Are golfers turning their backs on Scotland's clubs?

Sharon Ward, The Scotsman, 16 November 2004

It is 2:30pm on a Saturday afternoon and the bar at the Edinburgh Thistle Golf Club is silent. A decade ago, this historic club in Scotland’s capital, which boasts James Braid and Tommy Armour as former club champions, would have been a cacophony of noise, filled with members returning from their morning medal rounds.

But today, many of the tee times remain unfilled and those who do enjoy a round over the Braid Hills course seldom linger longer than two soft drinks.

For many golf clubs across Scotland this is an increasingly familiar picture. Falling membership, dwindling takings behind the bar and increased competition from dozens of new courses make these tough times. Long waiting lists, once an inevitable part of the membership process, have reduced, or in some cases disappeared, leaving membership shortfalls.

The situation is now so serious that the Scottish Golf Union has stepped in to encourage golf clubs to work together to plug a growing gap in club membership figures.

More club members - men, women and juniors - are a prerequisite. The alternative is that many of our historic clubs could go to the wall.

Hamish Grey, the chief executive of the Scottish Golf Union, said: "Clubs are now finding they need to get out and promote themselves like any other small business and compete for business. Better-managed golf courses are critical. We are taking examples of clubs working to change their situation to regional roadshows. We are not exactly in dire straits but would prefer growing numbers of members."

The number of golf club members has increased slightly over the last ten years, but over that period there has been a huge growth in the number of new courses. More than 100 new courses have been built in Scotland since 1990 and there are 542 golf courses, but only 13 per cent are municipal and offer pay-as-you-play facilities.

Scotland rugby legend Ian McLauchlan, who organises corporate sporting events hospitality, said: "There is still an insatiable appetite for golf. But with more and more courses built, it’s no surprise there might not be enough members. A number of them do need to brighten up their image. The sport itself is still viewed as jacket and tie, but in the corporate market demand is still high. Unfortunately for smaller clubs, the demand is still for Muirfield, Turnberry, Troon and Gleneagles. The common denominator is also no women, but change could be forced upon them."

Many would argue that golf is a stuffy game that has denied club membership to thousands of keen players because their faces didn’t fit. So, if waiting lists are falling, isn’t that a good thing for the image of the sport?

The worry, said Hamish Grey, is a fall in the number of young people in Scotland and an increase in the number of courses, leading to a serious imbalance over the next decade.

"We will have ten per cent fewer 10-15-year-olds by 2010, so standing still is a challenge, but the target is to grow a future generation of golfers. The Ryder Cup bid gave us a fantastic opportunity to bring golf to children. By 2009, we’ll be in every primary school for a four- to six-week programme.

"The pilot programme is running in 82 primary schools and the great thing is we thought we would get 20 per cent moving from school to club but the number is actually 50 per cent. In rural areas, it’s higher. In Callander, 83 per cent of children moved on from school golf to the club."

Mr Grey added: "We are the home of golf and gave it to the world. It’s one of the sports that we are actually good at."

Golf contributes to the health and economic and social well-being of the country. More than 5 per cent of the population are members of golf clubs and 10-12 per cent regularly play.

Scotland’s golfing industry is big business, reaches worldwide TV audiences and brings in £400 million a year to Scotland; for every £1 spent in golf clubs on green fees, £5 is spent off course, in hotels and restaurants. Next year, the 134th Open Championship takes place at St Andrews.

One club, Murcar in Aberdeen, took economic matters into its own hands when, at the end of 2003, it faced a possible shortfall of members and no waiting list. A downturn in the oil industry and a levy on top of existing fees to pay for urgent refurbishment saw more members leaving than joining.

A promotional campaign began, with posters, leaflets, local radio advertising and an open day. Almost 150 people turned up to play and 70 joined, and 20 more are on a waiting list for entry in March. Derek Mortimer, the vice-captain, said: "The whole exercise worked really well and produced the new members Murcar needed to stop the decline."

Courses joining forces to promote golf heritage is another area the SGU believes could help improve access to golf for everyone. With a combined golfing history of 600 years, four Fife courses - Crail, Ladybank, Scotscraig and Lundin Links - came together to form "Links with History," a partnership to share promotional costs to attract off-peak golfers.

Mr Grey said: "The answers are out there - we can’t re-invent the wheel but we need to support the golfing community."