News

Matfen Hall opens its new 18-hole championship course, The Douglas.

The number of golf rounds played per course across Great Britain saw a large year-on-year decline in the opening quarter of 2026 according to new data, but it was still up on 2024 and participation levels are very strong at the moment.

The Professional Golfers’ Association of Great Britain & Ireland has appointed Nicholas Oakley as its next chief executive.

La Grande Mare in Guernsey has said it will open its redesigned 18-hole pay-and-play course in August, with greens built to the same specification as Adare Manor and green fees of £200 per round.

Duddingston Golf Club in the Lothians has appointed David MacMullen as its new head professional, and he will work alongside assistant professional Katie Graham.

Newark Golf Club celebrated its 125th anniversary with the Handigolf National Championship, school coaching sessions for more than 30 children and a first visit to the course from the local mayor – all played out in torrential rain.

The Golf Course Association Europe (GCAE) has appointed former Burhill Group CEO Colin Mayes as president for a two-year term.

Essex venue Golf Kingdom, which was acquired by Blackedge Golf and British Ensign Golf less than a year ago, has relaunched under the new name Whalebone Golf Club – positioning itself as a barrier-free, community-led club where dress codes and gatekeeping have no place.

In Great Britain and Ireland, membership of golf clubs dropped to a low of just over a million in 2019. That figure now stands at 1.35 million – the highest it’s been since 2010, according to new R&A figures.

Two golfing friends have both hit a hole-in-one on the same hole while playing together at Royal Liverpool Golf Club.

One of the oldest golf clubs in England is to have its clubhouse demolished and housing will be built where it currently resides.  

The Belfry has unveiled a dramatic redesign of its Derby golf course, transforming it into a heathland layout with 60 new white sand bunkers, raised tees and three signature holes – completing a trio of distinct experiences alongside the Brabazon and PGA National.

A record number of Scottish golf clubs have enrolled in Scottish Golf’s 2026 junior programmes, with GolfSixes participation rising to 169 clubs and new funding streams supporting women’s and girls’ activity across the country.

Tom Mead and Ben Hall claimed the Professionals’ and Assistant Professionals’ Championship titles respectively as Foremost Golf’s annual Championship Week delivered competition, networking and more than £4,000 raised for charity.

A neuroscientist says new research shows the abdominal muscle movements involved in swinging a golf club drive cerebrospinal fluid flow in the brain, which, mixed with walking, could potentially protect against dementia.

A new survey has found that the modern golf traveller is increasingly choosing destinations on the strength of their wider lifestyle offering – with food, wellness and cultural experiences now rivalling course quality as key booking drivers.

The TGI Golf partnership has launched the TGI Golf app, giving partners access to a wide range of business tools and insight while on the move.

A Dubai-based company, which recently acquired Old Thorns and Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere, has now taken on Breadsall Priory, St Pierre and Tudor Park in a major industry deal.

Prince’s Golf Club has unveiled The Laddie, a new championship composite course drawing the best holes from its three nines, named in honour of celebrated amateur golfer and RAF pilot P B “Laddie” Lucas.

Kawana Hotel – Fuji Course is now available on the Toptracer platform at golf ranges around the world.

The Mount Golf & Country Club has unveiled a premium four-court padel facility as part of a £500,000 investment, alongside £150,000 in drainage and £200,000 in changing facilities, as the Wolverhampton club pushes to become a leading Midlands leisure destination.

The largest golf course operator in Portugal, Details – Hospitality, Sports, Leisure, has taken over the running of Donnafugata Golf Resort & Spa in Italy – the company’s first project outside of Portugal.

Moray Golf Club’s John Murray takes the top prize as Foremost Golf names its 2025 Member Awards winners – recognising outstanding performance across retail, marketing and business management at clubs across the UK.

The 18-hole golf course at Gatton Manor Hotel & Country Club in Surrey is to permanently close after nearly six decades of uninterrupted play.

A comprehensive new report from The R&A has set out the strongest case yet for golf as a health-enhancing activity, citing evidence that golfers live on average five years longer than non-golfers and that the sport can help prevent and treat more than 40 major chronic diseases.

A new 12-hole golf venue featuring a driving range, padel and pickleball courts and modern hospitality with eco-cabin stays is to open in the South Downs this June.

The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews has announced that Claire Dowling will serve as captain in 2026/27, the first time a woman has been appointed to the role since the club was founded in 1754.