Far Hills, New Jersey, United States: The United States Golf Association (USGA) and Deloitte have entered a multi-year strategic partnership intended to accelerate the USGA’s impact on the game of golf and foster greater collaboration and innovation around services that benefit golfers and facilities.

The USGA and Deloitte first teamed up in 2014 to assess existing programmes and explore ways to build and deepen engagement within the golf community in order to better meet the evolving expectations of the modern golfer, state and regional golf associations (SRGAs), and clubs/facilities.

For more than a century, the USGA and SRGAs have collaborated on a number of fundamental services for golfers, including the administration of the USGA Handicap System, competitions and education programmes. As the game of golf has evolved, the USGA and the SRGAs are jointly adapting and advancing the ways in which they serve golfers and golf facilities.

Through extensive research and analysis, Deloitte assisted the USGA in creating a strategy to enable the USGA and SRGAs to modernise, streamline and ultimately increase the value of these services to the game. This vision, which the USGA intends to realise over the coming years, should build stronger relationships with all those who administer and play an integral role in influencing the health of the game.

“We are excited to welcome Deloitte as a strategic partner of the USGA,” said Mike Davis, USGA Executive Director. “For the last two years they have worked with us to re-imagine how we can better serve certain parts of the game. Together, we hope to empower people to connect in new ways with golf by enhancing the ways we interact with all of those who love and play it.”

Cathy Engelbert, Chief Executive Officer of Deloitte LLP, said: “We share the USGA’s vision to make the game more inclusive and responsive to how people think, act, engage, recreate and live today.

“Golf instils incredible values, including collaboration, competitiveness and integrity. We are proud to support this tremendous game and to lend our business insight and innovation concepts to help the organisation and the game of golf continue thriving in the future.”

In addition to its professional services work with the USGA, Deloitte will support USGA initiatives and championships, including programmes that celebrate volunteerism and promote inclusion and innovation in and beyond the golf community.