This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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firstclubgolf tees off
21/02/2005
firstclubgolf, the national junior golf
strategy's introductory game which plans to make the game
accessible to every child in Scotland, was launched
today.
Open Championship winner Paul Lawrie MBE, joined forces
with Sports Minister Patricia Ferguson at Edinburgh's
Gylemuir Primary School for what will be replicated at over
300 schools across Scotland this term when Primary Five
children will experience the game for the first time as
part of their curriculum.
Played with multi-coloured modified clubs, rubberised
balls and Velcro targets, and taught by teachers,
firstclubgolf is designed as a safe and
exciting introduction to the game. The age of nine has been
identified as the best stage for children to learn and
become involved with the game.
A partnership between the Scottish Golf Union, the
Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association, the Professional
Golfers' Association and
sportscotland,
clubgolf was created as a direct result of
the Scottish Executive's successful bid to host the Ryder
Cup in Scotland.
The Minister said:
"The Executive's aim from the outset was that by 2009
clubgolf would provide every child in
Scotland the opportunity to have fun trying their hand at
golf, and give our most talented young players the best
chances to emulate the many achievements of players like
Paul Lawrie.
"With the successful pilots of the
clubgolf scheme now behind us, we are
today moving to the next stage of the scheme which will
bring opportunities for children in over 300 schools across
the country to participate in structured programmes in
appropriate facilities with the coaching they need to help
develop their game.
"The launch today of
firstclubgolf is another major step in
providing opportunities for our children to enjoy the
benefits that golf brings, and perhaps unearth more top
class players like Paul for the future."
Launched in 2003 by Colin Montgomerie OBE and First
Minister, Jack McConnell,
clubgolf is funded by the Scottish
Executive who have committed £500,000 per year to the
scheme through
sportscotland until 2009 to support its
commitment to introduce every nine-year-old child in
Scotland to the game.
"The creation of a sound structure for the young people
of Scotland to experience golf gives me great hope for the
game in the years ahead," said Paul Lawrie.
"
firstclubgolf is the perfect way to give
children who have never experienced the game the
opportunity to do so through Scotland's national programme.
The equipment is exciting, attractive and it is designed to
make the game easy for youngsters to learn. The children
take to it very quickly and it is obvious they enjoy using
it."
clubgolf's early statistics are
convincing. On pilots in 2004, over 2,500 primary aged
children experienced first
clubgolf at school. In many parts of the
country the youngsters enjoyed the introduction to the
extent that 80 percent enrolled for Level 1 courses.
The Gylemuir children who enjoy the next six weeks' golf
lessons will have the opportunity to play the Level 1 game
at nearby Turnhouse GC in April.
"Young people are the life blood of our sport and with
the first stage of the player development pathway in place
every child will have the opportunity to learn the basics
of golf by 2009," said Alan McMillan.
"Our targets are ambitious but, with the co-operation of
golf clubs and schools and the commitment of local
authorities, with their appointment of Active School
Coordinators, they are achievable."
With so many more children playing the game, it is
inevitable that playing standards will rise as a direct
result.
"Not only does
clubgolf have the potential to introduce
children to a game for life, which promotes good health and
instils important social values, it offers a structured
programme which could guide complete beginners through
every level of the game up to the professional game," said
Lawrie.
"I strongly believe that there are many more potential
Open Champions and Ryder Cup players out there in Scotland
and through
clubgolf, we will make it far easier for
them to be discovered and developed."
Alastair Dempster, Chairman of
sportscotland said: "We are delighted to
be a part of the
clubgolf initiative which is helping to
provide the opportunity for all young people to experience
the game of golf through a series of structured
programmes.
"To fulfil our vision of improving health and fitness
levels in Scotland, it is important that we introduce
children to the fun and enjoyment of a sport like golf at
an early age. Hopefully this will encourage them to make
physical activity part of their everyday lives and lay the
foundations for lifelong participation, which in the long
term will help to create a healthier, more active
nation."
clubgolf is a partnership between the
Scottish Golf Union, the Scottish Ladies' Golfing
Association, the Professional Golfers' Association 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.
clubgolf is funded by the Scottish
Executive who will provide £500,000 per year through
sportscotland until 2009.
As Scotland's national junior golf strategy,
clubgolf is backed by Scotland's most
famous golfers, Paul Lawrie, Sandy Lyle, Colin Montgomerie,
and Scotland's First Minister, Jack McConnell, MSP. It aims
to provide new opportunities in the game for every child in
the country and to increase participation in the sport by
adopting a totally new approach to the development of
junior golf.
clubgolf has been introduced at a point
where, of the 260,000 members in the 580 clubs north of the
border, the average age is between 42 and 44 years old.
This figure is likely to rise in line with the demographic
trend of an ageing Scottish population. Although
memberships have grown at a rate of just under five percent
during the past decade, there has been an increase of
almost 20 percent in the number of courses built over the
same period.
Clubs across Scotland are already playing a vital role
in the
clubgolf strategy. Following the six-week
firstclubgolf course, children will have
the opportunity to progress to the second stage of
clubgolf's Player Pathway, Level 1. Hosted
by their local clubs, Level 1 is a 23-hour course, covering
the fundamentals of putting, chipping, full swing, rules
and etiquette, taught by the club's full trained volunteer
coaches. After Level 1 there are a further four levels on
the Player Pathway.
Fifty-five clubs have already become
clubgolf centres and organisers believe
this number will surpass the strategy target of 200 as
others see the benefits. Over 300 golf club members have
already seized the opportunity to be trained on the two-day
PGA courses. A target of attracting and training 400-500
new volunteer coaches has been set for 2005.
clubgolf's
targets for 2009 are:
- 50,000 9 year olds introduced to
clubgolf every year through first
clubgolf
- 50,000 9 - 14 year olds retained in the
clubgolf programme at any one
time
- 20,000 9 - 14 year olds experiencing golf in a
community golf programme setting
- 200
clubgolf centres (golf clubs and
community linked centres delivering some of the
above)
- 20 junior
clubgolf facilities (new
clubgolf facilities)
- 40 affiliated junior golf facilities (driving
ranges/practice facilities utilising the
clubgolf brand)