With a combined history of 206 years, the Scottish Golf Union (SGU) and the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association (SLGA) are officially no more. As of today, the two governing bodies for amateur golf in the game’s cradle will move forward as one under the simple, unified banner of Scottish Golf.
Four years after the original proposal for merger was voted down, the rocky road towards amalgamation has finally been completed after much debate and deliberation and the new organisation was unveiled in the cradle of the game in St Andrews. Before this act of union, Scotland was one of only three nations in the world with separate governing bodies for amateur golf.
“Core to the game in Scotland are successful clubs,” said Scottish Golf’s new chairperson, Eleanor Cannon. “That will only happen if they have support. This new board is about getting their arms round the clubs. Every sport in Scotland is facing membership challenges but what we tend to forget is that golf is the largest participation sport in Scotland.”
The merger of the SGU and the SLGA was seen as a vital step in maintaining existing financial backing and attracting new investment. The new Scottish Golf body has already consolidated its relationship with major backers, Aberdeen Asset Management, and yesterday unveiled an extension to the current sponsorship deal through to the end of 2017.
“Having a single governing body for Scottish golf was a major factor in extending our sponsorship,” admitted Martin Gilbert, the chief executive of Aberdeen Asset Management.
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