7% pay rise recommended for golf club staff
By Alistair Dunsmuir
The Committee for Golf Club Salaries (CGCS) has recommended a seven percent increase in the salaries of golf club staff for 2024, and nine percent for assistant greenkeepers.
With an increase in the National Living Wage due to come into force from April 2024, this is to ensure all staff remain ahead of that base line, it has stated.
The increases have been added to the salary calculators provided on the CGCS website and take into account the National Living Wage increase, the prevailing economic environment and the importance of golf facility staff to the overall industry.
The salary calculators take into account geographic regions, facility size, core responsibilities, club rating, qualifications and experience, ensuring recommendations can be tailored to individual members of staff.
The CGCS is comprised of representatives of the British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) and the Golf Club Managers’ Association (GCMA) alongside independent golf club experts.
John Pearson, membership services manager for BIGGA’s south east region, said: “Our hope is that trained golf club staff take these recommendations to their senior management team and have open and professional conversations about salaries and other employee benefits, such as training and development opportunities.
“Highly trained staff are critical to the continuing success of golf, from the grassroots through to elite championship level, and we were heartened to hear that more than 16 million people enjoyed playing some form of golf in the past year. Golf is experiencing a boom and these recommendations go some way towards recognising those who have helped make it possible.
“Today’s greenkeepers are highly trained, knowledgeable members of the golf club structure and if course standards are to be maintained at the level golfers have come to expect, the industry must be an attractive proposition with regards to salaries and working conditions to encourage the recruitment and retention of staff.”
By Alistair Dunsmuir
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My concern with this announcement is that neither England Golf nor any governing body is willing to put their name to it. Most golf clubs have increased wages massively over the last 2 years in line with inflation but inflation is back down to 4%. Is there any rationale behind this increase and why haven’t England Golf supported it?
This is to be welcomed wholeheartedly. Greenkeepers have been subsidising cheap golf for club members for the last century or more.
Labour is a competitive market – expecting people to work unsociable hours in all weathers for little more than minimum wage is unsustainable. They can earn more and have better conditions in a myriad of other sectors.
Golf needs to get its act together and pay proper professional salaries to the people who maintain courses.
Wow, you really are a grumpy greenkeeper. Head greenkeepers are paid well above national minimum wage and are absolutely not subsidising cheap golf, keeping golf affordable for everyone keeps all golf club staff in employment. A very narrow view you’ve taken there.