Plans for unified body to run amateur game still on course as talks continue

PLANS to have a unified body running amateur golf in Scotland by the beginning of October are still on course, though fresh discussions will be held this week to consider whether the proposal needs to be revised.

Feedback from the 16 Areas that make up the Scottish Golf Union was discussed at the organisation's annual general meeting at Tulliallan yesterday, eight days after the matter was also aired by the Scottish Ladies Golf Association in Perth.

"We are part way through the process and today was the next step," said Hamish Grey, chief executive of the SGU. "We were feeding back on our meetings with the Areas and summarising that. It includes a unanimous agreement with the principle of the amalgamation, there is no question about that.

"However, there is some variation in views about how best that can be achieved. This will no doubt also be the case with the Scottish Ladies Golf Association with their initial feedback, having gone through the same process.

"The amalgamation group will now consider the combined feedback from both the men's and the ladies and, if it is felt necessary, will revise the proposal. We are meeting later this week and the agreed proposal from that and any changes will form the basis of our discussion at ten seminars being held throughout Scotland from mid-February through to early March will all clubs, Areas and Counties invited. That will mean everyone coming together to discuss what is the next stage of our formal proposal."

Special general meetings are being pencilled in for the end of May, with 1 October, set purely on the basis that the financial year end for both the SGU and SLGA is 30 September, the proposed date for the new body coming into operation.

"At end of the day it is not my choice but I do believe it has to happen and I think there is general recognition of that within the game. It is just a commonsense thing to do but I understand that people have to have comfort about what is being done. It has to be right," added Grey.

"We've had constructive discussion the whole way through and I believe that as long as everyone keeps looking at what is best for Scottish golf then we will get to the right outcome."

At yesterday's meeting, Aberdonian Gordon Murray was appointed the new SGU president, succeeding Bert Leslie in the year-long post.