therefore provides assistance to clubs to interpret and implement the Rules of Golf and Rules of Amateur Status.

WHO IS IT FOR?

England Golf provides an enquiry service where clubs can call or email the Championship department for support on the Rules of Golf. England Golf also provide training and education on the Rules of Golf, ranging from informal rules tutoring, conducted by national tournament panel referees to County Rules Schools, where club officials and members can go through formal rules training (more details can be found under ‘referee development’).

• General Manager / Secretary

Employees and volunteer officials who are involved in running competitions, overseeing rules compliance or have an interest in understanding the rules in greater detail. This includes but is not limited to: • Golf Professional • Competition Secretary / Event Coordinator

HOW TO ACCESS IT

• User guides and practical examples to help clubs • Handicapping workshops – keep up-to-date with the latest changes and best practice

Employees and volunteer officials who are responsible for handicapping, primarily the handicap committee but also volunteers who may also support the various sections within the club. Including but not limited to: • General Manager / Secretary • Golf Professional • Owner / Management Committee • Junior Organiser

HOW TO ACCESS IT Visit: www.englandgolf.org/handicapping To access the Central Database of Handicaps (CDH) you can visit www.cdh.egu.org.uk or the log into the England Golf Clubhouse

CONTACT To raise a handicap enquiry with your county handicap advisor log into the CDH and select ‘Enquiry’ from the menu or log into the England Golf Clubhouse and use the contacts menu to find your handicap advisor’s details.

For more information on the CDH and handicapping please contact the participation and club support team. Contact details can be found in the back of the guide.

Visit: www.englandgolf.org/handicapsandrules or go directly to the England Golf Clubhouse

CONTACT Contact the Championship team or Toby Thorne for further advice or information. Contact details can be found in the back of the guide.

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COURSE

RATING

The course rating system is designed to evaluate the playing difficulty of a course for a scratch golfer under normal course and weather conditions. It is based on yardage and other obstacles to the extent that they affect the scoring ability of the scratch golfer. This ensures an accurate and consistent rating of golf courses throughout England and thereby maintains the relationship of handicaps between clubs.

England Golf uses the USGA course rating system to evaluate golf courses in England. Course rating evaluations are carried out by a team of trained county volunteers. The information is then given to the participation and club support team who provide the club with their Standard Scratch Score (SSS) for each of the tees measured.

RUNNING

You can also apply directly to England Golf to receive a 9-hole course rating, just go to the England Golf website and fill in the 9-hole course rating form.

COMPETITIONS England Golf has a number of resources available for clubs who are seeking information on setting up and running competitions. The resources also include information on how to maintain a good pace of play on your course.

The guidance includes model conditions of competition (England Golf hard card), pace of play hints and tips, different competition formats and advice on managing your start times.

HOW TO ACCESS IT To access information on pace of play and managing your start times visit the England Golf Clubhouse.

Further information can also be found on the England Golf website, under the handicapping and rules section. This includes the Rules of Golf, Rules of Amateur Status, Handicapping and Competition Advice.

WHO IS IT FOR?

Did you know? …your tees can be measured for both men and ladies, providing you with the ultimate flexibility when running competitions.

WHO IS IT FOR? Those who may be interested in the course rating system may include; • General Manager / Secretary • Handicap Committee • Event or Competition Organiser

HOW TO ACCESS IT To access the 9-hole course rating form visit www.englandgolf.org/nineholegolf

CONTACT For more information on course rating please contact the participation and club support team. Contact details can be found in the back of the guide.

Employees and volunteer officials who are responsible for managing tee times, running competitions or administrating handicaps. Including but not limited to: • General Manager / Secretary • Handicap Committee • Golf Professional • Event or Competition Organiser • Junior Organiser

CONTACT Contact your CDO or the participation and club support team for further advice or information. Contact details can be found in the back of the guide.

Visit: www.englandgolf.org/handicapsandrules or go directly to the England Golf Clubhouse

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ENGLAND GOLF

CHAMPIONSHIPS

PLAYER PATHWAY

AND SUPPORT

If your club is looking for support in developing talented players then England Golf can help. Guidance can be found online through the England Golf website in areas including competitive coaching, athlete development, nutrition and psychology. What’s more the England Golf YouTube channel has a number of different case studies and top tips and interviews from England players. The performance team can also provide details of the county and national pathway for players.

If it is education that you are interested in then the performance team can advise on a number of opportunities.

This includes the under 18 AASE (Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence) programme and the Talent Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS) from Sport England.

England Golf offers a range of events for both the top amateurs and club golfers. The variety of championships on offer caters for all ages and abilities and includes individual, team and mixed events.

WHO IS IT FOR?

Club golfer events include the women’s Medal Finals, PING Women’s FourBall BetterBall, Fuller’s London Pride Gold Medal (men), Club (mixed) Team Championship and Golf Captains’ tournament.

• General Manager / Secretary

Playing in a national championship can create a buzz amongst your membership and your club can also benefit from hosting a championship.

For those within the club with a responsibility for booking events or organising the competition calendar. Including but not limited to; • Owner / Management Committee • Director of Golf • Club Professional • Competition Secretary

HOW DOES THE CLUB GET INVOLVED? To play in an England Golf event players can enter by completing an entry form which can be downloaded or completed on-line at www.englandgolf.org/championships For general enquiries contact championships@englandgolf.org

WHO IS IT FOR? For those within the club with a responsibility or interest in developing talented players or improving performance.

Including but not limited to: • Club Professional

If your club is interested in hosting an England Golf championship you can contact the championship department: • James Crampton, Championships Director 01526 351 838, j.crampton@englandgolf.org

• Junior Organiser • General Manager/Secretary

HOW TO ACCESS IT Visit www.englandgolf.org/coaching for further details

CONTACT For further details please contact the England Golf performance team at performance@englandgolf.org

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PROMOTING YOUR CLUB

GOLFMARK GolfMark is a national accreditation that has been designed to support all golf clubs, however big or small, to achieve a distinct operating standard in four areas of a club’s business activity; • Recruitment & Retention – supporting your club to attract new members and increase the participation of existing members

LOCAL MARKET

SEGMENTATION REPORTS To support your clubs recruitment and retention initiatives it is important to understand the community of people around you, allowing you to provide the facilities and type of club they want to be part of.

WHO IS IT FOR?

Choose from a series of different market reports to assist your club in understanding its local community. What reports are available?

• General Manager / Secretary

1. A community profile report – using a classification system to segment the UK population, find out what groups are most prominent within your local community and use this to understand their characteristic and behaviours. This report is FREE to affiliated clubs.

2. A catchment map – view a map of your local community, based on a 10, 20 and 30 minute drive time from the golf club. This identifies your competing golf clubs, can highlight your dominant segments and plot where your current members travel from.* This report costs £25(+VAT) 3. A potential new members report – identify the most popular postcodes and streets of your current membership and see who else you could be attracting to your club who share the same interests, characteristics and behaviours.

This report costs £75(+VAT)

Employees and volunteer officials who are responsible for marketing and the recruitment and retention of new members and visitors. Including but not limited to:

WHO IS IT FOR? For those within an eligible club with a responsibility or interest in governance and financial management. Including but not limited to: • General Manager / Secretary • Management Committee

• Management & Sustainability – helping to develop your club through practical business planning

• Treasurer

• Coaching & Competitions – enhancing coaching and playing opportunities at your club for all golfers

HOW TO ACCESS IT

• Safeguarding – ensuring your club has appropriate policies and procedures in place If your club is looking for new ideas or wants to ensure it has everything in place to be successful, GolfMark can support you. Working on a development plan with your county development officer (CDO) is only one of the benefits of using GolfMark.

Visit: www.golfmark.org or go directly to the England Golf Clubhouse

CONTACT Contact your CDO for further advice or information. Contact details can be found in the back of the guide.

By gaining the national accreditation your club will also be recognised by Sport England, as you also receive the Clubmark award.

To learn more and see how else your club can benefit from GolfMark visit the website.

• Marketing Manager / Marketing Committee • Golf Professional • Owner / Management Committee

HOW TO ACCESS IT Visit: www.englandgolf.org/marketsegmentation or contact club.services@englandgolf.org

CONTACT Contact your CDO or Regional Manager for further advice or information. Details can be found in the index of this guide.

*To include your members the club would need to supply a list of all members postcodes and category of membership (no other information is required).

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ENGLAND GOLF

COMMUNITY

We have a problem, how would other clubs solve it? Use the England Golf Community and you will find out! The community forum is an easy way to seek the experiences of other clubs. Simply type your question via the forum website and we will distribute it to over 1,900 golf clubs.

Think of the England Golf Community as an open door for communication between you, England Golf and the 1000s of golf club colleagues in England.

MARKETING TOOLS

& TEMPLATES

All employees and volunteer officials are welcome to join the Community.

HOW TO ACCESS IT Visit: www.englandgolf.org/community or go directly to the England Golf Clubhouse To join the England Golf Community simply login or register for the England Golf Clubhouse and start to build and share your knowledge. It’s that simple!

CONTACT Contact the England Golf participation and club support team for further information. Contact details can be found at the back of the guide.

England Golf has a number of guidance notes, templates and tools to support your club’s marketing efforts. Whether you need a template marketing plan, a SWOT analysis or would like information on how to use social media more effectively, you can find it all within the marketing resource section of the website. As an example the marketing resources include:

WHO IS IT FOR?

• Information and templates on how to write a marketing plan

• Club Professional

• Using e-marketing, including social media and emails

• Owner / Management Committee

• Information on different marketing techniques, advertising and sponsorship

WHO IS IT FOR?

For those within the club with a responsibility or interest in marketing and promoting the club. Including but not limited to: • General Manager / Secretary • Marketing Manager / Marketing Committee

HOW TO ACCESS IT Visit: www.englandgolf.org/forgolfclubs and choose the club marketing section or go directly to the England Golf Clubhouse.

CONTACT Contact your CDO for further advice or information. Contact details can be found in the back of the guide.

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PARTNERS AND KEY CONTACTS

PARTNERS England Golf recognises the important role industry bodies play in growing the game of golf and supporting clubs to be successful. Below is a list of partners which provide services to clubs, paid staff and volunteer officials.

British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association

English Federation of Disability Sport

The British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) provides events, educational seminars and development opportunities for members. The association also organises the BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition.

The English Federation of Disability Sport is a national charity dedicated to the inclusion of disabled people in sport and physical activity.

www.efds.co.uk

www.bigga.org.uk

Club Managers Association of Europe

Golf Club Managers’ Association

The Club Managers Association of Europe (CMAE) is a non-profit making association with members involved in the management of sports clubs.

The CMAE provides an education programme, promotes best practice and reports on the latest research and trends.

The GCMA supports golf managers and secretaries through an education programme, networking opportunities and a programme of professional support.

www.gcma.org.uk

www.cmaeurope.org A5-Club-Matters-Poster1.pdf

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Sport England

The Golf Foundation is a charity committed to giving children and young people the opportunity to experience golf and the benefits it has to offer.

Initiatives include the Junior Golf Passport and HSBC Golf Roots.

Sport England is committed to helping people and communities across the country create sporting habits for life.

This means investing in organisations and projects that will get more people playing sport and creating opportunities for people to excel at their chosen sport.

www.golf-foundation.org

Club Matters

Golf Environment Organization

Club Matters is Sport England’s onestop shop for sports clubs. Club Matters provides free, convenient, practical resources to help you develop and run sustainable clubs.

Golf Environment Organization (GEO) is an international non-profit dedicated entirely to providing a credible and accessible system of sustainability standards, support programmes, recognition, and capacity building for the golf industry.

www.golfenvironment.org

www.sportengland.org

Professional Golfers Association

STRI

The Professional Golfers Association (PGA) educates and trains PGA Professionals to degree level with the very latest skills and expertise to operate in all areas of golf.

STRI is the world’s leading consultancy for design, research and management of natural and artificial sports surfaces.

www.stri.co.uk

www.pga.info UK Golf Course Owners Association The UK Golf Course Owners Association (UKGCOA) is the representative body for commercially minded golf facilities in the UK.

12:03

www.sportenglandclubmatters.com

Golf Foundation

www.ukgcoa.com

R and A

The Greenkeepers Training Committee The Greenkeepers Training Committee (GTC) is an independent organisation representing British golf club employers and greenkeepers. (It is dedicated to improving and promoting the education and training of all golf greenkeepers.

www.the-gtc.co.uk

Organises The Open Championship, responsible for the administration of the Rules of Golf and Rules of Amateur Status, provides support in areas of golf development and course management and supports national associations and federations across the world.

www.randa.org

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ENGLAND GOLF

KEY CONTACTS Department General Enquiries

Championships

Handicapping and Course Rating

Governance and Safeguarding

Marketing and PR

Participation and Club Support

Performance

56

Description General club enquiries

Championships, entries, results and Rules of Golf

Information on Handicaps and Amateur Status

Queries regarding child protection, equity and DBS applications

All marketing and PR information

Day to day golf club enquiries, Central Database of Handicaps, England Golf Community & England Golf Clubhouse Promotion of golf to new adult and junior members plus retention of players in the game

England Teams and Squads, England Selections, Men’s Order of Merit & Women’s Ascot Golf Order of Merit

REGIONAL MANAGERS Email info@englandgolf.org

championships@englandgolf.org

Officer

Counties

Telephone 01388 451267

Jason Budd

Cumbria, Durham, Isle of Man and Northumberland

Richard Brown

Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire

Iain Lancaster

Cheshire, Derbyshire, Lancashire and Staffordshire

Sharon Heeley compliance@englandgolf.org

Gloucestershire, Leicestershire & Rutland, Shropshire & Herefordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire

Ashley Rump pr@englandgolf.org

Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire and Northamptonshire

Steven Peet

Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk

handicapping@englandgolf.org

club.services@englandgolf.org

Email j.budd@englandgolf.org

07726 601724 01653 694310 r.brown@englandgolf.org 07803 661890

07583 400213

i.lancaster@englandgolf.org

01386 725263 s.heeley@englandgolf.org 07734 088319

07730 525299

a.rump@englandgolf.org

01508 493061 s.peet@englandgolf.org 07726 994154

development@englandgolf.org

Peter McNulty

Hampshire, IOW & CI, Kent, Middlesex, Surrey and Sussex

01526 354500

development@englandgolf.org

Jamie Woodford

Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire

07739 403764

j.woodford@englandgolf.org

performance@englandgolf.org

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ENGLAND GOLF

Hertfordshire

• Informing of new resources, best practice and national trends

County

e.strous@englandgolf.org

Gary Bason

07791 308596

gary@gbgolfcoaching.co.uk

Charles Molony

07736 880921

c.molony@englandgolf.org

Adam McAlister

07808 364382

A.McAlister@englandgolf.org

Debbie Barber

07710 088870

D.Barber@englandgolf.org

Ian Lyner

07773 774604

ian.lyner@btinternet.com

Peggy Remington

01162 849215/07584 137889

peggy.lrcgp@gmail.com

Shona Dickson

07736 880925

s.dickson@englandgolf.org

Jim Lammin

07736 880924

j.lammin@englandgolf.org

Middlesex

Jason Mitchell

07808 364381

j.mitchell@englandgolf.org

Norfolk

Karen Woodrow

07736 880922

k.woodrow@englandgolf.org

Lancashire

Your County Development Officer is your clubs local contact with England Golf and can support you in a number of areas:

• Supporting you to drive participation and membership growth

07736 880919

Kent

COUNTY DEVELOPMENT OFFICERS (CDOS) • Listening to your needs and assist you in developing solutions

Esther Strous

Leicestershire & Rutland

• Connecting you to local and national initiatives, programmes and campaigns • Acting as your dedicated England Golf point of contact

Lincolnshire

Name

Telephone

Email

Northamptonshire

David Davis

07846 142297

d.davis@northamptonshiregolf.org.uk

Jake East

07808 314682

j.east@englandgolf.org

Northumberland

Paul Whittaker

07949 566122

cdonland@gmail.com

Dean Newbold

07736 880915

d.newbold@englandgolf.org

Matthew Bloor

07766 757372

matt.bloor@ntu.ac.uk

Alice Lowe

07736 880916

a.lowe@englandgolf.org

Mark Taylor

07756 969531

marktaylor.pga@gmail.com

Judith Thornell

01691 670255

dogsbody_2001@hotmail.com

BB&O Nottinghamshire Bedfordshire

Marc Smith

07834 456709

development@bedsgolfpartnership.com

Cambridgeshire

Marc Smith

07834 456709

golf.cambridge@gmail.com Shropshire & Herefordshire

Sean Hammill

01526 354500

s.hammill@englandgolf.org

Alison Lysons

01526 354500

a.lysons@englandgolf.org

Somerset

Martin Higgs

07736 880913

m.higgs@englandgolf.org

Cornwall

Simon Wood

07971 624313

s.wood@englandgolf.org

Staffordshire

Gareth Shaw

07736 880931

g.shaw@englandgolf.org

Cumbria

Becky Underwood

07717 864430

becky.underwood@cumbria.gov.uk

Suffolk

Nigel Furniss

07871 260430

nigel.furniss@derbyshiregolf.org

Cheshire

Derbyshire

Position vacant, visit website for more details Amanda Smerczak

01344 877509/07736 880918

a.smerczak@englandgolf.org

Caroline Hardy-Evans

07736 880932

c.hardy-evans@englandgolf.org

Surrey Matt Green

07966 054827

matthew.green@derbyshiregolf.org

Devon

Paul Cloke

07736 880908

p.cloke@englandgolf.org

Sussex

Matt Warwick

07736 880920

m.warwick@englandgolf.org

Dorset

Elaine Barrow

07765791082

dorsetcdo2014@gmail.com

Warwickshire

Julia Burton

0121 3234010/07917 131001

julia@warwickshiregolf.info

Durham

Phil Graham

07736 880912

p.graham@englandgolf.org

Wiltshire

Neil Casling

01452 857500/07968 894811

wiltshiregolfcdo@gmail.com

Essex

Helen Tarttelin

01206 384193/07971 097976

helen@redwoodmarketing.co.uk

Worcestershire & Herefordshire

Mark Laing

01905 350311/07968 827397

marklaing.pga@btinternet.com

Gloucestershire

Debbie Casling

07968 894812

gcdo@btinternet.com

Tom Freeland

07736 880910

t.freeland@englandgolf.org

Emily Cheshire

07808 364380

e.cheshire@englandgolf.org

Yorkshire Hampshire, IOW & CI

Harry Scott

07736 880909

h.scott@englandgolf.org

NOTES

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