Stumble Upon

del.icio.us

Digg

Facebook

Print

Email

speakup

KINGS COUNTY -

The New Brunswick Golf Association has introduced the Public Player Program, which is part of a larger initiative known as the National Public Player Program, launched jointly in 2007 by the Royal Canadian Golf Association and participating provincial golf associations.

New Brunswick becomes the eighth province to offer a public player program, joining Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia.

With the introduction of the NBGA Public Player Program, golfers can now join the NBGA as individuals. This can happen in two ways. First, players will be able to register for the Public Player Program directly through the NBGA at a cost of $30 plus HST.

As a second option, participating NBGA member golf clubs will be offering five-round public player packages that will include five rounds of golf at the participating course and an NBGA public player membership. The selling price for these five-round packages will be set by each participating club.

NBGA public player members are considered full members of the association, with all privileges of traditional members. Public player members will be able to keep a handicap, to be housed on the RCGA network and managed by NBGA. This allows public player members to compete in NBGA provincial championships, and in invitational member club events at the discretion of the host club. The only restriction for public player members is that they will not be granted access to NBGA provincial championships should the event fill with category one members of the association (members at member clubs).

"We are excited to augment our membership structure with this new program," NBGA executive director Pierre Arsenault said.

"As the game continues to evolve, it's clear that throughout Canada and certainly here in New Brunswick, more and more players are choosing to play as green fee players rather than as members at golf clubs. It was important for the association to find a way to encourage and embrace this new form of growth in the game."

Arsenault added, "We have enjoyed the wonderful support of our member clubs for over 70 years now. With the introduction of a public player program, it was very important for us to come up with a model that protected and respected these relationships with our clubs.

"For the NBGA, the most rewarding part of this initiative is that we feel we have a model that allows our member clubs to be real partners in this new program."

In its first year of existence, there were 8,163 members in the National Public Player Program. The RCGA and participating provinces are optimistic that there will be continued growth in the program for 2008.

As for New Brunswick, there were approximately 13,800 members of the New Brunswick Golf Association in 2007. The RCGA's 2006 Golf Participation Study, completed in association with Ipsos Read, reported approximately 147,000 golfers in New Brunswick.

Golfers wishing to find out more information on the NBGA Public Player Program should contact the NBGA office at (506) 451-1324 or nbgolf@nbnet.nb.ca.