Scottish Golf will rebate just a quarter of subscription fees from member clubs that have already been paid, amounting to “in excess of £575,000” in total.
The deal, announced in part by the organisation’s embattled chair Eleanor Cannon during her interview on Radio Scotland’s Sportsound at the weekend, falls well short of the complete refund that many area associations and clubs were demanding.
According to the audit which convinced chief executive Andrew McKinlay to leave the organisation last week and revealed by Cannon at the weekend, some 40 per cent of member clubs have not paid their 2020 subscriptions to the governing body at all, amounting to a potential funding shortfall of £1 million.
The financial collapse of the governing body for Scottish amateur golf due to the coronavirus lockdown has prompted a furious reaction from some clubs and associations, and questions about Cannon’s style of leadership.
On Monday SGL’s chief operating officer Karin Sharp – effectively the new chief executive – sent a detailed appraisal of the organisation’s latest moves to member clubs.
In the email Sharp gives a rationale behind recent decisions to axe all national championships and performance programmes and the position SGL now find itself in.
“For various reasons as of today almost 40% of affiliation fees due to Scottish Golf remain unpaid,” she states.
“The due date was informally extended to allow time for further internal discussion and we have made no representation to clubs chasing the outstanding balances at this time.
“We are making an immediate commitment to our clubs that offers in excess of £575,000 of support by way of refund or rebate on affiliation fees. This equates to 50% reduction of the remaining 6 months of the financial year.
“We are also committing to interest free payment plans for any club that needs it for the 2019/20 financial year and the 2020/21 financial year.”
In the case of any club that does not request the 25% refund, she adds, Scottish Golf will commit the same sum to a club support fund to be used to help clubs under financial strain.
“We are in a fortunate position where the combination of reserves and reallocation of budget from events and performance activity have allowed us to take the financial decision to refund part of the affiliation fee,” she states.
Sharp continues that the recent financial survey sent to clubs was “never intended as intrusive”.
“(It was) to ensure we were basing decisions on facts as opposed to opinions,” she writes. “Through recent work, and with sportscotland’s assistance, we are now also gaining a clearer understanding of the number of clubs impacted by possible grant restriction based on their rateable value.
“This will continue to be an ongoing discussion with Government for us.”
Sharp also addresses the return to golf after the current lockdown which she says the organisation will lead, although it is still “very much in the planning phase”.
“We have had positive discussions in the last few days with government and have their support in what is a planning phase,” she adds.
“We are also collaborating with key industry partners to ensure that across GB&I we are developing a consistent approach that can be adopted when the time is right.
“It is highly likely that any return will be in phases, with single golfers or household groups in the first instance to ensure that the golf industry continues to adhere to government guidelines.
“Within our clubs, we will have a mix of front line and key workers, along with vulnerable groups who have been shielding or self-isolating for lengthy periods and we must continue to ensure we can keep everyone safe.”
