The COVID pandemic and state of the golf industry did not dent EIGCA’s membership numbers, with joiners and upgrades in the last year announced at the 2020 Annual General Meeting (AGM). The 2020 EIGCA AGM marked seven Associate Members approved to upgrade to Member, one new Member admitted, two Candidates for Membership welcomed and a double achievement for one individual.
Christoph Staedler, President of EIGCA, says: “I am pleased to announce that the membership of EIGCA remains strong with a feared drop due to the COVID pandemic and state of the golf industry, not realised. It is a very special pleasure for me to announce a double achievement for one member – Giulia Ferroni, from Italy. Giulia is EIGCA’s first female full Member and is also the first EIGCA Candidate for Membership to have progressed to full Membership.”
As of the 2020 AGM, EIGCA membership stands at 99 from 25 countries, comprising: 1 Fellow, 68 Members (MEIGCA), 12 Associate Members (AEIGCA), 9 Candidates for Membership (CfM), and 9 Retired. Two resignations received from individuals no longer working in golf course design means the membership reduced by just one during the year. In addition, the 2019-2021 cohort of the EVQGCD programme consists of two students, and interviews are underway to select the 2021-2023 cohort.
EIGCA’s Partnership Programme had a net positive outcome, with four new partners replacing three which chose not to renew. EIGCA welcomed Irrigation Control, Semillas Dalmau, Total Golf Construction and Turfgrass.
As for the coming year, in his closing remarks, the President said: “In such difficult times as the global golf market stagnating and in some markets, declining, and the COVID-19 pandemic leading to the postponement of some golf projects, providing improved services and value for money for members and partners remains our goal.
“COVID-dependent, we hope to retain the events and locations planned for this year’s Annual Meeting in Cardiff and transfer them to 2021 so our community can get together. Let us hope that our plans work out and we can all meet in person once again.”
