By Alistair Collier | The Business of Golf Magazine
Dear Club Manager, Director of Golf, Course Superintendent,
As you know Sustainability has three pillars. This month we discuss the third pillar, good governance. Yours in sustainable golf.
At the recent 16th Annual SA Sports Awards Ceremony for 2024, Cricket South Africa (CSA) was awarded the National Federation of The Year Award.
In a press statement by CSA, the association ascribes its success to hosting two successful International Cricket Council (ICC) events, a solid administrative structure, powered by a full-compliment executive, which supports the strategic direction of the organisation, as envisaged by the board, which has enabled CSA to focus on its strategic pillars of excellence, access and inclusion.
Other factors cited include getting the basics right, ensuring that CSA governance systems are beyond reproach, and that CSA is transparent, accessible, and accountable.
The press statement continued with CSA thanking; “the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture for recognising the gains that we (CSA) have made in positioning cricket as (a) sport of choice in South Africa.”
Many South Africans will be applauding CSA for its success. However, for the South African golfing community, the question must be; is Golf RSA, its associations such as the Women’s Golf Association and the South African Golf Association and SA’s golf clubs, meeting the standard of having governance guide –
lines and systems in place that are beyond reproach, and whether the organisations are transparent, accessible, and accountable?
The abovementioned standards are embodied within the three sustainability pillars (ESG), namely environmental compliance, social responsibility and good governance.
In this regard, a scan of the websites of Golf RSA, and the provincial unions indicates a dearth of information on policies and procedures regarding good governance.
Furthermore, in terms of recent research into golf clubs in South Africa, published in the 16th Annual John Collier Survey, the survey indicates a compliance rate of just above 30%.
This low number was also emphasised at the recent Club Management Association of Southern Africa (CMASA) Conference, where the perennial issue of concern of the roles of the chairman of the board / management committee, and that of the club manager / CEO was discussed.
The challenge is that, without any clear ground rules (policies or procedures), there will continue to be the potential for grey areas, leading to tensions within such management structures.
The points being, ensure that proper policies and procedures are in place and then following up with measurement and reporting.
If you have any queries, why not contact the John Collier Golf through our website or via email ajcollier@telkomsa.net?
Yours in Sustainable Golf
JOHN COLLIER
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email ajcollier@telkomsa.net or visit the John Collier Golf website at www.johncolliergolf.com