Development Centres to be rolled out

ClubGolf announces 50 new facilities geared at nurturing young talent –

Child’s play: The creation of 50 Development Centres will help to nuture young Scottish golfing talent

Scotland’s bid to identify and nurture the country’s next generation of tour stars is to be boosted by the creation of 50 Scottish Golf Development Centres.

Being rolled out over the next three years, the centres will use existing clubs and facilities, which meet specified criteria, and will provide access to additional high quality and advice for youngsters progressing from the early stages of the national junior golf strategy, ClubGolf.

The announcement was made by the Scottish Golf Union, Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association and ClubGolf at the Gleneagles Hotel, host venue for the 2014 Ryder Cup.

The Development Centres are being funded by reserves from ClubGolf and will be established in three phases, with 21 clubs and facilities having already been identified to tee off the programme from next month.

Gleneagles, a major supporter of junior golf in Scotland and home to the PGA National Golf Academy – Scotland, is among the first Development Centres chosen.

The selection of all centres in Phase 1 was based on the audit from this year’s Scottish Golf Facility Plan and local intelligence through the SGU areas and SLGA counties before the initial 21 were finalised.

Kevin Cademy-Taylor, the Scottish Golf Performance Development Manager, explained: “The Development Centres are open to boys and girls, aged between 11 and 17, who have a club handicap. They will also bridge an identified gap between ClubGolf Stage 2 and our Academy, and provide structured coaching opportunities for young golfers to help them reach their potential.

“They will promote the improvement of a young golfer’s all-round game, focusing on the fundamentals and skills development, with a particular focus on short game and putting. The facilities we have selected will provide an environment which will allow them to work on all these aspects so it’s not just about hitting balls on a driving range.

“In addition, a series of educational workshops will be delivered that will allow both players and, importantly, their parents to gain a better understanding of Performance Development for Golf.”

Players within the new programme will be entitled to 30 hours of golf coaching with expert advice on themes such as fitness, nutrition and psychology. Young players will continue to play the majority of their golf within their own club environment, alongside their own local coach.

Andrew Coltart, the former Ryder Cup player and member of the SGU’s Performance Committee, was also on-hand at the launch to offer his backing.

“The Scottish Golf Development Centres will help more youngsters make the mot of their talent,” said Coltart. “We have some great facilities here in Scotland so this gives us the opportunity to maximise them. I’m very encouraged that the coaching focus will be on the short game, given the high standards at the top level.

“The success of the European team at last month’s Ryder Cup will undoubtedly be a great inspiration to all the youngsters in ClubGolf and the new Development Centres. It’s a very exciting time to be involved in Scottish golf.”

Stuart McEwen, the Director of Golf at Gleneagles, added: “Gleneagles is proud to be one of the first Development Centres to support aspiring young golfers to reach their potential.

“As an official partner of ClubGolf, we fully endorse the programme in promoting life-long participation in the sport and encouraging juniors to be active members within their local clubs.

“Our coaches are committed to delivering a quality coaching experience and we look forward to seeing the next generation of golfers develop their skills and progress in the game.”

The 21 facilities chosen to be in Phase 1 of Scottish Golf Development Centres are as follows:

– Braid Hills Golf Centre

– Brucefields Family Golf Centre

– Cruden Bay Golf Club

– Dumfries Golf Centre

– Elie Sports Club

– Gleneagles Golf Academy

– Gullane Golf Club

– Inverclyde Sportscotland

– Kingsfield Golf Centre

– Mearns Castle Golf Academy

– Meldrum House Golf Club

– Nairn Dunbar Golf Club

– Paul Lawrie Golf Centre

– Playsport Golf Centre East Kilbride

– Portpatrick Dunskey Golf Club

– Roxburghe Golf Club

– Royal Dornoch Golf Club

– St Andrews Links Trust

– Strathmore Golf Club

– Wellsgreen Golf Centre

– World of Golf Clydebank

Bryce Ritchie is the Editor of bunkered and, in addition to leading on content and strategy, oversees all aspects of the brand. The first full-time journalist employed by bunkered, he joined the company in 2001 and has been editor since 2009. A member of Balfron Golfing Society, he currently plays off nine and once got a lesson from Justin Thomas’ dad.

Editor of bunkered