Golf facilities tee off with
sportscotland investment

Golfers in Orkney and Argyll and Bute are set to benefit from a sportscotland investment of £109,791 for improved local golf facilities. The investment from sportscotland’s Building for Sport programme will see the creation of an indoor practice area at Orkney Golf Club in Kirkwall and a new clubhouse built at Carradale Golf Club in Argyll and Bute.

Welcoming the investment, Sports Minister Stewart Maxwell said: "This funding will help improve facilities for local communities and allow us to continue the excellent work that has already been done to introduce young people to the sport through the clubgolf programme.

“This exciting initiative is already helping youngsters get involved in one of Scotland’s favourite national pastimes and increasing the playing base which will hopefully produce our golfing stars of the future."

Orkney Golf Club will receive £44,960 to assist with the creation of an indoor three bay practice area as well as the extension of the putting green from four to nine holes and the construction of a two bay outdoor practice area. The new practice area will allow the club to deliver a full junior coaching programme throughout the year including activities and coaching for clubgolf, Scotland’s national junior golf strategy. The club runs a successful and ever expanding programme of clubgolf activities and the new facilities will allow that programme to grow and develop, offering coaching to young players all year round. In particular, the indoor practice area will allow the use of video analysis which is a key component to developing skills.

Alan Hutchison, Club Captain, Orkney Golf Club said: “This is a tremendous boost to Orkney Golf Club with the opportunity to have junior coaching all year round. Being able to play for more than five or six months of the year will help the development of skills within our very enthusiastic junior section, without them having to battle the elements. The facility will hopefully also mean that more people will have the opportunity to try golf. Without the support of sportscotland we would not have been able to go ahead with a project as ambitious as this.”

Carradale Golf Club in Argyll and Bute will receive an investment of £64,831. The investment will assist with the construction of a new clubhouse, replacing the existing one which is at the end of its useful life. Carradale is an extremely picturesque nine-hole course on the Kintyre peninsula and the club hopes to attract more new members and visitors to the course with the construction of the new clubhouse. The new facilities will also allow the club to develop its partnership with clubgolf providing young people with a quality introduction to golf.

Alan Walker, President of Carradale Golf Club said: “I am delighted that the club is now able to replace the existing 50 year old flat roof wooden building, long past its sell by date, with a modern clubhouse. Without the assistance of sportscotland this would have been impossible to achieve.”

Announcing the investment, Louise Martin CBE, Chair of sportscotland said: “sportscotland is delighted to provide support for the projects at Orkney and Carradale Golf Clubs with this investment of £109,791. Both these awards demonstrate our commitment to enhancing sport 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 older members with facilities to improve their game. It is encouraging to see clubs establishing partnerships with the clubgolf programme, this is vital to the development of clubgolf and the sport at local, regional and national level.