Membership

BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP
Online Information Library
Advice, templates and information documents covering all areas of golf club management.

Golf Management Helpdesk
An online helpdesk staffed by industry experts to swiftly answer your golf club management questions
Networking
Invaluable regional and national networking opportunities with other industry professionals, Club Managers and organisations.

Professional Development
Progressive, industry specific education programmes, including residential and online education and development services and our new, dedicated online CPD learning platform.

Personal Development and Well Being
Access to the GCMA INSPIRE series and our online wellbeing and personal development toolkits and learning modules.

Webinars
Online presentations and interactive workshops delivered by industry experts and guest speakers.

Qualification
Access to the nationally accredited Diploma in Golf Club Management – the only industry specific qualification of its kind.

e-Magazine
Subscription to our monthly journal, The Golf Club Manager.

Weekly e-newsletter
Keeping you up to date with all the latest news and advice within the industry.

Exclusive Golf Competitions and Events
The opportunity to represent the association in regional and international matches.

The GCMA Annual Conference
Invitation to attend the annual GCMA conference

Club Management Awards
Recognising outstanding performances amongst GCMA members.

Retail discounts
Access to discounts and special offers from thousands of retail and service providers through our dedicated online platform.

ONLINE CPD Learning Platform is only available to Full and Affiliate Members  
Helpdesk is only available to Full Members
Employment Law Helpline is only available to Full Members
Some Webinars and other Education opportunities where limited numbers apply will only be made available to Full Members

Please go to
https://www.gcma.org.uk/join/
for online Membership form

Regional Membership is available once you have joined the GCMA.  Head Office advise the Regional Manager and we will then send you a regional application form to complete.

GOLF CLUB MANAGERS' ASSOCIATION
LONDON & HOME COUNTIES REGION
CONSTITUTION
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 In these rules :
1.2 the “Region” means The Golf Club Managers’ Association- London and Home Counties Region.
1.3 the “rules” means the rules of the Region.
1.4 “members” means current members of the Region.
1.5 the “Association” means the “Golf Club Managers’ Association”
1.6 the “Committee” means the Regional Committee as defined in rule 5 herein.
1.7 the “Manager” means the Regional Manager
1.8 The “Immediate Past Captain” shall mean the Captain of the Region whose term of office immediately succeeded that of the current Captain of the region.

2. THE REGION
   2.1 The Region shall be called "GOLF CLUB MANAGERS’ ASSOCIATION (GCMA) - LONDON AND HOME COUNTIES REGION".
   2.2 The Region will primarily serve members from clubs within the Region’s borders as defined by the National Association
3. OBJECTIVE
   3.1 To meet on various occasions and at least twice annually to provide the opportunity for members of the Region to discuss and exchange ideas on club management and other business related matters of mutual interest to members with the object of education and promoting better work understandings.
   3.2 To provide the opportunity to play golf, enhance professional working relationships and exchange views and obtain advice.
   3.3 To participate in annual golf competitions and fixtures arranged by the region and co- operating golf venues.
   4.  MEMBERSHIP
   4.1 Membership of the Region shall be confined to persons who are members of the Association, having qualified under the Rules of the Association.  In addition the Secretaries of Golfing Unions domiciled within the Region may be granted membership so long as they hold office.
   4.2 Candidates having duly applied for membership of the Association may, during their waiting period for acceptance, attend Regional meetings as a guest of the Region, but are not eligible to vote at any meeting or to take prizes at any golf competition of the Region.
   4.3 The Region shall consider the election of Honorary Life Members as appropriate and shall nominate such Members for election at the AGM.
   4.4        Honorary Life Membership is not transferrable to another region.

4.5        Any Member intending to resign shall give notice in writing to the Regional Manager by 31st December.

4.6 Members shall be deemed to have resigned from the Region should they fail to pay their subscription by the due date or should they cease to be members of the National Association.

4.7 Members by joining the Region will be deemed to have accepted the Rules and Bye-laws of the Region.

5.  EQUALITY
5.1 The Region, in common with the Association, are fully committed to supporting the principle and practice of equality of opportunity. No Member should receive less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, gender, disability, race, parental or marital status, pregnancy, religion or belief, sexual orientation or gender reassignment or should be disadvantaged by conditions or requirements that cannot be shown to be relevant to performance.
6. MANAGEMENT OF THE REGION
6.1 There shall be a Regional Committee which shall consist of 5 “elected members” who shall be the Captain, Vice-Captain, Immediate Past Captain, Regional Manager, and one other Member of the region (the “Member representative”).
6.2 The Immediate Past Captain and Member Representative shall serve for one year (or greater if agreed by the region) after which they may offer themselves for re-election at the AGM.
6.3 In the event of a vacancy arising during the year between AGM’s on the Regional Committee, the Committee, may, at their discretion, co-opt replacement/additional members of the Region to sit on the Committee, who will serve until the following AGM when they may seek election in the prescribed manner.
6.4 The Committee shall meet a minimum of three times a year at approximately four monthly intervals with a minimum of three Committee Members required to form a quorum.

6.5 The Captain, or in their absence the Vice-Captain, shall chair all meetings of the Committee.

6.6 Decisions taken will be by simple majority of those Committee Members present, and will be minuted by the Regional Manager. In the event of the failure to reach a clear decision there shall be no casting votes.
7. DATA PROTECTION
7.1 The Region collects and maintains personal information in order to carry out its functions as a Region of the National Association, provide membership services and comply with certain statutory obligations. All personal information is treated with the utmost confidentiality and with appropriate levels of security in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998
8. CAPTAIN OF THE REGION
The Captain of the Region:
a. Shall be a member of the Region.
b. Shall be elected to office at the Annual General Meeting.
c. Their term of office shall be for 12 months from the Annual General Meeting at which they were elected.
d. They shall be nominated by the Regional Committee.
9. VICE CAPTAIN
The Vice-Captain of the Region:
a. Shall be a member of the Region.
b. Shall be elected to office at the Annual General Meeting.
c. Their term of office shall be for 12 months from the Annual General Meeting at which they were elected.
d. They shall be nominated and proposed by the reigning Captain
10. REGIONAL MANAGER
The Regional Manager :
a. Shall be a member of the Region
b. Shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting.  Nominations for this office are to be submitted to the Captain at least 21 days prior to the Annual General Meeting. There shall be no restriction of the number of years the Regional Manager may serve.
c. The Regional Manager shall convene a meeting of the Committee at least three times per year.
d. The Regional Manager is responsible for:
i. Preparing and maintaining Annual accounts for the Region which shall be signed by either the Captain or the Immediate Past Captain and thereafter within 30 days a copy of the balance sheet will be forwarded, for filing purposes, to the Association.
ii. Making all payments on behalf of the Region.
iii. Maintaining a bank account in the name of the region.
iv. Taking minutes of all meetings and committee meetings and distributing them as appropriate after such meetings.
v. Arranging annual fixtures.
vi. The Regional Manager, shall attend National Committee Meetings and the National Conference as representative of the Region.
vii. The Regional Manager shall receive an annual honorarium which shall be determined by the Committee.
viii. The regional Manager shall be reimbursed for all reasonable travel and subsistence expenses.
ix. The Region shall pay for the Regional Manager’s National and Regional GCMA subscription.

11. MEMBER REPRESENTATIVE
    11.1 Any two Members of the region of at least 3 years’ standing may nominate a Member of the region to serve on the Committee as the “Member Representative” having previously received the consent of that Member. The name of each Member nominated, with the names of their proposer and seconder, must be sent to the Regional Manager in writing not less than 21 days before the date of the Annual General meeting.
    11.2 The Position will be for a period of three years.
    11.3 A list of all those nominated shall be sent to all Members not less than 14 days before the Annual General Meeting.
    11.4 If the number of nominations received for any position exceed the vacancies to be filled, voting lists containing the names of all nominated candidates shall be sent by post or email to every Member not less than 14 days before the date appointed for the Annual General meeting. To be valid voting lists shall be returned to the Regional manager at least 24 hour before the time appointed for the Annual General Meeting.
    11.5 The Regional Manager shall announce at the Annual General Meeting the name of the candidate who has received the greatest number of votes and that person shall thereby be elected to the Committee.
    11.6 In the case that no Member is nominated, the remaining elected members of the Committee shall have the power to appoint the Member Representative.
12. CHAIRMAN
    12.1 The Captain shall chair regional and general meetings.  In their absence the Vice-Captain will act as Chairman and in their absence the Immediate Past Captain.  In exceptional circumstances in the absence of all three of the aforementioned the Chairman may be nominated from those members present.  However, there must be at least 15 members present to form a quorum.
13. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
    a. The Annual General Meeting shall be held annually.
    b. A minimum of 28 days’ notice of such meeting shall be given in writing to every member, stating the date, time and place of the meeting and the general nature of the business to be conducted.
    c. The purpose of the meeting shall be to elect the Regional Officers, receive the financial statement of accounts, set subscriptions for the next year and vote on resolutions received.
    d. Any resolutions to be put before the meeting must be notified in writing to the Regional Manager at least 21 days prior to the Meeting and details of such resolution shall be given in writing to every member at least 14 days prior to the meeting.
    e. Voting will be by simple majority.
    f. All members of the region are entitled to vote at General Meetings.
    g. The Committee may, upon giving at least 28 days’ notice, call an Extraordinary General meeting, and shall be bound to do so on receiving a requisition signed by at least 15 members of the Region stating the purpose for which they desire the meeting to be called and the requisition to be put to the meeting.
14. SUBSCRIPTIONS
    14.1 The Annual Subscription for the Region is determined by The Directors of the Association  on a National Basis.

15. RULES, REGULATIONS & BYE-LAWS
    15.1 No Rule of the Region shall be repealed or altered and no new rule shall be    introduced unless voted upon and agreed made save by 75% of all the Members present in person at a General Meeting of the Region.
    15.2 Notice in writing of the intention to propose a new rule or alteration, with particulars thereof, shall be placed in writing to the Regional Manager at least twenty-one (21) days prior to a General Meeting of the Region.
    15.3 All Members shall be bound to submit to the Rules and Regulations and Bye-Laws of the Region and shall accept as final the Committee's interpretation thereof and decisions thereon.
    15.4 The Committee is empowered to make, repeal and amend from time to time such Bye-Laws as they may consider necessary for the administration of the Region. These shall be binding on Members until set aside by a General Meeting of the Region.
    15.5 No Rule of the Region shall contradict a National Association Rule.

16. TROPHIES        
    All trophies presented to the Region shall be the property of the Region and be played for annually.

17. REPRESENTATION IN NATIONAL EVENTS
    a. Members of the Region may qualify as either a representative for this Region, or as an individual, for the various sponsored competitions that may be held from time to time. The rules covering that particular competition shall determine such qualifying requirements.
    b. Only serving Secretaries may qualify.
    c. Individuals must nominate their home Region and may only qualify through that Region's qualifying event.

18. MATCHES AGAINST OTHER REGIONS
    18.1 The Region holds a number of annual matches, dates and venues to be determined by consultation between the appropriate Regional Managers.  Volunteers to play in these matches will be called for by the Captain.
19. WINDING UP
    18.1 If the Region is wound up or dissolved and after settling all liabilities and debts of the Region, the Committee shall dispose of the net assets remaining to the remaining regions of the Association which share a geographical boundary with the Region.
20. NOTICES
    20.1 Any notice that is required to be served in writing may be served either personally or by sending it through the post in a prepaid first class letter addressed to such member at their address or by email to the email address of such member as notified to the Regional Manager.
    20.2 Any notice served by post shall be deemed to have been served 48 hours after it was posted. Notice sent by email shall be deemed to have been served 12 hours after it is sent.
21. NATIONAL ASSOCIATION CAPTAIN
    21.1 Regions are invited to submit, to the National Association, suitable candidates for the post of National Captain prior to the 1st April each year.

Last updated 21st February 2017