England Golf reveal ‘staggering’ number of WHS questions
England Golf fielded a “quite staggering” 30,000 World Handicap System questions from clubs and members in 2021.
The huge figure was revealed in the governing body’s Annual Review as chief executive Jeremy Tomlinson and chairman Nic Coward reflected on another “tumultuous but ultimately successful year” for the sport.
But, despite the sheer volume of emails and calls and continuing difficulties around aspects of the system, including the Playing Conditions Calculation and the ability to digitally transfer scores across countries, the pair said they believed WHS was now “strongly rooted in the game”.
Last year, NCG revealed the handicapping department at England Golf had received 47,000 enquiries between the launch of the new system in November 2020 and Christmas.
In May 2021, they were still coming in at an average of 1,700 a week and Tomlinson and Coward hailed the team’s “swift” response to those questions.
“There was always going to be a bedding-in period following the biggest change to handicapping in a century, but we believe that WHS is now strongly rooted in the game,” they said.
Elsewhere, on the huge boost in participation seen through the pandemic, which saw the number of affiliated members to England Golf rise by 90,000 to 737,021, the pair added that keeping members was now as important as recruitment in the club game.
“With many clubs now operating waiting lists, retention as much as recruitment becomes a key focus and we will provide ongoing support in this area.”
And they added that a forward-thinking equality, diversity and inclusion strategy is “something we must deliver on” as the governing body looked to make the game accessible to everyone.
Tomlinson and Coward said: “It’s often said that golf is a sport for all ages and anyone, from any background, can take up the game. That is true.
“However, the reality is that for many of the groups in society that are under-represented in the game, this has not been the case.
“We must continue to break down barriers and make a difference.”
You can read the full Annual Review on the England Golf website.
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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; Caley 01T irons 4-PW; TaylorMade Hi-Toe wedges, Ping ChipR, Sik Putter.
