New facility supports growing juniors numbers at Brora

July 2010

Seven years after embarking on a junior drive which has since got a large section of the community involved in golf, Brora Golf Club opened a new junior golf practice facility which will take the momentum far into the future.

The new facility, triple bay practice nets, a nine hole putting green, practice bunker and three upgraded junior holes, was opened officially by Councillor Deidre Mackay.

Through its energetic volunteer coaches, supportive resident PGA Pro, Brian Anderson, enthusiastic Active Schools Co-ordinator and clubgolf, Brora has set up a thriving junior coaching programme in a relatively short space of time.

“Seven years ago there were very few juniors playing in the younger age groups so we first needed to get the enthusiasm going,” said Alistair Risk, the driving force behind the new development. “clubgolf was the obvious avenue and Willie Mackay (clubgolf Regional Manager) is a tremendous support.”

clubgolf is a partnership between the Scottish Golf Union, the Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association, the Professional Golfers' Association, the Golf Foundation and sportscotland launched to create a legacy to Scotland’s successful bid to host the 2014 Ryder Cup.

“We have the enthusiasm of seven qualified volunteer coaches carrying the banner of golf in the community and a supportive pro, Brian Anderson, who can take on the juniors when they reach a certain level,” said Mr Risk.

“A great benefit is that our member Calum Stewart played for Scotland and has captained Scotland under 16s, so suddenly lots more juniors see it as cool to play golf and are happy to have a go.

“Our Active Schools Co-ordinator, Louise Nadin does great work generating interest through firstclubgolf in the schools. We invite the children she is teaching to the club for their last lesson. “Each one is offered free golf over the Par 3 and the putting green for that season and the opportunity to join the club at the end of the season and move further through coaching.”

As a direct result the club attracts up to 20 new children to coaching each year and, on average, 15 return the following season. Absorbing so many into the game made essential a dedicated facility which, when clubgolf coaching began was according to Mr Risk, “three beaten up par three holes”.

A fundraising campaign for the new facility has raised £15,000 from a combination of Awards for All (£8,500), Discretionary Ward (£2,500, on condition the club encourages minority and community groups to play), Brora Thrift Shop (£1250), East Sutherland Rotary Club (£250), local events including a car wash, race night and raffle (£1,500) and Brora Golf Club members’ donations (£1000). Along with the club’s contribution of their green keeping staff’s time the project is valued at £19,000.

The club has dealt pragmatically with the challenge of the facilities sharing grazing land by installing fencing to keep livestock away from golfers, and aesthetically with the finishing touches. A rockery is an attractive feature of the viewing area for parents.

The modernisation process has not trodden on any of the club’s traditions. “We discovered a photo from 1923 which showed a putting green, which has since become overgrown,” said Mr Risk. “So we have replicated that in the same spot and brought it up to the current standard.

“We dug it out, re-soiled it, brought pristine turf up from the south and treated it as if we were building a championship putting green. We have installed pop-up sprinklers so it has the same regularity of treatment as the 18 holes on our course.”

A spin off of the new facility is a boost to local tourism. Some club members are second home owners in Brora and bring in seasonal revenue. Visitors in general are welcome to play the Par 3 course for a donation to the junior fund.

“Golf is a hugely important part of our economy up here and encouraging the children to play is a key part of having a thriving golf and tourism business,” said Councillor Deidre Mackay.

“This is a tremendous asset, not only for Brora, but for the whole east coast of Sutherland. Everyone involved has made a tremendous effort to reach this stage and deserves much credit.

“Seeing children walking by with golf clubs is becoming a regular sight and that is direct result of the efforts of the golf club, clubgolf and Active Schools. Golf really has become a thriving sport in our area.”

Improving local facilities cancels out the age old problem faced by rural communities. According to Active Schools Co-ordinator, Louise Nadin, “For most main stream sports, if kids need better facilities, for instance to get football on an all weather covered pitch, then the progression is to go to Dingwall which is a 100 mile round trip. Now, for golf, the best facilities are right on their doorstep.”

Seventy nine pupils in the nine schools in Laura’s Golspie High and Dornoch Academy catchments played firstclubgolf at school this year, and a third of them should progress to clubgolf Stage 1 coaching at a nearby club. In the clubgolf-delivering Brora, Bonar Bridge & Ardgay, Golspie, Helmsdale and Royal Dornoch Golf Clubs, Laura has a links with a wealth of sustainable coaching programmes.

“All my nine schools in East Sutherland play clubgolf’s introductory game, firstclubgolf,” she said. “It’s also a good opportunity for less physically active pupils to develop skills and become involved in an absorbing sport that they might play for life.

“For all the children it’s a continuous process. It’s one thing teaching kids skills but all about where they go from here. They need somewhere where they will get a good welcome and be made to feel a valid part of that activity.

“I think it’s amazing that our local golf clubs are so keen to develop the grassroots, creating new club members, new champions.”

Said Willie MacKay, clubgolf’s Highlands and Islands Manager: “When clubgolf began, the first phonecall I received about junior golf was from Brora Golf Club’s then secretary Joe Fraser about how they could develop junior golf. I see this project as building on the fine work of Sheila and Ian Hamilton, who were delivering junior coaching enthusiastically before clubgolf started in 2003.

“Alastair and the club’s volunteer coaches, with the support of pro Brian Anderson, and from within the club, have taken the facility to this high standard. I look forward to continuing working with the juniors and staff at Brora for many years.”