Royal Dornoch sets up green fee community fund
By Seamus Rotherick
One of the greatest golf clubs in the world, Royal Dornoch in Scotland, has said it will donate up to one percent of all the green fee income it receives to good causes.
The venue, which regularly features in the top 20 of lists of the best golf courses in the world, has established a community fund in which local organisations can apply to receive donations of up to £500.
A committee including past club captains will determine the payments.
Neil Hampton, Royal Dornoch Golf Club’s general manager, said: “The club values highly its position in the local community and takes seriously the role it plays in supporting local causes.
“Many private members’ clubs exist solely for members but, from its beginnings, one of the main aims of Royal Dornoch Golf Club has been to support the local economy.
“We already make a vital contribution by attracting visitors and new residents but, at a time when its finances are strong, the club has decided to add to these longstanding indirect benefits by making a direct contribution to the community.”
Applications must be for projects contributing to the common good of the local community.
A former vice president of the club is Andrew Carnegie, a 19th century industrialist who gave away nearly 90 percent of his wealth to good causes. It was estimated in 2014 that in today’s money Carnegie gave away nearly £3 billion.
By Seamus Rotherick
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Sam Dornoch enjoy 80 % business rate relief as CASC registered club .If they did not reduce their subs and greenfees by the rate of VAT they are taking 20% more than any “profit making” golf club also the likely hood is that they don’t pay any other kind of tax. They are taking the mickey giving away £500 to charity.taking approaching half a mill a year in tax free greenfees they should be giving£50K to charity at a time. The majority of “not for profit” golf clubs are taking the absolute pxxx. Particularly as all the courses reported on this site as struggling are proprietory owned
People like Jon simply astound me. The only way you can twist this charitable act into “giving tax payers money” is to believe that whatever RDGC takes in really belongs to the government. As Mrs. Thatcher famously said, “The problem with socialism (and Jon’s attitude) is that eventually you run out of other people’s money”. Well done, Royal Dornoch!
It’s surprising what you can do when you get massive subsidies on your business rates (another CASC club) and pay very little (if any) tax on your green fees. Giving tax payers money away isn’t fooling anyone