Scottish Golf announce Paulding departure

(Credit: Scottish Golf)

• Scottish Golf say performance director Steve Paulding is to leave
• The 54-year-old will take up a similar role with British Athletics
• “We’ve achieved some great results that I’m very proud of”

Scottish Golf has today announced that its performance director, Steve Paulding, will be leaving his position.

The 54-year-old, who has been with the governing body for seven years, has left to take up a new role with British Athletics as national performance institute director.

“We’ve achieved some great results that I’m very proud of” – Steve Paulding

“I’ve enjoyed my time with Scottish Golf and we’ve achieved some great results that I’m very proud of,” he said. “Most people are only interested in those results, but the systems and processes needed to consistently identify and produce players who can compete on the world amateur stage has been my focus.

Read more -> Scotland win Men’s Amateur Team title

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“There are now more PGA professional coaches working in and supporting the performance system at all levels and there is now a far more robust tracking and monitoring system in place for players.

“There have also been significant changes to improve our winter training, using the UAE and South Africa as training and competition bases, while we have developed an excellent team of support service personnel within sportscotland’s institute of sport to further develop the players.

“I’m encouraged by the progress we have made in the female amateur ranks” – Steve Paulding

“While there remain challenges ahead, I’m encouraged by the progress we have made in the female amateur ranks since we became an amalgamated body a year ago. I’m also confident that our new partnership with Bounce Sports will increase the potential for the current crop of male amateurs and newly-turned turned professionals to break through.”

In his time at Scottish Golf, Paulding, who will leave on November 11, has overseen Scotland achieve back-to-back European Men’s Amateur Team titles for the first time in 39 years and witnessed Scots reach the final of the Amateur Championship in the past three years – with Bradley Neil victorious in 2014.

Read more -> Robert MacIntyre takes top Scot accolade

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National coach Ian Rae, performance development manager, Stuart Clayton, and the former Ladies European Tour professional, Clare Queen, programme co-ordinator, will take responsibility for the performance programme following Paulding’s departure next month.

Blane Dodds, Scottish Golf chief executive, said: “I would like to thank Steve for all his hard work leading the performance team over the past seven years.

“Scottish Golf is in a stronger place thanks to his endeavours” – Blane Dodds

“Scottish Golf is in a stronger place thanks to his endeavours and we wish him well in his new challenge with British Athletics.

“In the interim, Steve leaves a strong and experienced performance team behind him and I’m confident Ian, Stuart and Clare will continue their good work before we make any future decisions.”

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bunkered.co.uk opinion

“I found Steve Paulding’s appointment to be a strange one at the time, given that he came from a background in cycling and, for the gamble that Scottish Golf took, I’m not entirely convinced that it paid off.

“While the body will be quick to point out his successes that he had, I’d be quicker to point out the failures in his tenure, namely: no Scots in the 2013 Walker Cup team, ongoing difficulties of the transition between amateur and professional golf with no Scottish full European Tour card holders in their 20s, and the struggles with Ladies’ and Girls amateur golf.

“However, while there were are a lot of things he did that I didn’t particularly agree with, I always found him to be amenable, personable, and happy to speak to the media.”

• Michael McEwan, Assistant Editor

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Scottish Golf announce Steve Paulding departure

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