Member Article

England Golf up for Sport Organisation of the Year award

England Golf are among six finalists shortlisted for the Sport Organisation of the Year at the FEVO Sport Industry Awards.

The event, which takes place on Thursday 25 April at Evolution London in Battersea, will see England Golf up against the likes of The FA, Manchester City, Formula E, United Rugby Championship and SAILGP.

England Golf has enjoyed a stellar 2023, with the introduction of exciting new initiatives to welcome people of all walks of life into the game.

With over 1750 affiliated golf clubs and 720,000 members, England Golf’s strategic Course Planner sees the organisation committing to its four key pillars; to lead through strong governance and integrity, to energise and support the golf community, to deliver a more inclusive and accessible sport, and to inspire current and future generations.

And, as part of this, England Golf rolled out its Respect in Golf movement in 2023, aimed at making the game more accessible and inclusive to everyone, highlighting the key message that everyone should feel welcome into our sport, whatever level or environment they wish to play.

Affiliated clubs and counties continue to be supported through the re-launch of a Governance Guide, which is designed to help educate and support golf clubs on subjects such as sustainable practices, safeguarding policies, Equality and Diversity, participation, and membership growth.

On the digital front, the introduction of the MyEG app has seen over 400,000 downloads, making it easier to communicate with members, witnessing nine million scores submitted on the app in 2023 – up a staggering 23 per cent on 2022. 

To cater for independent golfers, iGolf was introduced in 2021 for individuals who were not members of a golf club, and has since seen over 60,000 people sign up, including an incredible 12 per cent (7,700) going on to become golf club members.

The past 12 months have also seen the national governing body for amateur golf roll out ‘iPlay’ – a free new platform on the MyEG app, whereby anyone can enter scores from adventure golf facilities and short game courses around England, with the aim of connecting with more golfers at all levels of the game.

England Golf CEO Jeremy Tomlinson said: “To be considered for such a prestigious award really is a credit to everyone working within the organisation and the countless volunteers within the game.

“We have taken momentous steps towards changing long-held perceptions of the game by providing support to clubs and counties to welcome more people from a variety of backgrounds, as we truly believe that the game is for all, and nobody should feel like they can’t pick up a club and enjoy golf.

“Whether you just want to play a bit of mini golf with friends and family, hit a few balls down a driving range, or play 18 holes on a course, you are a golfer, and we encourage anyone and everyone to try out golf in whatever capacity, to know that you can do so safely and without fear of discrimination, and ultimately to go as far as you wish to in the game.” 

A recent England Golf survey revealed how 86 per cent of people play golf for social purposes, while 83 per cent play for individual reasons such as physical and mental health.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Lucie Hayes .