• Golf in the UK

Types of golf clubs

There are three types of golf clubs in the UK. Proprietary clubs are owned by a company or an individual, one of the most famous being Wentworth Golf Club. Municipal golf clubs are run normally by a local authority and often operate on a “pay and play” basis. Lastly, you have Members clubs which are owned and run by the members.

How many golf clubs are in the UK?

So how many golf clubs are there in the UK? Some websites say 2,000, others 2,500 and some 3,000. During 2016, Tech5 set out to create a comprehensive database of all UK golf clubs and have come to the conclusion there are 2,423 in the UK.

This number does change on a monthly basis as sadly some courses shut down with land being sold for development or the location being reused, a wedding venue or conference centre being an example.

How many people play golf in the UK?

4m players in the UK
1.5m monthly players
750,000 weekly players

Tony Scott of Sports Marketing Surveys states there are 4m people in the UK that play golf on a full length course. However, this number drops significantly when you only take into account people who play once a month to just over 1.5m. There are then under 750,000 avid weekly players, a total that has seen a sharp decrease only the last eight years.

The golfing economy

Nearly 50,000 people are employed in this £3.4bn industry.  Whilst some clubs struggle financially – with four closing in the space of a few weeks in October 2016 –  others continue to invest and grow.

50,000

People employed

£3.4bn

Industry

Top 10 Membership Incentives to Attract New Members

  • Beginner Coaching Sessions
  • Membership Offers & Incentives
  • Social Events
  • Introducing New Member Incentives
  • Open Days
  • Flexible Memberships
  • Reduction in Fees
  • Academy Membership
  • Informal Competitions
  • Community Outreaches

Top 10 Ways Golf Clubs Promote its Facilities & Membership Opportunities

  • Website
  • Social Media ( Facebook, Twitter etc )
  • Promotional Material
  • Links with Schools
  • Publications
  • Through Local Businesses
  • County Sports Partnerships
  • Links with Community Groups
  • Links with Driving Ranges
  • Joint Promotions with other Clubs

Did You Know??

  • The chances of making 2 holes-in-one in a round of golf is 1 in 67 million
  • Golf balls travel faster in hotter weather
  • The largest golf club in the world is the par 77 International Golf Club in Massachusetts at 8,325 yards
  • GOLF does not stand for Gentlemen Only, Ladies Forbidden !

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