The Golf Foundation

Analysis

The Golf Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Hoddesdon. It was registered in December 1982, 44 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training and amateur sport, which this site groups under amateur sport and recreation. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 00519615). It says it makes grants to organisations, provides human resources and provides advocacy/advice/information.

In the financial year ending March 2025, The Golf Foundation reported income of £1.6m and spending of £1.7m, spending 106% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income fell from £1.7m to £1.6m (-6.8%), an average of -1.7% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2025, when income rose by 21%. Over the whole period it spent 100% of the income it received.

Among 12,174 England and Wales charities whose main cause is amateur sport and recreation and that reported income, The Golf Foundation sits at the 99th percentile: it is larger than about 99% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 95th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The Warwickshire Cricket Foundation (£1.6m), Heathrow School of Gymnastics & Dance Ltd (£1.6m) and Basingstoke Gymnastics Club (£1.6m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 68%, charitable activities 24% and investments 7.6%. Charitable activities took 86% of spending and raising funds 11%. Grants to other organisations totalled £118k. Reserves of £1.5m would cover about 10 months of spending at that rate. It employed 16 people.

Data notes from the register: Spending has exceeded income in each of the last three reported years, so the charity has been drawing on reserves or other funds.