Member Article

Inspire Insurance joins Coventry Golf Club’s new era

The oldest golf club in Coventry is teeing off a new chapter in its illustrious past as part of a drive to open up to more players.

Coventry Golf Club, founded in 1887 and host to many prestigious tournaments including Open Qualifying competitions, is now branching out to the corporate market for the first time.

The club in St Martins Road, Finham, is introducing bespoke membership for corporate golfers to strengthen its connections within the local business community and in response to the changing landscape within the game.

It has signed up independent commercial insurance broker Inspire Insurance Services, which operates throughout the UK from its base at Westwood Business Park in Coventry, as its first corporate member.

The new corporate package is being launched off the back of the club also starting to offer a lower-cost approach to golf with a flexible membership category to cater for the increasing number of golfers who have limited time.

Coventry Golf Club is part of GolfMark, a national accreditation scheme run by England Golf that recognises clubs supporting the development of the game.

Martin Sutliff has been based at Coventry Golf Club for ten years and took over as Head PGA Professional from Dr Phil Weaver OBE, a former chairman of the PGA and Ryder Cup board member, on his retirement last June.

Martin said: “We have always been an open and friendly club. We have over 700 members and they will continue to be our priority as they are the core of the club.

“Golf however is changing and we have to look at other avenues. A number of local industry heads already play here but we are moving into corporate membership so that businesses in the area can host clients on and off the course, and have their own golf days.

“We are delighted to welcome Inspire Insurance Services as our first corporate member. It is a fast-growing and dynamic company and it will be a strong partnership for us to forge.”

For Inspire Insurance Services, its membership extends its commitment to local sports clubs having been a sponsor of Coventry Rugby Club for the past four seasons.

Leigh Mackey, managing director of Inspire Insurance Services, said: “We are delighted to be joining Coventry Golf Club as it has such a rich heritage and is highly regarded within and beyond the city.

“Although I am a relative newcomer to golf, I appreciate its value as a place for doing business and am looking forward to developing our professional contacts and relationships in the picturesque setting of this mature parkland course.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Matt Joyce .