East Dunbartonshire golf Pro’s
join clubgolf drive

Children in the Bearsden and Milngavie area have better opportunities than ever to take up golf after two local Professionals have joined forces with Scotland’s junior golf programme, clubgolf this winter.

The move coincides with a surge of interest in golf from children this year. Over 1000 children across East Dumbartonshire had an introduction to golf in primary school this year through clubgolf’s introductory game, firstclubgolf.

Thirty five primary schools in total have delivered the firstclubgolf programme and with Hayston and Kirkintilloch golf clubs already involved with the clubgolf programme, now another golf facility is offering the next step in the clubgolf coaching pathway for children in the Bearsden and Milngavie area.

Local PGA Professional’s Bob Collinson and Iain Pender will run the clubgolf Stage 1 programme at Bearsden Golf Range for twenty weeks starting the first week in November. The programme is open to children aged eight and over.

“We decided to start offering the clubgolf Stage 1 programme at the Golf Range to provide a structured coaching programme and to help streamline the kids into golf at local clubs” said Iain, who is also involved with the clubgolf programme at Bishopbriggs Golf Club.

“The programme will focus on giving children, many of whom won’t have played much golf, a really solid introduction to a game that they can play for life. The most important element to our programme though will be to ensure the sessions are fun for all children, regardless of their ability or previous golf experience.”

PGA Pros in clubs across Scotland are delivering Stage 3 of the clubgolf programme to children who are developing advanced skills. But Bob and Iain are part of the growing band of PGA Professionals who are also working at the grass roots of the clubgolf programme by going into local schools to deliver taster golf sessions and then welcoming local schools’ children to the Bearsden Golf Range for Stage 1 of the clubgolf programme.

As Iain highlighted “We hope that our visits to the local schools and the taster sessions will ignite local children’s enthusiasm and the programme can become a permanent link for the children once they have completed the firstclubgolf introductory game in schools each year.”

Both Bob and Iain will be delivering taster sessions to children in local primary schools this week with further free ‘Taster’ sessions available at the Bearsden Golf Range on Monday 27th and Wednesday 29th October from 6-7pm on both nights.

If you would like to book a place at one of the Taster Sessions contact Iain Pender on T: 07957 371998.

Emerging out of Scotland’s successful bid to host the Ryder Cup, clubgolf is a partnership between the Scottish Golf Union, the Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association, the Professional Golfers' Association, the Golf Foundation and sportscotland. The programme has been developed as a direct result of the Scottish Government’s commitment to introduce every nine-year-old child in Scotland to the game.

“It’s excellent to see another two PGA Pro’s get involved in 2008 and there is great potential for further development in the area,” said clubgolf Regional Manager for Argyll & Dunbartonshire, Colin Bell.

“The schools programme has been really well received, offering children an alternative to the traditional school sports. The East Dunbartonshire Active Schools Team has been very supportive of the firstclubgolf programme and is now keen to encourage links with as many local golf clubs as possible.”

The aim now is to recruit more clubs to the clubgolf programme in East Dumbartonshire and further improve links with the local primary schools.

“The strongest clubgolf programmes in Scotland are where golf clubs and facilities like the Bearsden Golf Range have a strong link with their local primary schools and Active Schools Coordinator,” said Colin. “This makes the advertising and recruitment for the programme very easy for the clubs, who can then concentrate on introducing the kids to their coaching programmes when they arrive at the club.”

If you are a golf club interested in finding out more about how clubgolf can help develop your junior section or a volunteer who is interested in getting involved as a helper or a golf coach, please contact Colin Bell, clubgolf Regional Manager for Argyll & Dunbartonshire on cbell@clubgolfscotland.co.uk or 07882 364340.