The All-Party Parliamentary Golf Group yesterday (Monday 21 March) hosted a reception in the Palace of Westminster on behalf of The R&A to launch an independent report into the economic importance of golf in the UK.
The Group, which comprises Members from both Houses of Parliament and all major political parties, has the singular remit to support the sport of golf.
The report, commissioned by The R&A and published by Sheffield Hallam University’s Sport Industry Research Centre, shows golfers in the UK spent £4.3 billion on their sport in 2014, accounting for 14% of all consumer spending on sport and golf delivered £990 million in taxes. The report also highlights the golf industry in the UK employs 74,480 people, with a third employed directly by golf clubs in England,
Hosting the reception was Chairman of the Parliamentary Golf Group and MP for Lincoln Karl McCartney. He said “I was delighted to be able host this reception in the Palace of Westminster in conjunction with The R&A. The report illustrates the importance of golf to the UK economy, and I hope the Parliamentary Golf Group will be able to continue to support the sport as a vehicle for economic development as well as sport participation.”
Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, attended the event, saying “Golf is the first sport in the UK to evaluate its contribution to economic development in line with the government’s ‘Sporting Futures’ strategy and these findings give us an important economic baseline for the golf industry against which we can measure future growth. There is plenty of room for optimism that golf can maintain and develop its position as one of the most popular sports in the UK, particularly in the year when it makes its return to the Olympic Games in Rio.”
Click here to download a copy of the report from The R&A website.