Scottish golf clubs stricken by pandemic get £700,000 cash boost
Scottish Golf have announced that £685,000 will be made available to affiliated clubs that have been financially stricken by coronavirus.
The cash comes as part of a package of support funded by the R&A and will be handed out through two allocations – the Covid-19 Fixed Cost Grant and the Club Relief Fund.
The Covid-19 Fixed Cost Grant – a package that totals £285,000 – will allow every club in the country to apply for a maximum of £500 for fixed costs that are specifically associated with preparing for safe play and club/course management following the lockdown in March.
Scottish Golf said that can include sanitation products, Covid-19 related health and safety equipment, signage, training and more.
The Club Relief Fund, which has a total value of £400,000, has been created to provide “financial support to clubs who have been impacted by the pandemic”.
A Scottish Golf statement added: “The long-term impact of Covid-19 on the golfing landscape is still unknown, but this fund is aimed at helping clubs take the first steps to recovery and look to thrive again in the future.”
It’s worth between £1,000 and £5,000 per successful applicant club. Information that will be required includes financial details, commitment to growing the game and the impact of funding.
The application process for both schemes has opened and will close on July 24. More information and application forms can be found on Scottish Golf’s website.
The governing body said: “Scottish Golf, on behalf of our members clubs, are extremely grateful to The R&A for providing financial support to the golf industry.”
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Steve Carroll
A journalist for 25 years, Steve has been immersed in club golf for almost as long. A former club captain, he has passed the Level 3 Rules of Golf exam with distinction having attended the R&A's prestigious Tournament Administrators and Referees Seminar.
Steve has officiated at a host of high-profile tournaments, including Open Regional Qualifying, PGA Fourball Championship, English Men's Senior Amateur, and the North of England Amateur Championship. In 2023, he made his international debut as part of the team that refereed England vs Switzerland U16 girls.
A part of NCG's Top 100s panel, Steve has a particular love of links golf and is frantically trying to restore his single-figure handicap. He currently floats at around 11.
Steve plays at Close House, in Newcastle, and York GC, where he is a member of the club's matches and competitions committee and referees the annual 36-hole scratch York Rose Bowl.
Having studied history at Newcastle University, he became a journalist having passed his NTCJ exams at Darlington College of Technology.
What's in Steve's bag: TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver, 3-wood, and hybrids; TaylorMade Stealth 2 irons; TaylorMade Hi-Toe, Ping ChipR, Sik Putter.
