The 2026 Annual General Meeting of the Golf Club Managers Association took place on 30 April at Conwy Golf Club, bringing together members to reflect on a period of strong progress and outline the vision for Association.
A central theme of this year’s AGM was the launch of the GCMA’s new strategic plan, which marks a significant evolution in the Association’s direction. While recent years have focused on developing and strengthening the GCMA’s suite of products and services for members, the next phase will place greater emphasis on growth and engagement.
The new strategy will focus on continuing to improve member engagement while also expanding the Association’s reach across the wider golf club management community. The aim is to ensure that more professionals across the industry can benefit from the support, education and professional development opportunities available through the GCMA.
As part of the new strategy, a motion to change the name of the Association from the Golf Club Managers Association to the Golf Club Management Association was officially passed by member vote (including proxy votes) at the AGM.
The successful vote marks an important milestone in the Association’s history and reflects the continued evolution of the golf industry and the profession it represents.
The change from “Managers” to “Management” has been introduced to better reflect the broader and increasingly diverse structure of modern golf club leadership teams, while positioning the Association for future growth and professional development across the sector.
During the AGM, CEO Tom Brooke highlighed the success and growth of our Education & Career Development offerings. Covering that the GCMA Advanced Management programme has already established itself as a key part of the Golf Management education calendar and how the programme has been positively received across the industry, helping golf club managers further enhance their leadership and operational skills in an increasingly complex sector.
Alongside AMP, the continued growth of the GCMA Accreditation programme was celebrated. Now three years into its rollout, more than 100 managers have achieved Accredited status, an achievement that reflects both the commitment of members and the growing professionalism within the industry.
Looking ahead, Tom reaffirmed the vision for the Accreditation programme to gain wider recognition across the golf industry, helping to further elevate standards and reinforce the importance of professional development within club management.
Futher to education, Tom spoke about the continued focus on the GCMA’s Purpose, Vision and Values, keeping our members at the heart of everything we do as an Association. He highlighted the importance of ongoing collaboration with organisations across the golf industry on several key issues shaping the future of Golf Club Management, including water management and the Careers in Golf initiative. These partnerships are helping clubs respond to environmental challenges while also supporting efforts to attract, develop and retain the next generation of industry talent.
Attending members were proud to induct Ray Chilten as the 2026 GCMA National Captain during the day’s proceedings. While Cameron Dawson was presented with the Outstanding Contribution Award from the 2025 GCMA Awards, a fitting and well-deserved recognition of his outstanding contribution to the industry.
The AGM also included the election of three new Board Directors in Chloe Boissel-Marshall, Richard Jagger and Ben Driver, further strengthening the leadership and governance of the Association. Thanks were also extended to the outgoing Directors for their effort, commitment and contributions to the GCMA throughout their terms of office.
The GCMA Benevolent Fund AGM was also held during the day, continuing its important work in supporting members of the golf industry when needed most.
The day concluded with 18 holes of golf competing for the Captain’s Cup, powered by GCMA Partners Golf Genius, featuring the ceremonial Captain’s Drive In of Ray Chilten.
Congratulations to our 2026 Captains Cup winners Phil Housley and Frank Hodgkiss.
The AGM concluded with a strong sense of momentum and optimism, as we continue to position ourselves at the forefront of professional golf club management, supporting members while helping shape the future of the industry.
By Mark Shanley
