During one of the most exciting times in Scottish golf history, club members across the country are reaping the benefits of an exciting new national affinity card – one also designed to help clubs retain and recruit membership.
The Scottish Golf Membership Cards, exclusively available to members of the 593 clubs affiliated to the Scottish Golf Union (SGU) and Scottish Ladies’ Golf Association (SLGA), have been distributed to all 218,326 golf clubs members across the country this summer.
Sponsored by SSE Scottish Hydro, the Membership Card is designed to add value to membership by offering preferential green fee rates at leading championship courses and other participating clubs, special offers from other card partners, discounted tickets to attend top golf events and access to the new Scottish Golf HandicAPP, as well as exclusive competitions.
Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeen is the latest course to come on board offering an exclusive green fee to cardholders, joining the likes of Castle Stuart, The Duke’s, Royal Dornoch, The Roxburghe and Blairgowrie in providing a special offer to club members.
With club membership in Scotland in decline since 2004, it is hoped the Membership Card will help clubs attract more golfers to join, coupled with the buzz created by this month’s Ryder Cup and The Open Championship returning to The Home of Golf in St Andrews next summer.
Ross Duncan, SGU Marketing & Sponsorship Manager, said: “The delivery of the Scottish Golf Membership Card into the hands of club members has been the holy grail of ours for some time and we’re delighted to see the programme come to fruition.”
Golfers have been encouraged to register their Scottish Golf Membership Card on the SGU website to maximise the benefits they can access, with regular updates being communicated through the SGU Golfers e-bulletin on a monthly basis. To date, more than 40,000 golfers have signed up.
Duncan added: “The Card adds significant value to being a member and rewards those who support the game the most at club level. We are committed to giving something back to golfers at the grass roots and the card gives us the platform to do that.
“We have some fantastic courses on board and by taking advantage of the great offers, golf clubs members can get great value for their membership wider than just their own club. The feedback we have received from golfers and clubs alike has been really positive and we hope to add further benefits in the future.”
The SGU and SLGA’s new HandicAAP smart phone app is also now available, allowing golf club members instant access to their handicap and the opportunity to present their Handicap Certificate via their smartphone, which is a first for a golf governing body, with more than 3,000 golfers having downloaded the app in the first two months since launch.
Colin Banks, Head of Sponsorship for SSE Scottish Hydro, said: “The Scottish Golf Membership Card provided a great fit for our golf sponsorship, complementing our investment in Scottish golf at the professional level and it’s great to see so many golfers using the card. We have some exciting plans to work with the SGU on adding further value through our own golf activity and I’m sure even more members will come on board in the months ahead.”
Scottish Golf Union www.scottishgolf.org