Opening Golf to the World
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The R&A appoints operating partner to build on Golf It! success
04 Aug 26
4 mins
The R&A has appointed Northwind Leisure Golf as its operating partner for Golf It! to help it build on the success of its first three years in operation.
In 2025 Golf It! programmes delivered a social value of more than £20 million for the local community. The AIG Schools programme has delivered in-curriculum golf to more than 22,000 children since Golf It! opened in 2023, with more than 7,000 children actively engaging with the facility. Golf It! was profitable in 2025 and saw a 5% increase in footfall year-on-year as it has established itself as a popular community golf facility in the north east of Glasgow. Having established itself as a family facility demonstrating The R&A’s purpose to open golf to the world in action, Golf It! now has the opportunity to move on to the next stage of its development working with a specialist golf leisure operator. This will also enable The R&A to focus on the facility’s wider purpose, impact and role as a showcase for how innovative facilities can help catalyse the future growth of the sport. The R&A will retain full ownership of Golf It! and will have oversight of Northwind Leisure Golf’s operations at the facility. Alyson McKechin will continue to lead the team of staff and it will continue to operate under the Golf It! brand.
In 2025 Golf It! programmes delivered a social value of more than £20 million for the local community.
Mark Darbon, Chief Executive of The R&A, said, “We are thrilled with the progress that has been made at Golf It! since it opened in 2023. It has become such an important model for us in demonstrating how an inclusive, community-focused golf facility can introduce more people to the game, support healthier and more active lifestyles, and provide practical insight for national federations and other R&A partners around the world.
“Our new strategy sets out clear objectives for how The R&A can help to bring more people into the sport and that’s where we have to focus our efforts. By partnering with Northwind we can rely on an experienced golf leisure operator to work with Alyson and the Golf It! team on day to day operations and helping it to progress as a business.”
The community, schools and disability programmes that sit at the heart of Golf It!’s impact will continue, supported by The R&A Foundation. Through this partnership, Golf It! will continue to demonstrate how golf can help tackle some of society’s biggest challenges and how inclusive facilities can inspire participation, wellbeing and social impact.
Golf It! also supports regular women’s and girls’ programmes, disability golf activity and a greenkeeping apprenticeship pathway.
Northwind Leisure Golf Ltd trades as Great Western Golf, which operates a large golf facility in Clydebank, including golf, football, padel tennis, physio and café facilities. Northwind also owns and operates 43 Goals football centres and four Soccerworld facilities throughout the UK.
Barry McDermott, Managing Director of Northwind Leisure Golf, said, “We are delighted to be partnering with The R&A on Golf It! and are looking forward to working with Alyson and the team as we help the business to develop and cement its position as one of the UK’s leading community golf facilities.”