You may have heard the term Charter Champion but what is it and could it be a role for you?
Has your golf club signed the R&A Women in Golf Charter or is looking to get involved? To help the process run smoothly before and after signing the Charter it is recommended that each golf club assigns a Charter Champion. This individual will be able to work with the golf club in signing up to the charter and submitting the club’s Charter commitments.
The Charter Champion role should not be viewed as someone working on their own, they will need the support of the golf club, management and committees, as well as other club volunteers to make sure that the Charter signatory process runs smoothly and that the club is able to meet their Charter commitments.
Voluntary roles within golf clubs can often be hard to fill. So, we thought it would be good to set out exactly what the role of the Women in Golf Charter Champion is and why you may want to consider taking on the role at your golf club.
What is a Charter Champion?
The R&A recommends that each golf club appoints a Charter Champion. This is someone who has the responsibility to facilitate and co-ordinate the integration of the Women in Golf Charter within the golf club. They would also be the key point of contact with the R&A and their national golf association and would drive the #FOREeveryone activity.
Could I be a Charter Champion?
The role of Charter Champion is really open to anyone at the golf club who has a passion and interest in growing women and girls golf, potentially helping to change and challenge the culture at the golf club.
Those suitable for the role could be male or female club officials, maybe junior or ladies’ organisers, club secretaries, even the club PGA Professional. The role is not limited to these positions though and is open to anyone within the golf club. Maybe you’re already active in helping to drive the club’s women and girls’ strategy.
The Charter Champion is provided with materials from the R&A within the #FOREeveryone toolkit which will help with ideas and they will also be invited to feeback to the R&A and their national golf association. This gives the opportunity to share success stories and learnings which other golf clubs and champions could benefit from and help them implement similar strategies.
What does a perfect Charter Champion look like?
Here’s what the R&A state within their #FOREeveryone campaign material:
- A great communicator with strong organisational skills
- Reliable and has time to commit to building a programme for beginners
- Comfortable making newcomers feel right at home and able to connect new groups of people
- A strong team worker, who can unite the club behind a single objective – get more women and girls playing golf
The Role of Charter Champion
- Dedicated person responsible for implementing a golf club’s or facilities’ Women in Golf Charter commitments
- A responsible individual who can own and drive the women and girls’ strategy
- A new role to facilitate the increase in activity required to attract more women and girls through new events and coaching pathways
- Singular contact for all enquiries, someone to own communications relating to women and girls
- Work with the R&A and the national golf associations to apply best practice within women and girls programmes
- Communicate the golf club’s positive actions via the golf club’s own communication channels and with external media sources
- Be the driving force behind changing the culture of the golf club and enhancing gender balance to safeguard the game for the future
If the idea of being a Charter Champion seems too much to take on then don’t forget that no participation programme can exist without a willing and active group of volunteers. Plus, your club may be running a buddy system, where you can buddy-up to help new members integrate into club life.
To find out more information about the Women in Golf Charter please visit the R&A website here and to get involved with the #FOREeveryone campaign visit the designated campaign website here.
