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Everything you Need to Know About Society Golfing

Weston Turville Golf Club • Dec 24, 2019

There are an average of around 1.5 million adult golfers here in the UK, and for those of us that have caught the golfing bug, getting out onto the course becomes a bit of an addiction. Yet, like most sports, playing golf is always better with a group of like-minded people. While many find that joining their local golf club is the perfect way to enjoy their passion and meet other players, sometimes becoming a full-fledged member might not work for you. 

If you’re finding that joining a golf club isn’t the right choice for you, it may be time to consider joining or even creating your very own golf society. Essentially acting as a golf club without a course, a golfing society can be a great way to get your fix of your favourite sport while at the same time meeting like-minded sportspeople. Yet, if you’re new to the sport, you might be wondering how a golf society works and what the actual benefits are from being a part of one. 

Here at Weston Turville Golf course, we’ve played host to a variety of golfing societies who enjoy the challenge of our course. Because of this, we know a thing or two about how golf societies work.W

With this in mind, we decided to demystify the confusion surrounding golfing societies and give you all the information you could need on this great golfing option. 

What exactly is a golf society?

As we’ve already mentioned, a golf society basically acts much like a traditional club but just doesn’t have a specific course. Because of this, a society is usually one of the first places that beginners in the sport start at. Upon joining your society, you will be able to monitor your handicap, keep it consistently updated and you will also be issued your handicap certificate. While this is all usually offered in a golf club membership, the main difference between the two is that, by having a golf society membership, you won’t need to pay an annual fee and will instead pay for the services you use, when you use them. 

With around 15,000 active golf societies across the UK and Ireland, it’s relatively likely that there is a golf society operating in your local area, especially as more companies and organisations look to form their own groups. 


What are the benefits of joining a golf society?

A golf society can be a great option for individuals that are new to the sport and not looking to commit to anything substantial too early. Societies can range from a handful of passionate golfers to organisations with hundreds of members, meaning there is likely a society that perfectly fits your needs somewhere close by. 

Joining a golfing society can also be extremely beneficial for those living excessively busy lives where playing golf on a consistent basis just isn’t possible. If you don’t have the time to play golf regularly, you’re likely going to end up wasting your time on a membership fee you never really use. This also means that you’re not tied to a single course, so you can progress your game in different environments and simply pay the green fee on arrival. 

Finally, it’s also important to mention that registered golfing societies are still recognised under the English Golf Union (EGU). This means that societies are listed in the EGU yearbook and can access the official website using their unique membership number. All of this helps to offer members the benefits of being in a club without being tied down with fees. 


Starting and running your own society

With thousands of societies up and down the country, it’s unlikely that you’ll have to travel excessively far in order to find one near you. However, if there isn’t a society that ticks your boxes, you could consider making your own with a group of friends or other passionate golfers. However, there are a few hurdles you’ll need to jump in order to make it official. 


Outlining golf memberships and deals

For starters, after you’ve garnered enough interest from people to form a society, you will need to begin drafting up regulations and rules in an informative document. This document should include everything from the name of the society and its objectives to fees, committee structure and handicap rules. Once you have your document written up, it’s important to set up a meeting with other members well before the start of the season in order to approve your rules and appoint committee members.

Once everyone has agreed on the basic rules and regulations of your society, you’ll also need to appoint an auditor to collect funds which will then go into a club bank account. This money will then go towards the further running and growth of the society. 


Affiliating with the EGU

It’s at this point where you decide whether you would like your new society to be EGU affiliated or not. While some clubs shy away from the EGU, they usually find themselves severely limited as to where they can go as many courses are connected with England’s official golfing body. With this in mind, it’s probably best to adhere to EGU rules in order to take full advantage of the benefits.

This will mean that your society will need to run events that conform to the ‘Rules of Golf’ and ‘Rules of Amateur Status’ as laid down by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews. Failure to do this will lead to a revocation of EGU registration so make sure you’re completely clued up on the regulations. 


Finding courses and setting up events

Setting up the actual events throughout the season is by far the most rewarding, and arguably the most challenging part of running a golf society. When it comes to finding a location for your event, a quick google search of ‘golf courses near me’ can be a good way to begin getting an idea of your local society golf courses, however, don’t forget to select courses that will comfortably fit your player’s skill levels as some will be trickier than others. 

Finally, it’s important to be consistent with events in order to keep members interested. There should be a mixture of smaller events interspersed between larger, more memorable trips and events throughout the year. With EGU affiliation, not only do you have levels of access to UK courses, there are also courses abroad that you can take advantage of, meaning bigger trips are a possibility for societies with the money to do so. 


Whether you’re looking for society meetings or a full local golf club membership, tee off at Weston Turville Golf course

Golfing societies are the lifeblood of this fascinating game, acting as a vital avenue for old and new players alike to get involved. If you’re part of a society or looking to set one up yourself, why not get in touch with Weston Turville golf course today to set up your next event?

Lovingly maintained and enjoyed by countless golfers every year, our course is the perfect choice for golf societies looking for a mixture of challenge and fun. Spend the day strolling along tree-lined fairways to finish at our excellent function room to top off the perfect day of 18 holes. 

With golf days starting at as little as £23.50, even the smallest of societies can enjoy a glorious game at Weston Turville. If you would like to learn more about our society days, or are interested in applying for a membership, visit our website today or get in touch with a member of our team on 01296 424 084.

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