Dunbar Golf Club strengthens commitment to juniors

East Lothian volunteer coaches at the PGA Level 1 volunteer coaching course at Craigielaw Golf Club.

Left to Right: Sandy Wake (Dunbar GC), Joan Lunn (North Berwick GC), Billy Hogg (Dunbar GC) & Ian Whelan (Gullane GC)

Dunbar Golf Club is intensifying its efforts to help clubgolf make the game accessible to every child in Scotland.

Last weekend the Club strengthened its junior coaching team of five by sending a further two members on the PGA Level 1 volunteer coaching course hosted by Craigielaw Golf Club, East Lothian.

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 strategy has been developed as a direct result of the Scottish Executive's commitment to introduce every nine-year-old child in Scotland to the game by 2009.

Dunbar first began delivering clubgolf in 2006 at Winterfield Golf Course. Coordinated by East Lothian Council, 27 children signed up for its Stage 1 coaching course delivered by club member, Dave Northcott and parent, Scott Turner.

In 2007 the programme moved to Dunbar Golf Club. At the same time the coaching team expanded to five qualified volunteers coaches, in club members Joe Gillan, Craig Grant, Wilson Morton, Dave Northcott and Janet Wake. Assisting them were four other members, Alan Grandison, Billy Hogg and Iain McKane Sandy Wake.

Between them they coached 34 children, 14 of them girls, through clubgolf’s Stage 1 Year 1 and Year 2 programmes.

With the 2008 golf season just weeks away, Dunbar’s coaching programme is set to grow with support from the Club’s new manager, John Archibald.

Four more members have come forward to join its Coaching Team and train as clubgolf Volunteer Coaches to begin coaching in 2008.

“We estimate 20 Primary 5 children will start clubgolf Stage 1 at Dunbar Golf Club this May, bringing the total children involved in the club’s programme to around 50,” said Kate Green, East Lothian Council’s Golf Coordinator.

“This is a fantastic result for the club and the area.”

Sandy Wake was a former volunteer assistant at Dunbar but, by attending the two-day PGA Level 1 training course, is now equipped to begin coaching Stage 1.
“The course was superb and very well organised,” said Mr Wake, one of four East Lothian golf club members who attended the course. “I have never done any formal coaching before now but having been on the course I’m looking forward to making a start in the spring.”