Anyone Any Clearer on What They Do

[GB72]

Bit late in bringing this up but have just finished the latest GM and despite a 2 page article, I am no clearer on what the EGU do and what I am paying for.

First part of the article detailed the large percentage that is admin costs. OK, so a large chunk of the admittedly small amount I pay is used so as the EGU can merely exist.

Next claim was that they spend much of their time advising clubs on ways to get new members and retain members. If this is what they are doing then they may as well give up now. I mean I have not seen any original ideas in these areas and the same old ideas are being wheeled out. A few threads on here have shown how little help this is being to the average club.

OK, next on the list, county golf and the development of young talent. So now I am paying for good golfers to get better. For those that go on to make a living out of golf, ho much do they pay back to the EGU? When I played rugby we paid fees and subs to cover coaching costs, this was not paid for by the RFU.

So there we have it, by my undertanding, I pay for the EGU to exist, pass out advice that is either useless or is not getting through to clubs near me and to help good golfers get better.

Not sure if I am getting the wrong end of the stick here but did anyone read the article and actually find a benefit of the EGU?

 

[Golfmmad]

Have to agree on this and the only other "Benefit" was the mention of, "Growing the game at grass roots level", including a photo. But how much do they allocate I wonder.

Often in other sports too, majority of the money goes to the elite players. As was the case in English Table-Tennis which I was involved in over 10 years ago. They always used to go on about money from Lottery funding but again, it was only the elite players that had the majority of the money allocated to them.

Golfmmad.

 

[Leftie]

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Wot they said.

The article was so riveting that I nearly fell asleep half way through. Couldn't make it to the end so never found out what, if any, benefit I get for my dues.

 

[DCB]

So how would the handicap system be administered without the Golf Unions ?

if another body was to do that, we'd pay for it some how ?

 

[Tiger]

I just think they missed a great opportunity with a captive audience to get a clear concise message across. They failed miserably. I felt a bit sorry for Jez based on the scraps of info he must have been fed. I worked for a National Governing Body and was in sport for 3 years and there was a lot of wasted money on bureaucracy and nonsense initiatives often dreamed up with minimal research or consultation with the people they affect. Clubmark being a prime example. I was all up for paying more but am more reticent now as I have less idea what they are spending my hard earned on.

Frustratingly they spent more time telling us how they charge less than other governing bodies and little time highlighting exactly how they would invest any additional levy. Shame, especially when you look at the poll results.

 

[viscount17]

OK, next on the list, county golf

correct me if I'm wrong but if the EGU is claiming to be the mainstay of county golf why do I also pay the county levy?

mind you I bet Tee-Girl will be spitting feathers, they've been paying more (for less?) for ages.

 

[GB72]

Thing is, the article had no mention of handicaps etc, just mentioned the points that I detailed. If they even gave some examples of the campaigns and advice that they were giving to help clubs attract members or retain the existing ones then that would be something but they have not and in my area at least I have seen little or no evidence of the EGU being involved. This, don't forget, is detailed as the second most costly part of their job after administration.

As said above, this was the chance for the EGU to really emphasise the good that they do for the game but it seems like a missed opportunity. Based on the article alone (and bear in mind that the survey found that most people had no idea what they do) then my assumption would be that they are a waste of time and money.

 

[JezzE]

Couple of quick comments in response.

1) Some times we have room and space for what you might term in-depth features, and sometimes only for what might be termed more of an overview, which is what this particular one, and the occasional series of which it forms a part, is designed to be. Within that restriction (eg about 1000 words) there is only limited scope to go into particular cases, scenarios etc.

2) The article was not just about the EGU, but rather all four men's (and ladies' in the case of Wales) home unions. Readers in non-EGU countries would be rightly miffed if we did this kind of article in an anglophile manner, meaning that if you were to divide the 1000 words roughly into 4 I only had 250 words per home union!

The big membership feature we ran last June went into a little more detail about what certain clubs, with the aid and help of the home unions in some instances, have been doing to try and retain and attract members. When I researched that feature I discovered it wasn't all doom and gloom despite the general climate, and that some clubs that had taken quite a leap of faith had reaped the benefits to one degree or another.

Sorry the article didn't meet your needs on this occasion but thought I would just try and explain briefly why it's not always possible to go into the depth some readers would like.

 

[Imurg]

I only had 250 words per home union!

You want your bread buttered both sides don't you Jez!!

 

[GB72]

Thanks for the comments, I was not so much having a dig at the article but rather felt that it was a chance for a governing body that we no little about to sell themselves and that opportunity was missed. As stated above, it actually came across as you being given little to work with by the EGU.

 

[JezzE]

Fully understand, and all comments are welcome and taken on board when planning future articles and features. I was just trying to explain why the article was the way it was, and if it didn't quite deliver in some areas for you, and perhaps others, then it's good to know for next time.