Appy days are on the way for our clubs now
WHEN Andrew McKinlay took his seat at last year’s Scottish Golf national conference he was five months away from taking over the reins of an organisation in crisis.
So when the chief executive took to the stage of this year’s conference last Saturday, the change in atmosphere revealed a united belief that the governing body is back on the right track.
The infighting and resentment between Scottish Golf’s leaders and disillusioned committee men within member clubs had taken the organisation to the brink over the last couple of years.
A self-destructive situation that reached its zenith in March when an agm ballot to push through a rise in their annual membership fee was shot down in a manner that fast became a vote of no confidence in their leadership.
What a toxic atmosphere for McKinlay to enter.
But a background of six years’ service at the SFA has given him plenty experience of negotiating murky internal politics of self-interest and petty score settling at the expense of the greater good. Now, in half a year McKinlay has spearheaded a positive step forward for the Scottish game.
Of course the recent success of an army of young Scottish pros having booked their place on the European Tour helps lighten any discussion about the health of the national sport.
But it’s among the rankand-file golfers and clubs striving to keep their business where the most encouraging messages were to be found. In a backdrop of closing clubs and falling participation the ability to increase footfall on first tees across the country is vital.
And in the forthcoming phone app to be made available for free to all members clubs, they might just have a viable answer.
When Paul Lawrie adds his endorsement people tend to sit up and take notice. And not just because of his decorated playing career as an Open champion and Ryder Cup hero. As the figurehead of a junior golf foundation that’s introduced thousands of kids to the game and the owner of a golf centre on the outskirts of Aberdeen, he is well qualified to talk about life at the grassroots of the sport.
So his declaration that the new app could be “a game changer” for the commercial success of his golf centre is a significant show of support.
The system is devised to capture the nomad golfer, who will now be able to maintain an official handicap without having to become a member of a club.
Using the app the nomads will be able to register to play in club medals and competitions and the full value of the green fee they pay will now go directly to the course they play rather than a third party booking site taking a cut.
Lawrie said: “It’s phenomenal, what golf club is not going to want it? If that means a club like ours will be able to lay on a competition that would see 40-50 new golfers paying a green fee every week it could make all the difference.
“It would add up to a lot of money for a club like ours which currently runs at a small loss.”
A quicker and easier way to get more people swinging a club has to be embraced and the renewed message of inclusion and co-operation at this conference suggests a willingness to move on.
The problems that have faced Scottish Golf and its clubs won’t go away over night.
But this is a welcome sign they are ready to take it on together.