Scottish golf union merger will herald “new era”
Scotland’s two unions are to merge into a single unified body for amateur golf.
The proposal to join the Scottish Golf Union and Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association are set to herald an “exciting new era” for Scottish golf, according to the chairs of both groups.
In a joint statement, SGU’s Tom Craig and SLGA’s Beth Paterson said: “This is the most significant issue in Scottish golf and the proposal is the best and only option. We encourage all areas, counties and clubs to support it.
“Amalgamation can provide a platform for a new governing body to lead Scottish golf boldly into a new era. We want our clubs to be healthy and vibrant, to be welcoming places for men, women, boys and girls to enjoy our wonderful game, and to help attract more people to participate in golf throughout Scotland.”
‘This sends the right message about the inclusivity of the sport we all love’ Key features of the proposal include member clubs becoming full voting members for the first time, with areas and counties also having a substantial collective vote.
The roles of areas and counties will remain unchanged, meaning they don’t have to merge.
No other sports governing body in Scotland maintains gender segregation, and so with amateur golf the largest membership-based participation sport in the country, the governing bodies have deemed the merger necessary if the sport is to flourish.
The chairpersons’ joint statement continues: “One national governing body will give a powerful message about the direction and approach of the leadership of our sport. It is a message that will be more appealing to younger people who are our future players and club members.”
The Amalgamation Proposal and supporting documents can be accessed both on the SGU website at http://www.scottishgolf.org/who-we-are/sguslga-amalgamation/ and on the SLGA website at http://slga.co.uk/amalgamation/
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