Unification Working Group

FAQ’s October 2025

An Introduction to Unification

You may have become aware of the discussions being undertaken to possibly unify the Warwickshire Ladies County Golf Association (WLCGA) and the Warwickshire Union of Golf Clubs (WGU), into one unified body to be known as Warwickshire Golf. A working group with three members from each organisation and a representative from England Golf, was set up to explore the possibility of unification and have recommended to their respective boards that unification is the right way forward for the golfers of Warwickshire and both boards have endorsed this recommendation.

At your home club it will be business as usual in that you can still enjoy playing golf in the same way with your friends in a casual round and entering club competitions as you do now.
At County level you may notice some differences. Such things as an integrated Warwickshire Golf website, which will deliver improved communications. You will have access to a county diary with online booking for county competitions, news updates, newsletters and competition and match results.
With such a busy unified county diary you may notice some date changes to some events, and we may in the future run male and female events concurrently with male and female officers and volunteers running the events. This may well provide the opportunity to run mixed events moving forward also.
The men’s/boys and ladies/girl’s teams will have the same branded Warwickshire Golf kit moving forward.
With one unified body future AGM’s, EGM’s and General Meetings can be attended by both male and female affiliated members. The Warwickshire Golf board of directors will initially be made up from the existing boards of the Warwickshire Ladies County Golf Association (WLCGA) and the Warwickshire Union of Golf Clubs (WGU). The board of directors of Warwickshire Golf and staff will be responsible for the running of golf and its development.
Legal advice has been sought and the recommendation that the Ladies Association will merge with the Union to form one unified body, Warwickshire Golf. (Subject to approval at the WLCGA AGM in November).

The new body’s Articles of Association will mandate that at least one third of the board must be male and at least one third of the board must be female. The number of directors may rise in the future as the workload and strategy are put in place.

A Nominations Committee will be established to select potential new board members with relevant skills. After formation, a regular programme of reappointment will be maintained.

Yes, the new unified county will still have a President.

The reserves and assets from each of the WLCGA and the WGU will be merged into Warwickshire Golf. Assets and future income will be appropriately used to ensure we promote and develop the game of golf within the county moving forward. The expectations from our governing bodies, such as the R&A and England Golf, places a far greater onus on our organisations to be in control of our governance and legal frameworks.

The WGU currently operates with one full time member of staff. The WLCGA is entirely voluntary. It is anticipated that the combined workload of the unified body will require increased staffing to allow for efficient running of Warwickshire Golf. The number of paid employees is still to be confirmed, but will cover management of county operations, golf development and administrative support.

There is a likelihood that affiliation fees will rise in the future. However, any rise will be properly costed but the affiliation fee still represents excellent value for money with members benefitting from the county card scheme, competitions, championships and the ongoing development of the game.

England Golf supply a template, and we also get advice from our County Support Officer who sits on our unification working group committee.
We have sought advice from counties who have unified, including Kent, Devon, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire and Derbyshire. Lancashire and Cheshire have most recently become unified counties. Essex plan to unify in November and Cornwall early next year.
England Golf will also be providing some funding once unification is completed.

Warwickshire Golf will be committed to following the guidance as directed by the England Golf sustainability policy.

We will operate as one organisation under the new Articles of Association, ensuring professionalism, fairness, and a commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion in all Warwickshire Golf activities.
The WLCGA and WGU already work closely together on Safeguarding, Course Rating, Refereeing, Junior Competitions and the maintenance of WHS. Unification will facilitate many more joint ventures.

Subject to unification approval at the Ladies AGM in November, it is proposed to hold roadshows around the county to fully explain our plans and timescale moving forward

This questions and answers document is recommended to be read in conjunction with our Benefits to Unification document.