Argyll and West Dunbartonshire clubs urged to get involved in clubgolf

Jan 30 2009 by Laura McLachlan, Lennox Herald (main ed)

A SCOTTISH golfing partnership is looking for more golf clubs and coaches in both Argyll and Bute and West Dunbartonshire to get involved in clubgolf.

This term 64 of the 89 primary schools in Argyll and Bute will have golf on the curriculum through the national junior golf programme, clubgolf – giving as many as 750 Primary 5 children the opportunity to play the game.

A partnership between the Scottish Golf Union, the Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association, the Professional Golfers’ Association, the Golf Foundation and sportscotland, clubgolf emerged from Scotland’s successful bid to host the Ryder Cup.

Introducing a new generation of children to golf is only the first stage.

Last summer, 134 children progressed from the schools’ introductory game to clubgolf Stage 1 programmes at local golf clubs.

With that number set to increase this summer, a crucial task is recruiting nearby clubs and helping their members become fully qualified to offer a structured programme.

So far 12 Argyll and Bute golf clubs, with a growing bank of some 50 qualified volunteer coaches, are offering clubgolf coaching and seeing the benefit.

But more of these volunteers are needed to keep the new generation of golfers involved and developing.

Helensburgh GC’s clubgolf coordinator and junior convener, Stewart Coutts, said, “clubgolf is really the future of golf and it’s helped us in the way that our kids enjoy the coaching and our 11 volunteer coaches enjoy coaching them.

“Golf can be quite difficult to learn to start with, but clubgolf teaches children the basics and once they learn them, they’ll enjoy the game far more and are more likely to stick at it. One or two of our kids are already progressing to good golfers.”

Tarbert GC’s clubgolf coordinator, John McNab, said, “The clubgolf level one coaching course was enjoyable, thorough and very worthwhile and it’s given us the tools to be able to coach children.

“Clubgolf’s main asset is that it gives a structured programme of coaching. It’s given us a focus of what we need to do each week and a focus of how to teach children.”

Last week, Tarbert Golf Club hosted a clubgolf information event, and from March 14 to March 16, clubgolf will run a training course for would-be volunteer coaches at Lochgilphead. The closing date for signing up to the course is January 30.

If you are a golf club interested in finding out more about clubgolf, a volunteer who is interested in getting involved as a helper or a golf coach, or a parent looking for a local clubgolf programme for your child, please e-mail Colin Bell on: cbell@ clubgolfscotland.co.uk or tel 07882 364340.