Lancaster Golf Club misses out on national award

It was one of four shortlisted for the club of the year honour at the 2023 England Golf Awards.

Thursday night’s ceremony in Manchester saw the prize given to Suffolk-based Seckford Golf Club, which also saw off the challenge of Brailsford Golf Course (Derbyshire) and Letchworth Golf Club (Hertfordshire).

Announcing Seckford’s victory, an England Golf statement said: “The Suffolk club is a members’ owned, leased club that has recovered from the brink of bankruptcy in January 2020 to become the beating heart of its local community and is now looking ahead to a bright future.

“To encourage golfers of the future, the club run a flexible membership programme for those who cannot commit to playing enough golf to warrant a traditional, annual membership.

“By running an inclusive club which values all members, Seckford are finding financial advantages to help them grow in future years and their positive ethos is supported and welcomed by its’ membership.

“The club also runs hugely successful Dementia Golf days which began in 2022, providing access to the course and practice facilities for local people living with the illness and helping them to find joy in difficult times.

“Away from the course, the club’s bar and restaurant areas have been completely refurbished over the last two years to provide an excellent environment for both golfing and non-golfing social functions and 50 per cent of their trade comes from non-members.”

For its part, Lancaster had been nominated for a women’s section with more than 150 members, the formation of a new committee to represent the junior section, a 2022 membership retention rate of 93 per cent, a complete club rebrand and a partnership with the Lancaster and District Chamber of Commerce to increase their growing and modernising profile.

England Golf CEO, Jeremy Tomlinson, said: "It has been an honour and privilege to welcome everyone to the Hilton Manchester Deansgate to celebrate the exceptional contributions of so many wonderful people to golf in England.

“We received some fantastic nominations for clubs, volunteers and individuals across the country and we’d like to congratulate all of our finalists, and of course, our winners.”