Sussex Spotlight (March): Emma Whitlock

Sussex Spotlight on Women in Golf: Emma Whitlock, County Secretary at Sussex County Golf
We are very pleased to have Emma Whitlock feature in the final interview of our Sussex Spotlight series. Many of you may already be familiar with Emma's name as she has had a long history in Sussex golf - here's her journey and how she reached her current role of County Secretary at Sussex County Golf.

When did you first take an interest in golf?
I took up golf around the age of 10, primarily because my step-dad played the game but also because I didn't seem to excel at any of the sports played at school. I started at Hildenborough and had group coaching sessions before moving to Boars Head, near Crowborough, which had a lot of juniors.

At the age of 14, I joined the Nevill GC, as it had an 18-hole course and was close to where I lived. I had a handicap of 32 and started to play with 4-5 girls, as well as the ladies at the club.

What was your first job/career path?
When I left school, I studied Graphic Design whilst also working Saturdays in the pro shop at the Nevill. I was playing golf 2-3 times per week, and whilst I enjoyed graphic design, my heart was very much at the golf club. I wanted to absorb as much as I could when there and soon realised that I was much happier there than working in graphic design.

Sadly, I could not pursue a PGA route as the handicap limit was too low. I only reached single figures in my mid-20s and had been stuck around the 12 mark for a long time before suddenly dropping from 12 to 8. There wasn't a clear reason why it came later – perhaps just maturity and patience.

How did your career/work history evolve?
It has been very varied but has always returned to golf. I worked in a number of different roles across both Sussex and neighbouring counties, gaining experience in coaching, club operations, and county administration.

When I was 27, I decided to move and work in Australia and, whilst there, I secured a job offer at Carramar Golf Club, working in the pro shop and as a junior coach. It was a great experience, and I worked there for two years before moving back to the UK. Shortly after returning, the role of Assistant County Secretary at Sussex County Golf came up. I got the job, and after a couple of years in the role, I was fortunate to be promoted to Secretary in 2022.

This was a significant milestone, as I became the first female County Secretary of what was historically a male-only organisation. Sussex was one of the first counties to make this move, and while within the county we see it as a natural progression, it was certainly a reflection of the board’s openness to progress and willingness to embrace change. If you were to put all the other county secretaries in a room together, I would still stand out—not just because of my gender, but also because of my age. It highlights that while the landscape of golf administration is evolving, there is still a long way to go in terms of broader representation.

What is your key remit and responsibilities?
My primary remit is to drive county activities as per the board’s vision – this includes:

• Championships and competitions
• Safeguarding and governance
• Handicapping system and WHS integration
• Supporting and developing county teams, including U14, U16, U18s, the 1st Team, and the Seniors Team
• Educational training and golf development, including rules education and club engagement

I also work closely with England Golf and other governing bodies to ensure we align with national strategies while continuing to meet the needs of Sussex clubs and players.

What do you feel have been your challenges & also main achievements?
I was recently interviewed by Women & Golf for my thoughts on "Levelling the Fairways: What does the future look like for women’s golf?" It was a great opportunity to reflect on how much the game has changed and what still needs to be done to make golf more accessible and inclusive. You can read the feature here.

A memorable achievement has to be when the R&A approached and selected me to join a Leadership Programme, which was a seven-month programme designed to teach general leadership skills. When I took the County job on, I really felt that I had to prove myself, and I almost felt I shouldn't be there/didn't deserve to be there. The R&A course gave me so much confidence and belief in my ability.

Another proud moment came in 2024 when I was approached to be Tournament Director for the Sir Henry Cooper Junior Championships, which was hosted at Kings Hill Golf Club for the first time. The tournament had previously been played in Kent but had not been run for a couple of years, and Kings Hill took it on as the new venue. The club then approached me separately to take on the role of Tournament Director.

This is one of the largest junior tournaments in England, featuring around 140 elite junior golfers, many of whom represent their country, as well as an international field. The event is a 54-hole tournament played over three days, and stepping into this role was a huge honour, as it recognised my tournament management abilities beyond my role at Sussex County Golf.

This position, which I will continue annually, allows me to work alongside Melanie Drake at Kings Hill Golf Club to deliver a prestigious event. It has also given me invaluable experience at a higher level of tournament management, helping to refine the way we deliver our own county competitions and create a more professional tournament environment. Additionally, having a championship of this calibre so close to Sussex gives our juniors a fantastic opportunity to experience elite-level competition in a neighbouring county.

Tell us about the Award you received at the Women in Golf Awards (2023)? 

I hadn't told anyone about the nomination, and then at the dinner, the award I was nominated for was announced and presented to another nominee. The last award of the evening was a Judges' Award – one that did not have a nomination list – and the next thing I knew, my name was being announced. It was a very proud moment.

The award was for “Trailblazer of the Year”, recognising my contribution to shaping the future of women’s golf, particularly in Sussex.

Future Aspirations
One of the areas I’m particularly passionate about is creating a strong and effective governance model within the county. As part of my professional development, I have been focusing on sports governance, not just within golf but across sport as a whole. The Sports Governance Academy, in partnership with the Corporate Governance Institute, runs a number of courses, and I’m grateful to be supported by Sussex County Golf in furthering my knowledge in this area. Along with being Company Secretary, I want to become a real guide for governance in the county, ensuring we build a structure that is not only effective now but sustainable for the future. This focus has already helped me enormously in my role.

I am very passionate about developing Junior Golfers. We have a fantastic member of staff, Eve Clark, who is our Junior Development Officer for Sussex County Golf. She is a leading light in what junior golf could look like in the future and brings a strong background in best practice. Having worked for a national governing body, her knowledge of policies and procedures has been invaluable to us. She works closely with Karen Parks from the SCLGA, and they have a fantastic working relationship. I’m really excited to see what can come from that in terms of supporting both boys and girls in Sussex.

In terms of our junior pathway, while we have a structure that takes players from grassroots to elite, we firmly believe that not every junior has to follow a performance-focused route. Golf is a lifelong sport, and we want to create an environment where juniors feel comfortable choosing the level of involvement that suits them – whether that’s striving to reach elite levels or simply enjoying nine holes with friends or a session at the driving range.

We also recognise that life gets busy, and while some juniors may drift away from the game in their teens or early twenties, our aim is to ensure that golf remains on the table as an option for them in the future. Even if they take a break, they’ll always know they can return – and that’s something we really want to reinforce.

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Our thanks to Emma for sharing her golf story and journey so far.  The future looks bright for Sussex County Golf and we will continue to work together with Emma both on and off the golf course. 

The Sussex Spotlight series will return in the Autumn.

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