The golf industry has hit back at Suella Braverman after she dismissed golf course management as a ‘dud degree’ during a radio interview about university education.
The former Conservative home secretary, now Reform UK’s spokesperson for education, argued that universities were offering courses that failed to lead to meaningful graduate employment.
When pressed to provide an example, she pointed to the studies that form the bedrock of golf course maintenance up and down the UK, and around the world.
“I’ve seen courses in golf course management,” Braverman said, while also naming surfing, too. “I don’t think that universities should be offering courses in those kinds of pastimes. By all means, study golf course management, but do it in your free time.”
Her controversial remarks prompted an immediate response from the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA).
“BIGGA has been made aware of comments made on National Radio yesterday by a former cabinet minister that denigrates the value of Golf Course Management as an educational and vocational path, referring to it as a “dud degree” which will not lead to graduate employment,” BIGGA CEO Jim Croxton said.
“These comments are, of course, negligent and potentially damaging. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth; Golf Course Management is a growing industry with currently more vacancies than qualified applicants. Anyone successfully studying for a degree in this field is effectively guaranteed employment in a vibrant industry.”
The Applied Golf Management Studies programme is taught between the University of Birmingham and The PGA National Training Academy at The Belfry – the renowned birthplace of careers as a PGA professional, coach, and or manager.
During this three-year course, students cover modules such as sports business management, applied sports science, leading and managing people in sport, and industry placements.
In the recreational game, England Golf reported that total club membership increased from 730,602 in 2024 to 750,071 in 2025, which also marked a growth of 100,000 since 2020.
Advertisement
Croxton described the vast impact of golf on the UK economy, the jobs it provides for people of all ages, and the general enjoyment of the game and its benefits for overall well-being.
ALSO: If we want to play all year round, we’re going to need to pay more for membership
“The sport of golf currently delivers more than £11 billion annually to the UK economy, provides employment for over 100,000 people, and is enjoyed in various formats by over 12 million UK citizens.
“It is also a significant source of tourism revenue, with the UK widely acknowledged as The Home of Golf. The sport provides mental health, physical wellbeing and social benefits to its participants, and the courses on which it is played provide valuable sites for biodiversity.
“Approximately 15,000 highly skilled and experienced sports turf management professionals are actively engaged in managing the UK’s more than 2,500 golf facilities, with practically all of them possessing a formal qualification of one level or other all the way up to and including Masters level. These qualifications encompass a wide variety of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) subjects alongside management, finance, communications and sustainability.
“BIGGA is committed to maintaining, and indeed improving, the educational standards required for this important growing workforce, in the face of climatic, technological and regulatory developments. We work alongside the major governing bodies within the sport of golf to ensure it remains healthy and vibrant for decades to come.
“We would be delighted to engage with any politician who wishes to learn more about the profession of golf course management to ensure they are aware of the genuine societal, economic, health and environmental benefits golf brings to the UK.”
The Grounds Management Association (GMA) also took issue with Braverman’s comments, emphasising the importance of grounds work in golf, and how some of sport’s most iconic arenas have attracted both players and spectators for many years.
The GMA is the UK’s leading body dedicated to supporting staff across several different sports, such as football, rugby, and tennis, while also providing courses and qualifications to tackle.
“To dismiss specialist land-based degrees such as golf course management and, by implication, wider sports turf management is to misunderstand the complexity and importance of the work,” said Geoff Webb, chief executive of the Grounds Management Association.
“These qualifications are science-driven, technically demanding programmes that prepare professionals for specialist roles requiring precision, expertise and responsibility.
“Professional grounds management underpins sport at every level. The sector contributes more than £1 billion each year to the UK sports economy through the management of golf facilities, professional stadiums, community pitches and major sporting events.
“Our professionals maintain some of the most iconic venues in the world, from St Andrews and Twickenham to Wembley and Wimbledon,” he said. “Without skilled and qualified grounds managers, sport would not be possible.”
“Grounds managers also care for local sports facilities, public green spaces and historic country estates that communities rely on.
“At a time when participation in sport is growing rapidly, including increasing numbers of women and girls playing football, the need for highly trained professionals has never been greater,” he said.
NOW READ: Everything changes when your child falls in love with golf
NOW READ: Bobbly greens? It’s because this disease is wreaking havoc!
What did you make of these Suella Braverman golf comments? Tell us on Facebook!
Advertisement
