sportscotland invests in
Arran’s sporting future
Shiskine Golf and Tennis Club on Arran is the latest club to benefit from investment by clubgolf partner, sportscotland, through its Sports Facilities Fund in a drive to improve the nation’s sports facilities.
Known as ‘Scotland in Miniature’, Arran is renowned for its stunning scenery and challenging golf courses, none more so than Shiskine. Listed as one of the top 100 golf courses in the UK, this idyllic course will now have a clubhouse to match its reputation.
The thriving local club currently caters for around 125 participants each week, including local school children participating in the clubgolf programme. While there is already a healthy junior membership within the club, the improvements will see this community facility becoming more ‘junior friendly’ to encourage increased participation. The new clubhouse will feature a dedicated room for junior members which will be available for both indoor tuition from the club’s professional and volunteer coaches and for recreational use.
Following completion of the work, the club also plans to offer increased coaching and competition to its younger members. In addition, the club will link with the Active Schools co-ordinator to build on the introduction to golf youngsters receive through the clubgolf programme, providing even more opportunities for the island’s youngsters to become involved at Shiskine.
Gordon Stewart, Chairman of The Clubhouse Sub-group at Shiskine Golf and Tennis Club said: “We are absolutely delighted with this award and support from sportscotland. Our Club was founded in 1896 and gradually over the years the facilities have fallen well short of what is required to meet present and future demands.
“Our plans have taken a long time to reach this stage and we are now really excited that the new clubhouse will be the start of another chapter in our already successful history”.
Louise Martin CBE, Chair of sportscotland said: “sportscotland believes that providing communities with quality, accessible facilities is essential in developing grassroots sport in Scotland.
“We are delighted to provide this lottery investment of £130,000 to Shiskine Golf and Tennis Club to build a new clubhouse for this community club. Already an important facility for the island, the planned improvements will allow the club to continue to grow and develop, offering increased opportunities for the islanders to lead active, healthy lifestyles.”
While the junior section is vital to the future of the club, other club members will also benefit from the upgrade. The purpose-built clubhouse will provide full disabled access, improved changing rooms and showers plus a room for bowling and tennis club members. In addition, a new restaurant and function suite will be available all year round creating a fantastic facility for use by the whole community.
