Swedish Golf Association Pauses Membership Ceiling Implementation
The Swedish Golf Association (SGF) has temporarily halted the implementation of a planned membership ceiling for golf clubs, pending the outcome of an examination by the Swedish Competition authority. The decision,announced friday,postpones a policy initially slated too take effect in stages,with full implementation planned for the turn of the year.
The proposed ceiling would limit the number of Golf IDs a club can issue to 2,800 for 18-hole courses and 1,680 for nine-hole courses. The SGF intended the measure to address the dominance of several clubs with exceptionally high membership numbers – often referred to as “letterbox clubs.” The first step in this process began on July 1st.
According to the SGF,the pause is a reasonable step to ease the situation for clubs and golfers while the Competition Authority’s investigation continues. ”The maximum ceiling remains and the investigation continues even after this decision. For SGF,a long-term sustainable model for Golfsverige’s financing is crucial,” stated Bo Bengtsson,deputy general secretary,in a press release.
The introduction of the ceiling could perhaps force approximately 50,000 golfers to seek membership at different clubs. Four clubs – Happy golfer, Ekholmsnäs Golf, Golfstar, and Bryttsätter Golf – have actively protested the policy, filing a complaint with the Swedish Competition Authority.
This pause follows an earlier rejection by the Competition Authority of a request from the four clubs to halt the initial stages of the implementation. Thay later submitted a new request, prompting the SGF’s decision to postpone the ceiling’s full introduction.
Per karlsson, legal representative for the protesting clubs, described the SGF’s decision as a “partial victory,” stating, “We believe that the maximum ceiling is a violation of the competition rules.” The investigation by the Swedish Competition Authority is ongoing.
