A commitment to a more inclusive culture within golf
We at Leek Golf Club call on everyone involved in golf to play their part in developing a culture that values women’s involvement in every aspect of the sport, from participating to pursuing a career.
- Our aim is to increase the number of women and girls playing and working in golf.
- To achieve this goal and to enable women to flourish throughout golf, we recognise the need for a fundamental shift in culture. There is a clear ethical need for change and the potential economic benefits of growing the sport through more women and girls playing are substantial.
- The R&A commits to playing a leading role in this process and to working with affiliates, partners and the wider golf industry towards achieving this goal.
- In signing this Charter, we Leek Golf Club commit to making tangible efforts to develop a welcoming and inspiring environment for women. We will do more to attract women into golf, to remain, and to have rewarding careers.
The Charter:
- Is a statement of intent from the golf industry and Leek Golf Club, to unite and to focus gender balance at all levels.
- Commits us all to supporting measures to increase the number of women, girls and families playing golf.
- Calls for positive action to encourage women to pursue careers in all areas of the sport.
- Recognises the need for change that creates an inclusive environment within golf and our golf club.
Signatories commit to activate this Charter by:
- Developing and implementing an internal strategy for enhancing gender balance at every level.
- Establishing senior management responsibility and accountability for gender balance and inclusion, which is discussed and reviewed at committee/board level with Leek Golf Club.
- Strongly advocating more women and girls playing and working in golf.
- Working with key stakeholders to develop and embed a more inclusive culture.
- Promoting the Charter and our goal of encouraging more women and girls to play golf and work in golf.
How we at Leek Golf Club plan to achieve this:
- Deliver two initiatives annually targeting women/girls and families that are aligned with key England Golf campaigns.
- Promote a membership pathway, for women/girls and families to progress within the club.
- To achieve and maintain 30% female representation on our Board of Directors by actively promoting these positions linked to appropriate role descriptors that are not gender specific.
- Formally promote inclusion to the wider community via the club website, social media accounts and local community groups.
- To meet England Golf’s terms of affiliation.
- Appoint a designated Charter Champion within the club who can assist with the promotion and reporting of the charter.
Signed on Behalf of Leek Golf Club:
Club Chairman: K Hollins
Date: 1st January 2025
Charter Champion: A Broadhurst
Date: 1st January 2025
These objectives will be embedded into the club business/operational plan and reviewed on an annual basis, to ensure that this inclusive commitment remains robust.
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Commitment |
Current Situation |
How this will be achieved |
Date/Progress/Targets/Comments |
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1 |
To implement and deliver a minimum of two initiatives each year targeting women/girls and families with key England Golf campaigns.
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LGC Is committed to the principals embedded in the Women’s Charter and to build on previous work in the Ladies Section on recruitment. 2025 - Currently we have 46 Ladies Members 1 less than 2024, 16 are over the age of 65. 2025 - Currently we have 454 Male members, 8 more than 2024. 79 are over the age of 65. This equates to 9.2% women members at LGC. This is a reduction of 0.33% on 2024 LGC has its own Academy with Junior, silver and gold courses. These are run by LGC’s professional Greg Rogula. 2025 LGC organised 3 three week taster courses for women over May and June 21 ladies attended; 5 joined the academy.
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Welcome all new females and into the club. Promote LGC Academy membership, Pathway and our buddy system. Run 3 free 3 week golf courses with LGC Professional and back it up with further learning with experienced current lady members. At the end of the course invite all taster attendees and Buddies to a 7 hole taster event. Run a Women on Par day for academy and new members. Encourage all lady Members and academy members to attend a rules session given by a lady member. Approach the guardians of our current junior section to promote inclusion of golf activities, at the same time the children are actively involved in their learning. Contact and promote golf to other local organisations/clubs to offer a structured/fun way into golf. Tennis, Cricket, Netball, Hockey, Rugby and offer taster sessions and a short course. |
LGC Adopt positive actions to accept new women members. All Women applying for membership are given priority consideration by management committee and supported to do so by EG Equality and Diversity framework. Legal advice is available if needed from EG in respect of this. All year Marketing – publicise our newly designed leaflet along with promoting the new initiatives on Facebook, Instagram, local paper, radio etc; by March 2026 First of the short courses to be held in April/May 2026. Maximum of 6 to attend each short course. At the end of the course invite all taster attendees and Buddies to a 7 hole taster event. Target 20% to progress from the taster courses into the academy. Run a Women on Par day for academy and new members. Website information being updated to give improved information about Women in Golf at LGC. Closely monitor membership participation, profiles and update main management committee regularly on any significant changes in age and gender profiles. Review at Membership & Marketing Committee on a regular basis. |
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2 |
Promote a membership pathway, for women/girls and families to progress within the club. |
LGC ladies section has started a very friendly ‘buddy’ system to support new members. LGC has developed a new pathway from academy to membership. |
Ensure that the club create and maintain membership categories that enable a transition through the age ranges to full adult membership. LGC needs to get feedback from its new female members after one year’s membership and hear from them what their needs are going forward. Welcome new and experienced lady golfers into LGC highlighting the club’s academy, buddy system, ladies’ section, competitions and benefits of the club. The buddy system will continue and develop by encouraging Ladies to join in with social activities and joining the WhatsApp group already active. All new ladies will be asked if they want one or two named full lady members to be their buddy. Named buddy volunteers to follow the England Golf buddy guidance and have clear roles and responsibilities. Extend the exit questionnaire to all member categories |
In collaboration with EG strategies are being explored to address ways to encourage women into Golf. Speak to ‘newer’ female members and seek feedback on their membership experience, with a phone call after six months and a brief survey after one year. Continue to monitor reasons that female junior members leave the club by regular communication with Junior committee members. Update the buddy register and review roles and responsibilities. 8 buddies in place at LGC, to support new members. Ensure all buddy volunteers are supported and appreciated. |
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3 |
To achieve female representation on our Board of Directors which as a minimum reflects the percentage of female members at LGC, currently standing at 9.2% of members. Moving as female membership increases to the national target of 30% representation.
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Actively promoting these positions linked to appropriate role descriptors that are not gender specific. Our current board consists of 5 elected Directors from full members. Of those 5 Directors in 2023, 5 are male and 0 are female. Our current club council consists of 8 full members, Of those 6 club council members in 2025, 2 are female, achieving 25% of representation. |
Promote female member involvement in Management Committee Sub-Groups and Working Groups through co-option. Thus, building confidence and awareness and building a ‘base’ of potential candidates for election to Management Committee in future years. Use Ladies Section meetings to promote opportunities to stand for the Management Committee. Use club communication to encourage female candidates to stand for the Management Committee. |
LGC Management Committee roles will be held by any members who reflect the skill set for the role including all governance and subcommittee positions. Review numbers after receiving nominations for election in December 2026 against the numbers in Jan 2026 Adjust actions accordingly. |
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4 |
Promote inclusion to the wider community, family and friends via the club website, social media, in the clubhouse and local groups.
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LGC post success stories on social media and website. The Junior Section has also begun to get good coverage in relevant publications in 2025.
4 quiz nights are held throughout the year, Plus special dinners, entertaining and charity events and presentation evenings. |
Increase coverage of the club’s successes through local publications, local social media and other external partners. This will highlight the club’s strengths and all the different sections within which are available to the community. Reintroduce a vibrant social events calendar for members of all ages which they will tell family and friends about. More posts of success are needed from the ladies and junior girls section. Exhaust current member channels. Are all members of a family a member of the golf club. If not, why not? Communicate with all residents local to the Golf Club. |
Building on existing relationship with Midlands Golfer Magazine, Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce and other local groups to help in the promotion of the club.
Run 4 open door initiatives (open to the community) in 2026 such as a family bbq, bring a friend to golf day, a community open day and a non-members Q&A evening. This will allow potential new members to see what the club has to offer and help breakdown any preconceived barriers into golf. |
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5 |
To meet England Golf’s terms of affiliation. |
To retain the Safe Golf accreditation To ensure the club has a suitable Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) policy and it is adhered too. To ensure the club has suitable disciplinary procedures in place.
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The management team at the club has approved all the policies and procedures and communicated the Disciplinary Policy. The policy is displayed on the club website. The ED&I policy is still to be communicated to all Members. The Policy is on the clubs website. All documentation is up to date and has been shared annually with your local England Golf Club Support Officer. We expect to complete in 2026. |
Keep a register of when the key policies and documentation needs to be updated and when key members of staff and volunteers need to undertake relevant training. The club will complete the ED&I checklist in 2026. |
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6 |
Appoint a designated Charter Champion within the club who can assist with the promotion and reporting of the charter. |
To capture and record a baseline of all the key measures we are committing to within the charter including membership data for our club to determine the impact of the charter. |
Formally share progress and updates/changes to the charter with England Golf moving forward. |
To provide annual measures to help determine the impact of the charter. Ask England golf to carry out a ED&I audit at LGC in 2026. |
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To appoint a Charter Champion utilising the role description provided. The champion will be responsible for the promotion, activation and reporting on the progress of the charter.
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The club will formally display the charter commitments internally and externally – noticeboards, website, social media, membership packs and utilise the England Golf press release.
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The Charter Champion to provide England Golf with an annual report on progress on commitments made. The club will formally display the charter commitments internally and externally – noticeboards, website, social media, membership packs and utilise the England Golf press release by 2026 |
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