GolfPlus July 2018 Digital Edition (July 2018) | Page 37

Funding for national associations to attract
women and girls into golf
The R&A is continuing its commitment to increase participation
in golf among women and girls by providing funding to support
the appointment of new development managers in Australia,
England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
orking with its af¿ liates around the world to enhance
golf’s appeal, the investment forms part of the
governing body’s drive to encourage more women,
girls and families to play golf more regularly across
the globe and to go on to become members of golf clubs. An initial
three-year funding package of £75,000 per nation has been agreed
between The R&A, Golf Australia, England Golf, the Gol¿ ng Union of
Ireland / the Irish Ladies’ Golf Union, Scottish Golf and Wales Golf for
the recruitment and appointment of experienced sports development
staff. The appointees will all work in partnership with golf’s various
stakeholders to deliver innovative solutions and inspiring campaigns
to boost participation at a time when more women are seeking an
active lifestyle for both themselves and their families.
Great Britain and Ireland International Maria Dunne has taken
up the post in Ireland, with England Golf appointing Lucy Blakey, a
former Project Of¿ cer with Lincolnshire County Sports Partnership.
Wales Golf has appointed Simon Lu who joins from Race Equality
First, while Scottish Golf has employed Carol Harvey, previously a
Regional Development Of¿ cer with Netball Scotland.
Meantime, Chyloe Kurdas has been appointed to the position at
Golf Australia, with her most recent role being AFL Victoria Female
Football Development Manager.
Duncan Weir, Executive Director – Golf Development at The
R&A, said, “Women and girls continue to be an under-represented
group throughout golf across the world and more work needs to be
done to attract more of them into the sport at a time when we need to
boost participation levels. “We believe that there is a real opportunity,
working with our af¿ liates, to develop inclusive and inspiring
participation initiatives which show that golf is a fun and enjoyable
leisure activity that can provide many social and health bene¿ ts for
women and families.” A recent research report commissioned by The
R&A demonstrates that a signi¿ cant growth opportunity exists for golf
if it can attract more women, girls and families into playing the sport
more often.
The R&A Golf Club announces Chris Hilton as Captain for 2018/19
he Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews has announced
that Chris Hilton will serve as Captain in 2018/19. Mr Hilton
has been nominated as Captain by the past Captains of the
Club and will begin his year in of¿ ce with the traditional
driving-in ceremony on the ¿ rst tee of the Old Course on 21 September
2018. A renowned lawyer Mr. Hilton was a board member throughout
the establishment of what is now the global ¿ rm Eversheds Sutherland,
leading its early international development and heading its shipping law
department until his retirement in 2010. As a result, he has spent much
of his adult life travelling around the world. Mr. Hilton has held various
non-executive roles, including serving as vice-chairman of the Council
of Newcastle University, where he received an honorary fellowship,
and was chairman of Newcastle Building Society. He is currently a
director of a Luxembourg-regulated marine insurance company and of
a Cardiff-based ship owning company with a signi¿ cant presence in
China. He also chairs a board of pension scheme trustees. Mr. Hilton
became a member of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews
in 2000 and chaired the Rules Committee from 2011 to 2015 when
he played an important role in developing the Rules Modernization
initiative with the USGA with the revised Rules of Golf set to take
effect on 1 January 2019.
He is currently a member of the
General Committee. Following in the
footsteps of his father and grandfather,
Mr. Hilton is a past Captain of his
home club, The Northumberland, and
is a member of The Golf House Club,
Elie, the New Club of St Andrews and
Bamburgh Castle Golf Club. He is
also a member of the Senior Golfers’
Society and has served as the Captain
and President of the Quayside Gol¿ ng
Society, which celebrated its centenary
in 2010. Born in Newcastle-upon-
Tyne, where he has been based for most of his life, Mr. Hilton was
educated at Fettes College, Cambridge University and, as a Rotary
Foundation scholar at Adelaide University.
He is a Deputy Lieutenant of Tyne and Wear. Aged 68, Mr. Hilton
is married to Liz, and has a son, Michael, and a daughter, Caroline,
who resides in Auckland, New Zealand. An avid golfer, Mr. Hilton
plays to a handicap of eight and he and his wife enjoy regular visits to
St Andrews where they own a property.
GolfPlus
JULY
2018
43