Monday 11 June 2007
Hundreds of young golfers in Edinburgh and Carstairs will benefit from quality new practice and coaching facilities following an investment of £69,559 by sportscotland. The investment from sportscotland’s Building for Sport programme will see a new indoor golf coaching and development centre created at Mouse Valley Golf Club near Carstairs and a new pitching area and putting green built at Turnhouse Golf Club in Edinburgh.
Mouse Valley Golf Club, based at Kames Golf Club, has received a sportscotland award of £39,009 to assist with the creation of an indoor golf development and coaching centre. The centre, which will be one of only a few in Scotland, will consist of driving bays to nets, putting area and also video swing analysis all housed undercover. The new centre will allow the club to offer coaching to young players all year round, providing them with a quality introduction to golf.
Last year the club signed up to clubgolf, Scotland’s national junior golf strategy and a number of the members have now been trained on the PGA clubgolf Level 1 course to provide clubgolf coaching to local children. In addition the club want to increase their female membership and plan to hold introductory coaching sessions at the new facility to encourage more girls and women to join the girls and ladies section.
Harry Ward, Coaching Co-ordinator, Mouse Valley Golf Club said: “With sportscotland’s support there is no end to the future possibilities for golf and golf coaching at Mouse Valley and the new purpose-built coaching centre will greatly enhance our existing coaching programmes. Developing opportunities for young and old of both genders through community regeneration has got to be the way forward and the club are delighted to have this opportunity at their disposal.”
Also receiving a sportscotland Lottery award of £28,550 is Turnhouse Golf Club. The investment will assist in the construction of a new pitching green with bunkers and approach areas as well as a new practice putting green. The club runs a successful programme of clubgolf activities but currently space on the practice areas is limited. These new facilities will enable the club to at least double its current coaching capacity for children, allowing more youngsters to experience golf as well as providing different challenges which will see their skills develop.
Two years ago local schoolchildren were among the first to experience clubgolf in Edinburgh at Turnhouse. Those children have improved and developed and have now reached stage three of the clubgolf programme and are receiving intensive coaching from Turnhouse’s resident PGA professional John Murray.
David Edwards, Captain of Turnhouse Golf Club said: “Turnhouse Golf Club is delighted to receive this award from sportscotland. This grant will enable us to provide enhanced coaching facilities for school children and allows us to move forward in partnership with clubgolf and introduce even more young people to the game.”
Julia Bracewell OBE, Chair of sportscotland, said: “sportscotland is delighted to have supported the projects at Mouse Valley and Turnhouse Golf Clubs with this investment of £69,559. Both these awards demonstrate our commitment to enhancing sporting opportunities for local communities, by providing them with quality, accessible and well-designed facilities.
“The new golf facilities will ensure youngsters receive a quality introduction to golf, as well as providing the older members with facilities to improve their game. Both these clubs are among the growing number who have established a successful partnership with the clubgolf programme, this is vital to the development of clubgolf and the sport at local, regional and national level.”
Hamish Grey, Chief Executive Officer, Scottish Golf Union said: "Scotland’s golf clubs play a pivotal role in the delivery of clubgolf programmes, providing youngsters with a quality introduction to the game and encouraging increased participation at a recreational or competitive level. These new facilities will provide a welcome boost, helping to widen opportunities for young golfers as well as playing a part in ensuring that the success of clubgolf continues."
- Launched in March 2004, the Building for Sport Programme (BfS) is divided into two strands: Community Facilities and Training and Competition Facilities.
- Applications for the Community Facilities Programme covers the provision or upgrading of facilities for the local community.
- The Training and Competition Facilities Programme concentrates on the provision or upgrading of centres designated as a national or regional facility by the relevant national governing body for sport.
- clubgolf is a key component of Scotland’s national strategy for junior golf. Emerging from Scotland’s successful bid to host the Ryder Cup and launched on the Scottish Executive’s pledge to create an opportunity for every child in Scotland to experience golf, clubgolf is now well established and growing every year. Funded by the Scottish Executive through sportscotland, clubgolf has been developed under a partnership between the Scottish Golf Union, Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association, Professional Golfers’ Association, the Golf Foundation and sportscotland.
sportscotland Building for Sport Programme – June 2007
Community Facilities Strand
Applicant: Mouse Valley Golf Club (Carstairs)
Project Title: Golf coaching and development centre
Award: £39,009
Contact for Press: Harry Ward, Coaching Co-ordinator, Mouse Valley Golf Club
Tel: 07881 772404
To construct an indoor golf coaching facility with internal driving bays and nets, putting area and video swing analysis.
Applicant: Turnhouse Golf Club (Edinburgh)
Project Title: New pitching and practice greens
Award: £28,550
Contact for Press: Turnhouse Golf Club
Tel: 0131 339 1014
The provision of new pitching green with associated bunkers and approach areas as well as a new practice putting green.
Community Facilities Strand - two awards totalling £69,559