SLGA and SGU aim to amalgamate by end of 2011

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE SCOTTISH GOLF UNION
Following Sunday’s (January 24) Scottish Golf Union annual general meeting, the Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association and the Scottish Golf Union confirmed that they were formally considering an amalgamation, having been working increasingly closely together over recent years.
The men’s and ladies’ amateur golf governing bodies in Scotland already have a shared strategy, joint committees and shared staff in the form of Performance and Development Managers, as well as being partners on the national junior programme, clubgolf.
There is also a reciprocal arrangement whereby the respective Chairmen of the SLGA and SGU attend the Board meetings of each organisation. Given the increased level of co-operation, both Boards have agreed that amalgamation is the next logical step and jointly they have appointed Donald Turner as independent chair to lead a new working group.
Turner will oversee the consideration of all measures necessary to achieve amalgamation and will make recommendations to the respective organisations.Turner has a strong business and golf background, having been on the UK National Executive with accountants Ernst & Young and is the current captain of Shiskine Golf and Tennis Club on the Isle of Arran.
SGU Chairman, Douglas Connon, speaking at the AGM, said:“We are delighted that someone of Donald Turner’s skills and experience will assist us in this important process and are committed to ensuring we manage what is a significant proposed change as smoothly as possible.”
Connon’s counterpart at the SLGA, Shona Malcolm added:
“There has been invaluable progress in Scottish golf as a result of the two governing bodies working more closely together and it is now sensible to formalise this by amalgamating. This will undoubtedly bring even more benefits to Scottish golf and our member clubs.”
The new working group will be established over the next few weeks and consultation meetings will take place throughout the year with the aim of agreeing the necessary changes to achieve amalgamation by the end of 2011.