Gleneagles experience for Alford juniors

Eleven budding young golfers from Alford Golf Club in Grampian enjoyed a day at Gleneagles.

Gleneagles and Scotland’s national junior golf programme, clubgolf, have joined forces to promote junior golf in Scotland again this summer by offering coaching and an opportunity to play on its Wee Course every Sunday between 15 June and 12 October.

Launched at Gleneagles in 2003 clubgolf is the national junior golf programme which aims to introduce every nine-year-old child in Scotland to golf. One of 220 clubs in Scotland running a clubgolf programme, Alford has 39 boys and 14 girls on its coaching programme and an army of qualified volunteer coaches teaching them.

“The children played a Texas scramble around the Wee Course and they got an hour’s lesson from the PGA Pros,” said Les Murray, Alford volunteer coach who accompanied the children.

“They loved the Wee Course and all the kids learnt something to take away and practise. They were very impressed to be playing on a golf course that will be hosting the Ryder Cup.

“We were all very well looked after by all the staff there, especially the two PGA professionals who did the coaching. We really appreciate that clubgolf and Gleneagles invited us down.”

Patrick Elsmie, Gleneagles’ Managing Director, said, “Gleneagles has always been committed to golf and we are thrilled to be a part of the clubgolf initiative. We hope to be able to help them in achieving their goal of allowing every child in Scotland to experience the game by the age of nine.

“As the venue to the Ryder Cup in 2014 it is important that Gleneagles continues to work closely with organisations like clubgolf to ensure that the game of golf in Scotland and our young people reap the benefits of playing host to such a prestigious tournament”.