Aberdeenshire golf clubs receive

support for clubgolf clubs

Two Aberdeenshire golf clubs planning to start clubgolf junior coaching programmes for local children this year have received a welcome boost from the Golf Foundation.
Aberdeen’s Bon Accord Golf Club and Inverallochy Golf Club near Fraserburgh are among the first in Scotland to benefit from a discretionary grant aid scheme to provide financial support to promote junior golf for golf clubs and facilities registered with clubgolf and delivering clubgolf programmes.
clubgolf is a partnership between the Scottish Golf Union, the Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association, the Professional Golfers' Association, The Golf Foundation and sportscotland which emerged from Scotland’s successful bid to host the Ryder Cup.
The grant scheme is being funded and administered by clubgolf partner, The Golf Foundation. Participating clubs/facilities may apply for up to 50% of the total cost of their initiative, up to a maximum grant of £500 (i.e. costs totaling £1,000).
The discretionary grants are supporting a nationwide surge of interest in junior golf through the clubgolf programme.
In 2008 clubgolf achieved the following:
· 1320 of Scotland’s 2217 primary schools delivered the introductory game ‘firstclubgolf’
· 33,600 Primary 5 children in Scotland played firstclubgolf at school
· 8,563 children took part in clubgolf coaching programmes at 233 local golf clubs and facilities
· 1137 qualified volunteer coaches delivered coaching in 2008
The popularity of the programme is mirrored locally in Aberdeenshire. Last year 128 primary schools in Aberdeenshire gave some 4500children an introduction to the game through clubgolf.
Forty of the region’s 54 golf clubs and facilities, 300 qualified volunteer coaches and PGA Pros, hosted clubgolf Stage 1 programmes for children who wanted to develop their golf.
“We are starting a clubgolf coaching programme this summer because we haven’t had any juniors at the club for about five years and the whole club wants juniors back,” said Bon Accord member, Ricky Dunn. The club is the city’s third municipal to join forces with clubgolf and is receiving a grant for £260.
“Our members are keen and dedicated to putting something back and starting a junior section. Four of them have come forwards to go on a Level 1 training programme with the PGA. So I’m hoping that the junior coaching will be a successful venture over the next few months.
“And because this is a new venture for us we are extremely grateful to the Golf Foundation for this grant, which will all go towards coaching for the juniors and, depending on what the juniors already have, to fund equipment.”
Inverallochy Golf Club near Fraserburgh will be putting forward three if its members to be trained as clubgolf coaches this spring.
“We are a small village club and it has always been in our interest to keep the youngsters in the village and surrounding area interested in golf,” said the club’s secretary, George Young.
“We have given our youngsters coaching on an individual basis in the summer for a number of years and we thought it best to come under the umbrella of clubgolf and have a structured coaching programme.
“The grant will help us with the coaching qualification for our three members and also help us buy golf equipment for them to teach the children with.
“Being a village club we encourage the youngsters to be a part of the club and we hold a 7 hole competition hole for the local primary school children. If there are youngsters interested in coming along for clubgolf coaching we welcome them with open arms.”
Golf clubs and facilities with clubgolf and delivering clubgolf programmes can apply for grant aid to support some or all of the following:
*Costs related to PGA training of volunteer coaches
*The purchase of clubgolf introductory game equipment or other practice equipment
*Appropriate payment to PGA professionals delivering clubgolf Stage 3 coaching
*Events designed to support the delivery of clubgolf programmes (i.e. open days, flag competitions)
*Justifiable development activity that will increase participation in clubgolf programmes
Applicants will be required to complete an application form which must be signed by two individuals, one of whom must be the Junior Convener or the recognised clubgolf Co-ordinator.
Forms are available from the clubgolf Administrator (01334 466493) or can be downloaded from www.clubgolfscotland.com
Rob Eyton-Jones
clubgolf Media Manager
t: 07775 746981
e: rob@eyton-jones.co.uk
Official clubgolf wesbite: www.clubgolfscotland.com