Scottish Golf Union reveal debts of £1m

The Courier, 27 January 2001

The Scottish Golf Union yesterday revealed debts of £1 million - in the same week they announced their biggest sponsorship deal, a five-year, £220,000 package with oil company BP.

Investment in the Drumoig-based Scottish National Golf Centre has been blamed as largely responsible.

The centre in north-east Fife, between Newport and Leuchars, made a loss of £200,000 in its first year of operation and SGU members voiced concerns about the size of the debt at the recent annual meeting.

While golf at grass roots level flourishes in Scotland, thanks to heavy investment in the excellent coaching facilities at Drumoig, doubts remain about the centre’s ability to generate a profit, and some feel it would be more financially viable if located in the central belt of Scotland.

Even new president John Clark said, “I don’t think the SNGC will ever make money."

However, the SGU hope to generate income through sponsorship, grants and commercial activities, and SGU secretary Hamish Grey remained optimistic.

He said, “We are managing the debt, and we now have a strong basis for moving forward."

The SGU’s business plan could be further aided by the Scottish Institute of Sport, who are inviting sporting bodies to apply to become one of the elite sports under its umbrella.

The SGU are pushing hard for golf’s inclusion, which would see significant funding for the development of the game.

However, only two places are on offer, and the union faces stern competition from judo, sailing and bowls. A decision will be made on which sports will join the institute in June.