SGU launches Scottish Golf Club Card

Join the club: The members of Team Scottish Hydro 2013 launch the new Scottish Golf Club Card

Exciting new membership benefits programme unveiled ahead of Golf Show

The Scottish Golf Union has unveiled a major new sponsorship agreement with Scottish Hydro to support a new initiative aimed at boosting golf club membership in Scotland.

Launched ahead of this weekend’s Scottish Golf Show at the SECC Glasgow, the new partnership will see Scottish Hydro as the headline sponsor of the Scottish Golf Club Card, a new national membership benefits programme designed to add more value to being a member of a golf club in Scotland.

Part of an extensive project being undertaken by the SGU and SLGA, the Club Card will be made available to members of affiliated golf clubs this season. The Club Card will allow golf club members to access a range of benefits as part of their club subscription fee to the governing bodies, including preferential green fees, exclusive member competitions and special offers from other leading partner brands.

Also linked to the Centralised Database of Handicaps (CDH), an on-line initiative to improve the tracking of handicapping for clubs and members in Scotland with more than 160,000 golfers uploaded, it is hoped the Scottish Golf Club Card will also help clubs with their marketing efforts to attract and retain members.

“It is a huge boost to have Scottish Hydro on board as the headline sponsor of this exciting new initiative and their significant investment will allow us to develop a comprehensive package of benefits which adds value to being a member of a golf club in Scotland,” said Ross Duncan, the SGU’s marketing and sponsorship manager.

“With Scottish Hydro’s support, our aim is to connect with all club golfers across Scotland and reward those members, which in turn should help clubs attract and retain their membership.”

“We’ve held the long term ambition of getting closer to our members and having something as tangible as a card in their hands will enhance that. We have listened to what our golfers want and this concept is a major step towards responding to their feedback,” he added.

Attending the launch were rising stars Bradley Neil and Ewan Scott, who both collected gold medals for Team GB at the recent Youth Olympic Festival in Australia. Scott, winner of last year’s Scottish Hydro sponsored SGU Junior Tour, said:

“It’s great to see Scottish Hydro extending their sponsorship of grass roots golf in Scotland, having benefited from their support of the Junior Tour last year. They are involved in Scottish Golf at all levels and the sponsorship the SGU generates really helps young players like myself, as well as hopefully helping clubs with their membership.”

Golf fans visiting the Scottish Golf Show will have the opportunity to win a team of three in the Scottish Hydro Challenge Pro-Am at Spey Valley by visiting the SGU stand and registering for the Scottish Golf Club Card, while Scottish Hydro is giving away a range of great prizes in their ‘Nearest the Pin’ challenge, with the opportunity to play against the Team Scottish Hydro Tour professionals, who will be on hand to offer their advice.

Jonny Petrie, sponsorship manager for Scottish Hydro added: “We are delighted to extend our sponsorship to the Scottish Golf Club Card programme and further our support to club level. This partnership compliments our other golf activity, including the Scottish Hydro Challenge and Scottish Senior Open and I’m sure clubs and their members will really benefit.”