| Cambridge
Golf Club was the First of 139 Golf Clubs to Sign up for Golf England. For
as long as I have known it - and that's more than 26 years - The golf trade has
always been at the forefront of rumour and gossip! The
word is that claims for the number of clubs who have signed up is very poor. So
when we ran a press release in http://www.amateur-golf.com
in March that nearly 100 clubs had joined Golf England the writer was told
"Don't believe what the EGU or Golf England tell you no more than 40 have
joined" Well
as of today, April 11th, some 2 weeks later the exact figure is 139 with more
clubs in the pipeline. Why is it that when a new initiative comes along all we
want to do is "knock it" and say "That won't work" and do
our best to see it doesn't. It
would seem the doubters will be confounded and as the scheme gathers momentum
then commercial advantages to clubs that are being, or have been negotiated, will
be revealed. Cambridge
Golf Club was the first of nearly 100 clubs to date signing up to join Golf England.
Club Manager, Ken Green, says: "The whole package has been put together well
and suits clubs like ours that have a large membership. Also, it appears ideal
for society or associate members who can take out or build up their handicap."
Dale Clements, marketing
director of Golf England, says: "We are delighted with the speed and number
of clubs responding. The fact that so many clubs have signed up so soon after
the contract were issued is very encouraging and has certainly exceeded our expectations" Through
the group purchasing scheme, clubs are being offered a range of discounted products,
including a savings on a selection of fertilisers and driving range mats. Several
major brand names have joined the Golf England group purchasing scheme, and there
are ongoing discussions with a number of household name suppliers to offer further
savings across a wide range of products and services. Golf
England gets the wholehearted support of English Golf Captain, Peter McEvoy, who
says: "I believe Golf England is one of the greatest developments in English
golf and benefits everyone. At national level, it will strengthen and fund the
future of the game. Clubs will enjoy major savings through the power of group
purchasing, and members can take advantage of a host of discounts and benefits
- including centralised handicapping." In
Kent, where eight clubs have signed up, Col. Charles Moorhouse, Club Secretary
of Littlestone Golf Club, says: "The Golf England programme delivers strong
benefits for English golf and we have joined up to support English golf." Lincolnshire
Seven golf clubs in Lincolnshire have joined. Trevor Ireland, Club Secretary of
Belton Park Golf Club, says: "Golf England offers real benefits for our members
through the new handicap card, and we saw joining the programme as a very positive
move." John
Brown, Club Secretary of Market Rasen Golf Club, says: "Golf England is the
way forward for clubs - there's everything to gain, and nothing to lose...what's
more it costs us nothing to join." Yorkshire
Ten golf clubs in North, South and West Yorkshire are now members of Golf England.
Robert Burns, Club Secretary of Headingley Golf Club, says: "The benefits
of the scheme were clear to see...lots of advantages and no disadvantages." We'll
keep the tally updated and report future developments as they break Stuart
Barber
Publisher http://www.golftoday.co.uk/
11the April 2002
:
| 
