England Golf Non-Member Handicap Scheme Reaches 25,000 Subscribers

The iGolf platform, which allows non-golf club members to gain an official handicap, has attracted 25,000 subscribers in its first year, according to England Golf.

On the first anniversary of the initiative, England Golf confirmed it had hit its year one subscriber target, with 1,440 going on to join a club, satisfying one of aims of the system, to convert those who gain an official WHS Handicap Index into fully fledged club members. 

England Golf CEO, Jeremy Tomlinson, said: “This first year has been a fantastic success for the iGolf platform. Hitting our ambitious target of 25,000 subscribers in 12 months is a testament to the great work the whole team has put in and confirms our belief in engaging with the independent golfer community. We’re really pleased to be providing an excellent service that is clearly in demand.”

England Golf carried out a survey in March that showed 57% of iGolfers stated they have played or intend to play more golf since subscribing, with 60% admitting they are considering joining a club in the future and 77% very likely or extremely likely to renew their iGolf subscription. A massive 98% of iGolfers are completing 18-hole rounds, with 70% regularly using the driving range.

Golf club membership has grown 14% since February 2021, up 90,000 to 737,000, with iGolfers submitting over 186,000 general play scores.

“The data we have gathered shows that iGolfers have been encouraged to play more golf since subscribing, which is the primary aim of the initiative, and something that we feel will have a positive impact on the entire golf community,” added Tomlinson. “Couple this with the fact that we have already seen subscribers move into club membership, it’s clear that iGolf has had a very successful inaugural year.”

Heading into year two, England Golf is set to increase the benefits available to new iGolf subscribers, with additional offers and opportunities for existing iGolfers, plus enhancements to the functionality and user experience. It costs £40 a year to subscribe to iGolf, but anyone interested in trying out the platform can get a free 30-day-trial and start the journey towards getting an official handicap.