UK GOLF clubs are finally starting to respect the laws of the land, claims the National Golf Clubs’ Advisory Association (NGCAA), which gives advice to clubs about all aspects of UK law.

NGCAA Secretary Michael Shaw

“Most clubs have finally come out of their ivory towers – many screaming and kicking along the way – and realised they aren’t exempt from the regular laws of the land,” says Michael Shaw from the NGCAA.

“The past decade has seen the non-stop introduction of new legislation – covering employment, licensing, boundary disputes, personal injury claims, negligence and financial regulation.  All of these issues affect the day to day running of clubs, who’ve finally been forced to sit up and take notice.”

Shaw says that questions about employment law, discipline and constitutional issues are the most common but that queries about licensing are currently on the increase because of the imminent introduction of the Licensing Act. 

He anticipates a flood of enquiries because of changes to disability legislation and believes that proposals to introduce a Corporate Manslaughter Bill will have to be monitored closely so that clubs and their committees can be advised about how to minimise the risk of criminal prosecution.

“Ironically, the compensation culture has had a positive effect on clubs.  Many are now worried about facing massive claims, so they tend to contact us at the first sign of a problem, rather than trying to tackle an issue themselves like they would have done once.  This helps reduce the chances of litigation significantly, which is in everyone’s interests.”

For information about the NGCAA contact
Michael Shaw on 01684 311353.

Website: www.ngcaa.org.uk  Email: enquiries@ngcaa.org.uk