Monty clinic for Argyll & Bute and Dunbartonshire children

Children from six golf clubs in Dunbartonshire and Argyll & Bute being coached on the national junior golf programme, clubgolf, were given an unforgettable day after being invited for an hour’s coaching from Colin Montgomerie.

“It’s fantastic to see the kids on the clubgolf initiative that we started five years ago at Gleneagles,” said Monty, who was invited to give the clinic at The Carrick by his sponsors, Aberdeen Asset Management. The children were from Bishopbriggs, Hayston, Helensburgh, Inverrary, Kirkintilloch Golf Clubs and Tarbert Golf Clubs.

clubgolf is a partnership between the Scottish Golf Union, Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association, Professional Golfers’ Association, the Golf Foundation and sportscotland, developed as a lasting legacy to host the Ryder Cup. It was launched by Colin Montgomerie at Gleneagles in 2003.

“I can see myself in these children,” said Monty. “This is what I did when I was 10 or 11, I was playing three rounds a day in my school holidays and it was great.

“These kids are good and with opportunity we can find talent. Who knows, there could be another Tiger Woods out here somewhere and we won’t know if we don’t provide the opportunity. With clubgolf’s help we can find them.

“Hopefully we can give them something to work on today. They need support at this age and they’ve got to enjoy it, which they all seem to be. I wish them all success.”

Following the clinic, the children needed little encouragement to practise all they had learned.

“Monty really inspired me and today and it will definitely make me stick at golf more,” said 11 year old Jack Campbell, one of around 50 children on Kirkintilloch’s clubgolf programme. “He told me to hit it straighter by extend my backswing and keeping my shoulder in tighter and it’s worked. I’m going to practise it now.”

Jack’s father, Billy, one of five a PGA qualified volunteer coaches at Kirkintilloch Golf Club, took Jack and fellow club junior Jordan Hutcheson to The Carrick.

“Today was fantastic,” he said. “Colin inspired every kid that was here, they all had a ball and he was an absolute gentleman.”