Golf club closing

[Magcargo]

Sadly my golf club has announced that it will not reopen and has closed permanently. I am wondering what the precedent here is, particularly in terms of England Golf, do they move members onto iGolf as a courtesy or try and get members a deal to join another club?

My closing club itself is unlikely to help as ultimately it was a tenant to the land not an owner and the owner has seemingly pulled the plug for housing. Therefore not expecting anything from the club in terms of help, but mainly wondered around what England Golf might do. Many thanks in advance.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

You can move to being an igolf member or join another club

England golf won’t do anything though

 

[Magcargo]

When the club is removed from England Golf/WHS, your account will go to iPlay then I guess. Would be nice to think EG would offer a free iGolf or something as a gesture. I bet they'll charge full new union fees if I joined somewhere else even though I only paid a few months ago ha ha.

I'll likely join somewhere else, and was considering doing so anyway, but this forces my hand.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

When the club is removed from England Golf/WHS, your account will go to iPlay then I guess. Would be nice to think EG would offer a free iGolf or something as a gesture. I bet they'll charge full new union fees if I joined somewhere else even though I only paid a few months ago ha ha.

I'll likely join somewhere else, and was considering doing so anyway, but this forces my hand.

Your account won’t go to igolf it will sit there dormant without a club

Might be worth speaking to them in regards EG fees paid for the year

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

When the club is removed from England Golf/WHS, your account will go to iPlay then I guess. Would be nice to think EG would offer a free iGolf or something as a gesture. I bet they'll charge full new union fees if I joined somewhere else even though I only paid a few months ago ha ha.

I'll likely join somewhere else, and was considering doing so anyway, but this forces my hand.

Out of interest why would it be a nice gesture. It’s nothing to do with England golf the club going under due to the land owner pulling the plug. You can join as an iGolf member of an annual fee, all you need is your CDH number which will sit dormant whilst without an club and when you join a new club they’ll move your handicap over.

Nothing in this situation falls in England golf and they don’t need or have to do anything, they certainly don’t need to give you a free iGolf account for something that’s nothing to do with them.

 

[Magcargo]

I'm not precious about it, more curious, but you might think they've have the £4k it'd cost them set aside as a benevolent fund or whatever. It is supposed to represent its members, but I guess that is more akin to a union.

I find it interesting that they are happy to sit aside and let members 100% find their own way though, when in some cases they will have taken fees for decades.

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

Nobody has sad your being precious bud. Maybe just expecting to much, they will be honouring exactly what they need to but it’s not their responsibility to give you anything for free or take on administration for members whose club closes. EG isn’t a charity that runs a benevolent fun for those whose clubs close it’s an administrative organisation.

An exert from EG and its role: England Golf manages the affiliation and regulatory side, ensuring players remain part of the governing structure of amateur golf, but they do not take over the business management or financial liabilities of the closed club

If a golf club closes in England, England Golf acts as a central governing body to provide support and guidance to members, focusing on administrative continuity, particularly regarding handicaps and future playing options.

Key roles and actions England Golf takes when a club closes include:

Handicap Management (WHS™): England Golf ensures members' handicap records under the World Handicap System™ are preserved. If a club closes, members are often able to transfer their data to a new club or temporarily manage their handicap via iGolf.

iGolf Access: If a golfer’s club closes, they are eligible to join the iGolf platform (a subscription programme for non-club members) to maintain an active handicap within 30 days.

Support and Guidance: England Golf provides advice to club officials on managing the closure process.

Member Support: While England Golf does not generally intervene in individual membership fee disputes or contractual issues with a defunct club, they provide guidance on safeguarding rules and the rules of golf for members seeking new clubs.