By Martin Dempster - The Scotsman
New Rangers chairman Fraser Thornton is continuing to fill his role as interim chair of Scottish Golf as a recruitment process continues for Martin Gilbert’s successor.
Thornton, who has held many senior leadership and board positions throughout his career in both private and public companies, started in his new post with the Ibrox club on 16 December after being appointed to take over from interim chairman John Gilligan.
However, the longest-serving member on Scottish Golf’s board, having also had a stint as interim chief executive before Robbie Clyde took over the reins last September, Thornton is also still involved with the Rosyth-based organisation.
“We had already commenced the recruitment process for the next Chair of Scottish Golf earlier in the autumn, so that process was already underway when Fraser's new appointment was announced last Saturday,” Clyde told The Scotsman.
“Fraser will remain in his role as interim-Chair of Scottish Golf until the board concludes the recruitment process, and provides their recommendation for approval as new Chair at the Scottish Golf Ltd AGM on 14 March 2025. At which point Fraser will hand over the reins to the new Chair.”
Gilbert, one of the Scottish game’s biggest supporters over the past 20 years, stood down at May’s annual general meeting at the conclusion of his three-year term.
It had been communicated to member clubs that Gilbert would be seeking re-election but, after a change of heart, the man who was the head of Aberdeen Asset Management and currently backs Gemma Dryburgh through River & Mercantile decided to step aside.
“I've achieved what I had hoped to accomplish with Scottish Golf, in working with the board to recruit a CEO and establish stability and renewed confidence in the organisation and set out a refreshed, ambitious growth strategy,” said Gilbert at the time,
“I am particularly pleased to have steered us through a very challenging technology transition last year, but now with an improved Venue Management System installed in over 200 clubs, and additionally I am happy to see that Scottish Golf is a much more outward facing organisation.”
At last year’s AGM, Scottish Golf was given the green light to raise the per capita affiliation fee paid by golfers through their clubs by £3, meaning the governing body can push ahead with some ambitious plans under new CEO Clyde.
Representing a first increase since 2019 after a proposal for it to go up to £15.75 last year was eventually shelved, the new fee of £17.50 was among 14 resolutions that were approved by stakeholders.
The additional money from the affiliation fee has allowed Scottish Golf to appoint regional development managers around the country, as well two posts dedicated to a plan that aims to increase female playing membership in the home of golf to 30,000, which would represent a 15 per cent rise on last year’s figure, by 2027.
“Scottish Golf has ambitious plans to increase female participation in the sport, through its club support, participation, performance and marketing teams,” clubs were told in the build up to last year’s agm.
“With our membership’s support, we need to accelerate and invest in this area over the short, medium and long term if we are to move the dial significantly, and to do so will require committed resource, energy and investment into this area of work. We are clear that golf clubs are critical to the potential growth in women and girls in golf.”
