Binny Golf Club at Oatridge College Golf Course, which was one of the first clubs to support the national junior golf programme, clubgolf, has taken extra steps to encourage juniors into the game by hosting a flag competition
A private members club on the nine hole course since 2002, ten members have become trained as clubgolf volunteer coaches since the adoption of the programme.
“We are very aware of the need to keep youngsters coming into the game and our members have been very happy to get involved and welcome the youngsters onto the course,” said Binny GC Manager, Brian Inglis.
“clubgolf is the way forward for clubs like ourselves and our volunteer coaches have been keen supporters of clubgolf for the last five seasons.
“We’re quite proud that we’ve trained 10 PGA volunteer coaches over that time and we have had 12 children a year via Uphall PS on our coaching course for the last five years.
Hosting its own flag competition was a natural progression for Binny. The event, the third in a series of four organised by clubgolf this summer, sponsored by Auchterlonies, was aimed at Forth Valley and West Lothian children who are part of the clubgolf programme as well as other local youngsters who have golf handicaps. The event’s organisers, West Lothian Council, clubgolf and Binny Golf Club, together with a host of volunteer coaches from Binny and nearby were delighted with the 33 strong turnout.
“This is the first time we’ve held a flag event for juniors in West Lothian and it went very well,” said Matt Costello, the event’s organiser and Active Schools Co-ordinator at West Lothian Council. “The kids enjoyed it, we had some good scoring and the helpers from local golf clubs Greenburn and Harburn thought it was a great idea.
“We’re really grateful to the Club for keeping the course free for us for the day and we hope we can repeat the competition again next year, hopefully with even more juniors involved.”
Two thousand Primary Five children in Forth Valley and West Lothian had an introduction to golf this year through clubgolf’s six-week firstclubgolf course at school. Over 600 children have been involved at clubs like Binny. Delivered by fully qualified PGA Level 1 volunteer coaches, Stage 1 coaching at the club involves 40 hours of coaching, delivered over two years, and covers the fundamentals of putting, chipping, full swing, rules and etiquette.
Progression through the Stages encourages all children to develop their potential while being welcomed into a golf club and provides access to a structured Long Term Player Development Pathway. The Binny Golf Club flag event was designed to give clubgolf Stage 1 and 2 children the chance to put into practice what they have learnt this season. For some, this would have been their first ever golf competition.
“We felt the event was a great success and Matt Costello did a great job organising it,” said Mr Inglis. “It was a great opportunity for children to get involved in a competition and our course is pretty much ideal for this type of event. We’ve had excellent feedback from the children and their parents and the Club is very keen to get involved with another competition next year.”
Winners of each competition
Handicap category - Jordan Russell, age 12 from West Lothian GC
Stage 2 - Stephen McMahon - age 10 from Binny GC
Stage 1 year 2 - Drew Meikle, age 10 from Falikirk (unattached).
Stage 1 year 1 - Rhona Cobb, age 8 from Falkirk Tryst GC.
