Attending The Open Championship each year is far more than simply being present at one of the world’s greatest sporting events. It is one of the most valuable opportunities for the GCMA to represent our members, strengthen relationships across the industry, and ensure that the needs of golf club managers remain firmly at the centre of conversations shaping the future of our game.
This years’ experience once again demonstrated the strength of collaboration across golf, and I was proud to represent the Association throughout a week of productive meetings, networking events and partnership discussions.
Firstly, I would like to extend my sincere congratulations and thanks to The R&A for delivering another outstanding Championship. Their hospitality and continued commitment to bringing together organisations from across the industry creates an invaluable environment for collaboration and the sharing of ideas.
One of the week’s key priorities was continuing our work with our colleagues at England Golf and Wales Golf. Productive discussions with Matthew Draper, Gavin Anderson and Hannah McAllister focused on areas where we can work more closely together to support golf clubs. Our conversations covered volunteer education, supporting best practice in governance, workforce development, and the shared ambition of increasing participation amongst women and girls. These are all areas that have a direct impact on the long-term sustainability of golf clubs.
As is always our key priority, supporting the golf club workforce also remained a major focus throughout the week. We met with Jim Croxton, CEO at BIGGA and Alan White, Chair of the PGA, to continue progressing a number of joint workforce initiatives. By working collaboratively across the professional bodies within golf, we can provide greater support for everyone involved in running successful golf clubs.
I was also delighted to finalise arrangements for a new partnership with The Golf Foundation following discussions with Vanessa Bell and Brendon Pyle. The Foundation continues to do outstanding work in introducing young people to golf and we look forward to working together to help promote and support their programmes for the benefit of clubs across the country.
Another important meeting was with James Burns and John McCormack at Club Benchmarking as we continue developing our new business partnership. Access to high-quality benchmarking data and strategic planning tools will provide significant value for clubs and managers, helping GCMA members to make more informed business decisions and plan confidently for the future.
The week also provided valuable opportunities to strengthen relationships with a number of long-standing partners and supporters of the Association. It was a pleasure to reconnect with Richard Palmer-Jones at Under Armour, our long-term apparel partner, while networking events hosted by England Golff, 18Players, The Golf Foundation, BGIA and Sporting Insights provided further opportunities to engage with colleagues from across the industry and explore future collaborative opportunities.
One particularly inspiring moment came from hearing Nick Doherty speak passionately about the role golf can play in supporting positive mental health amongst young people. His vision serves as an important reminder of the wider impact our sport can have beyond the golf course, and reinforces the important role that golf clubs can play within their communities.
Throughout the week, it was also a pleasure to spend time with our Chair, Ed Richardson, discussing the Association’s priorities and ensuring that the conversations taking place across the industry continue to reflect the needs and aspirations of GCMA members.
Finally, I would like to congratulate GCMA Board Director Richard Weeks, General Manager at Royal Birkdale, on his outstanding leadership in helping deliver another exceptional Open Championship. Hosting one of the world’s greatest sporting events is a tremendous achievement and reflects the professionalism and expertise that exists within our membership.
Events such as The Open provide the GCMA with an invaluable platform to advocate for golf club management, develop partnerships that benefit members, and ensure your Association remains actively involved in shaping the future of our industry. Every meeting, every conversation and every new collaboration contributes towards delivering greater value for our members and strengthening the support available to golf club managers.
With The Open concluded, attention now turns to the AIG Women’s Open in just a few weeks’ time, where we look forward to continuing these important conversations and building further opportunities for the benefit of our members and the wider game.
By Tom Brooke
