Gloucestershire Golf Union
Gloucestershire Golf Union Limited - Message from the Chairman
NEW YEARS MESSAGE FROM MARK POWELL, CHAIRMAN
I write this note on a very cold winters morning, with the flags on temporary greens but already looking forward to a very exciting golfing year ahead.
On the 1st of January 2026 GGU became Gloucestershire Golf Union Limited, as we incorporated.
Gloucestershire Golf Union was formed on the 31st of January 1906, after a suggestion from the Honourable Secretary of Gloucester Golf Club (H W Grimes), with the original members Cheltenham, Minchinhampton, Gloucester, Rodway Hill, Stinchcombe Hill, Henbury, Sapperton Park (to become Cirencester), Clifton Downs, Wotton-under-Edge, Churchdown and Cotswold Hills. The Alveston Club, although not represented, had intimated its intention of joining the Union if formed, as did Badminton.
Over the past, nearly, 120 years the Union has gone from strength to strength representing male golfers in the county and promoting the game of golf, whilst being the link to South West and England Golf.
Incorporation will allow us to assure the County for the modern era and pave the way for the next stage of our development.
I would like to thank Dean Newbold for all his hard work with Brabners, our solicitors in getting us to this stage, a monumental effort.
In addition to the above, then 2025 was an incredible year for Golf in Gloucestershire.
We won the SW u14/u16 Championship and the SWCGA Amateur Team Championship and Matchplay Championship, qualifying for the EG English Men’s County Championship (for the 6th time in the past 7 years!), as well as winning The Channel League. In addition, we have the SW u14 Amateur Champion (Jack Lockwood B&C), SW u16 Amateur Champion (Felix Chippendale Cirencester), SW Youths Champion (Milan Reed Long Ashton) SW Amateur Champion (Milan Reed Long Ashton) and the SW Seniors Amateur Champion (Matt Stanford The Players), with a runner up place in the SW u18 Amateur Championship (Ambrose Eaves Broadway).
Jaxson Perry (The Kendleshire) and Felix Chippendale (Cirencester) both won England Schools Caps.
On the domestic front, then we ran a full County Championship schedule, with a very successful new event, Gloucestershire County Handicap Championship at Minchinhampton, open to all handicap golfers in the County and finished a busy season with the West of England u16 Championship (which attracts all the top u16 Boy and Girl golfers from across the Country, now one of the premier u16 events in England, something that Ken Newman would have been very proud of when he donated the trophy) and then our Finals Day, again a very successful event for our Club members – something for all our golfers in Gloucestershire to compete in and be proud of.
Our Partnership with the Ladies via the Gloucestershire Golf Partnership goes from strength to strength, thanks to our County Development Officer Debbie Casling, this year supporting over 130 juniors (12 Squads) via The County Academy Programme, supporting Para Golf, BroProject (supporting men’s mental health through sport and physical activity), Gloucestershire Golf Clare Lipscombe Defibrillator Project, work with The Golf Foundation and supporting many clubs via Innovation and Sustainability funding, along with many other initiatives/grants awarded.
Looking forward, then we have just announced a Brand Partnership agreement with the DP World Tour, who have recognised our talent pathway and specifically our two historic and developmental Order of Merits, The Jeff Hall Trophy and The Duchess Salver.
This in addition to the first County Player App (bringing together all the relevant Playing and Coaching information into one place on the players phone), expanding out into a new County u12 Championship and with several other exciting innovations to come.
It really is a pleasure to be able to lead GGU into this exciting new period, as we firmly establish ourselves as one of the premier Golfing Counties in England (I would say the best, but I am biased!).
A huge thank you to all our clubs and members, along with the vast number of volunteers and excellent staff we have for everything they continue to do for Golf in Gloucestershire.
I wish you and your families a very happy and prosperous New Year.
Happy Golfing!
Mark
Chairman
Gloucestershire Golf Union Limited
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