The Golf Business

19/06/2026

Faced with a dwindling women’s section, one member at Tandragee Golf Club in Northern Ireland decided to act. The result is a community-driven success story that has brought nearly 200 women and girls into the game; more than 150 have become full members and one even went on to become the club’s secretary

Faced with a dwindling women’s section, one member at Tandragee Golf Club in Northern Ireland decided to act. The result is a community-driven success story that has brought nearly 200 women and gi…

19/06/2026

Golf venue Machrihanish Dunes in Scotland has announced a partnership with Cultar Restaurant Group, ushering in an exciting new era for the resort’s food, beverage and guest experience.

Renowned for its modern approach to Scottish hospitality and ingredient-led cuisine, the Cultar Group has earned widespread recognition across Scotland’s dining scene for combining refined culinary expertise with warm, authentic service. This new collaboration marks a significant step forward for Machrihanish Dunes, with a renewed emphasis on delivering exceptional dining rooted in Scotland’s rich culinary heritage and natural larder.

The partnership will influence food and beverage operations across The Village at Machrinhanish Dunes, enhancing the dining experience throughout the resort’s collection of restaurants and hospitality spaces.

Inspired by Scotland’s rich culinary traditions, the new menus across The Village at Machrihanish Dunes, including the Kintyre Restaurant and the Old Clubhouse Pub, will celebrate both timeless classics and elevated comfort dishes. Guests can expect traditional favourites such as homemade haggis with creamed tatties and whisky sauce, alongside expertly executed pub classics including crisp beer-battered fish and chips.

Ian Ferguson, resort director at Machrihanish Dunes, said: “Machrihanish Dunes has always been committed to creating unforgettable experiences for our guests, and this partnership with the Cultar Group represents an exciting evolution of that vision. Together, we are combining extraordinary surroundings with outstanding food, genuine hospitality, and a true sense of Scottish warmth.”

Guided by the Cultar Group philosophy, the culinary direction will focus on sourcing exceptional seasonal ingredients and preparing them with care, precision, and respect for provenance. Paired with character-led service and a welcoming atmosphere, the partnership aims to create a dining experience that reflects the spirit of modern Scotland while honouring its traditions.

Paul Charalambous, co-owner of Cultar Restaurant Group with his brother Chris, added: “This partnership presents an exciting opportunity to create something truly special at Machrihanish Dunes. From the people and the produce to the landscape itself, every aspect of this collaboration feels authentically Scottish, and that authenticity is incredibly important to us.”

18/06/2026

Scott Sellars has swapped Indian Ocean sunshine for the Scottish Highlands after being appointed head of golf at Royal Dornoch - a role he pursued after a chance holiday visit left him captivated by the club and the town

Scott Sellars has swapped Indian Ocean sunshine for the Scottish Highlands after being appointed head of golf at Royal Dornoch – a role he pursued after a chance holiday visit left him captiv…

18/06/2026

Plans to create a “world-class” 18-hole golf course on the outskirts of Fraserburgh have taken a step forward. Ground Golf has submitted a proposal for the Mains of Cairnbulg facility to Aberdeenshire Council

The 88-hectare Mains of Cairnbulg site would include a clubhouse and visitor accommodation

18/06/2026

NHS officials have revealed that they want land currently occupied by Pine Ridge Golf Club in Surrey to be used for a new hospital

A new hospital could be built on a section of land currently home to a golf course.

18/06/2026

Fifty years on from hosting the first of eight Portuguese Opens, Portugal’s Quinta do Lago is continuing its commitment to golfing excellence and developing the next generation of elite players with the return of its popular junior camps, the Paul McGinley Junior Cup and the Justin Rose Telegraph Junior Golf Championship in 2026.

Home to three 18-hole championship golf courses – the North, South and Laranjal – the premier Algarve resort has been at the forefront of junior golf for more than five decades.

Leading the line-up again this year will be the 41st edition of the Justin Rose Telegraph Junior Golf Championship, widely regarded as the ‘unofficial Major of junior golf’. Europe’s brightest young talent will head to Quinta do Lago in December as they bid to add their names to an illustrious list of previous winners including Rose, his European Ryder Cup teammates Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick, and Ladies European Tour standout players Lottie Woad, Carly Booth, Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Melissa Reid.

The summer calendar also features the Paul McGinley Junior Cup, hosted by European Ryder Cup-winning captain Paul McGinley on Quinta do Lago’s iconic North Course. Built to the highest specifications with a €9.6m investment programme, the North Course is the perfect test of golf for the elite amateurs, combining precision and strategy to ensure it remains enjoyable for all abilities. Open to a variety of ages with both boys and girls’ categories ranging from under 12s to under 18s.

Away from tournament play and taking place throughout July and August, the elite junior golf camps at the Paul McGinley Academy will bring together emerging young talent for an intensive week of coaching, competition and elite on-course development. Running from July 8 to August 12, the sessions will allow ten to 16-year-old aspiring golfers to combine world-class coaching with on-course thinking.

For those who may not quite be ready for the resort's championship golf experience, a curated junior camp for beginners awaits. Targeted at developing golf fundamentals such as coordination, balance and timing through playful, engaging activities, Quinta do Lago’s Junior Camp schedule is the perfect way for boys and girls to swing into summer.

Callum Burgess, Quinta do Lago’s head golf professional, said: “The development of the next generation of golfers is a key focus at Quinta do Lago.

“With exceptional practice facilities and a dynamic calendar of junior golf camps throughout the summer, we are creating the foundations for a lifelong connection to the sport.”

Quinta do Lago is home to the only Paul McGinley Academy in mainland Europe. Its facilities include an expansive driving range, fully covered ultra-modern teaching bays, custom-fitting studios operated by TaylorMade technicians, advanced launch monitor and ball-flight analysis technology, Tour-standard workshop facilities, dedicated short-game and putting areas and a comprehensive programme of private coaching.

Set among 2,000 acres of the picturesque Ria Formosa Natural Park, Quinta do Lago continues to lead the way in luxury living, elite sport, exceptional golf and active lifestyle experiences.

Away from golf, the resort’s array of other facilities includes The Campus – a state-of-the-art sports training hub – a choice of stylish and luxurious accommodation and 14 premium bars and restaurants delivering a range of delicious local and international cuisines using the freshest Mediterranean produce.

18/06/2026

The European Institute of Golf Course Architects (EIGCA) marks the retirement of Fellow, Martin Hawtree FEIGCA, recognising a career that has spanned more than five decades and a family legacy in golf course architecture extending back over a century

Explore the legacy of Martin Hawtree and his five-decade career in golf course architecture and design excellence.

18/06/2026

With summer secondary spend now peaking at over £900 per member and climbing year on year, the golf clubs that plan their F&B operation around the season’s big sporting moments are the ones that turn temporary excitement into lasting revenue

With summer secondary spend now peaking at over £900 per member and climbing year on year, the clubs that plan their F&B operation around the season’s big sporting moments are the ones that tu…

18/06/2026

After eight years of concern over rising shot distances, The R&A and USGA are pausing plans to update ball testing standards while they work with the PGA TOUR, DP World Tour and other stakeholders to explore alternative approaches that more meaningfully curb distance at elite level - with no changes before January 2030.

The R&A, USGA, PGA TOUR and DP World Tour have issued this joint statement:

Over the past eight years, The R&A and The USGA have raised concern about distance increases and the long-term consequences of failing to address this consistent trend.

Through a series of formal feedback processes and numerous individual stakeholder meetings, the governing bodies agreed on an across-the-game change in how golf balls are tested via the Overall Distance Standard (ODS).

Recently, two significant developments have emerged in the efforts to address the impact of distance on the game: Feedback from the industry on the Notice and Comment related to the date of implementation of the updated ODS testing approach indicated that the majority support a single-date implementation (2030) versus a two-date, phased implementation (2028 and 2030).

Constructive discussions between the governing bodies, PGA TOUR leadership, the PGA TOUR Player Advisory Council (PAC), DP World Tour leadership and other stakeholders yielded three key outcomes: (a) recognition that distance continues to increase at the elite level; (b) a concern by the Tours that the updated ODS testing approach may not achieve the desired results; (c) a collective willingness to reconsider alternative approaches that may more materially impact the pace of future distance increases, while minimising disruption to the overall golf market.

Given these developments, The R&A and USGA will take the appropriate amount of time to assess a range of possible options and determine the path forward. Specifically, the governing bodies will work closely with key stakeholders - including the PGA TOUR, DP World Tour and their respective members - to review, test and implement options that have a meaningful impact on distance at the elite level. These efforts will ensure the elite game does not become too one-dimensional while continuing to emphasise the importance of shot-making. There will be no change to the ODS testing approach until January 2030 while these options are evaluated.

The R&A, the USGA, PGA TOUR and DP World Tour are confident in the path forward and committed to working collaboratively, and with other key stakeholders, to ensure the long-term health of the game.

17/06/2026

Wales Golf has won a prestigious Welsh Sports Association award for its work encouraging more women and girls to give golf a go in the year Wales hosted the AIG Women’s Open.

The world’s best players challenging each other on Welsh soil in Royal Porthcawl last summer was the biggest female sporting event ever held in Wales, with a Women's Golf Legacy Fund supporting getting women and girls into golf.

The 2026 Welsh Sports Association Awards were held at the Parkgate Hotel in Cardiff, recognising nine winning organisations and celebrating some of the brilliant work carried out in the last year, with the attendance of the newly appointed Minister for Culture and Sport Heledd Ffychan MS.

Wales Golf were the recipients of the award for the Best Initiative to Promote Women in Sport and Physical Activity, sponsored by Howden.

The legacy from the AIG Women’s Open increased interest and participation in golf, encouraged a stronger community engagement and enhanced visibility for women’s golf.

The Women's Golf Legacy Fund of one million pounds opened up spending of three million pounds around Wales golf clubs, enhancing female facilities on more than threequarters of Welsh golf courses, combined with the Give Golf a Go campaign, working with elite female athletes from five other sports.

“We are delighted to have received this recognition,” said Wales Golf Chief Executive, Hannah McAllister.

“There was a lot of hard work last summer setting up the fund, allocating the grants and seeing the projects through, but it was certainly worth it to see the improved facilities at so many Welsh golf clubs.

“It was also great to see the world’s best female golfers in Porthcawl, and it also opened up plenty of opportunities for young golfers to meet them and watch the action.

“The Give Golf a Go campaign was also inspiring - from watching elite athletes from other sports to people turning up at our sessions around Wales. It was a remarkable year for female sport with a Women’s Rugby World Cup and football Women’s Euros, so it was great for golf to be a part of it.

“Then to have recognition of our peers through the Welsh Sports Association underlines how special all those opportunties to make a difference were.”

The one million pound Welsh Government fund helped ensure a lasting legacy from hosting the world’s best female players in Royal Porthcawl, with Japan’s Miyu Yamash*ta winning the event.
The Women's Golf Legacy Fund created a long-lasting change, addressing barriers faced by women and girls in golf.

It provided grants to golf clubs for projects across Wales, creating faclilities focussed on developing inclusive, family-friendly and gender-equal facilities, reflecting the Welsh Government’s commitment to using major events to inspire change.

It led to a massive improvement in facilities such as on-course toilets and changing rooms.

The Give Golf a Go campaign included free days across Wales with hundreds of women and girls taking part, following a launch which saw female athletes from the Welsh Rugby Union, Glamorgan Cricket, LexisNexis Dragons and Judo try golf for the first time.