Blane Dodds warns Scottish golf clubs need to reinvent themselves

By Charles Paterson

Tuesday 26 September 2017 22:53, UK

The man in charge of golf in Scotland says golf clubs must "reinvent" themselves or they could face oblivion, in the face of falling memberships and an apparent decline in interest in the game.

Scottish Golf CEO Blane Dodds has unveiled a plan that, if approved, could raise as much as £4m, which would be reinvested in the games' grassroots and elite amateur levels.

A recent survey by KPMG revealed that in 2015, Scotland saw a greater drop in club membership than any other country in Europe.

From 220,000 members in 2007, there are now around 170,000 and concerningly only 11 per cent of that membership is under the age of 34.

"There's so many more options available for parents and kids now, whilst also the challenge with Xboxes and Playstations, and social media. So we're trying to reinvent clubs again, to be the centre of our communities in which we serve," said Dodds, who is also chairman of Tennis Scotland.

"Look at what demands and needs are there in the community for the golf club to try and fulfil. It might not just be golf - it might be health and fitness activities; it might be other recreational pursuits.

"That gives us a better chance of actually having the club used more, being the centre of the community, and therefore golf being the beneficiary."

Among the proposals, to be voted on by clubs in December, are an increase in the contribution of annual membership fees that go to the governing body, a licence paid by foreign visitors playing Scotland's most famous courses and a nationwide database of golfers with a unified booking system for tee-times.

Dodds also hopes a Scottish professional golfer can provide an "Andy Murray effect" to help encourage participation.

There are currently only two Scotsman in the world's top 100 - US-based Russell Knox and Martin Laird - while there hasn't been a Scottish winner on the men's European Tour in over two years.

Dodds has warned Scottish Golf's budget will be cut by around £400,000 next year if the proposed plans are not voted through and last week Paul Lawrie, Scotland's last men's major champion in 1999, suggested price was a factor in preventing young people taking up golf.

"I think there's some of that going on, but if you look at the research from the Golf Foundation and the R&A, the feedback from kids is that golf clubs don't suit their needs, and they don't like the culture," Dodds added.

"It's bringing the service and clubs into a much more modern sporting context which will be much more attractive to young people.

"If you compare us here, in the home of golf, to what France does for example, they spend millions a year on their talented young players and professional programs. We're not in the same ball game. What we're trying to do as part of the new plans is bring in more resource so we can reinvest in the game and our talented performance athletes.

"If Scotland can produce world-class tennis players like Andy Murray or Jamie Murray then golf can certainly do it with the history of the game here. Guys like Sandy Lyle, a major winner, Colin Montgomerie's incredible success at a European level, Catriona Matthew obviously, so it's there to be done."