Kemnay wins Scottish Challenge
clubgolf Pro-Am

The magnificent Macdonald Cardrona Hotel Golf & Country Club provided the perfect stage for yesterday’s 2008 Scottish Challenge clubgolf Pro-Am.

Twenty teams, most made up of clubgolf coaches took part in the third staging of this popular and growing event which gives the national junior golf programme’s volunteer coaches a unique opportunity to pair up with a Challenge Tour pro to play in a prestigious competition.

Now in its third year, the Scottish Challenge is proving to be one of the most successful events on the Challenge Tour, which has helped players like Richie Ramsay, Andrew McArthur and Peter Whiteford flourish. Supported by EventScotland, the event gives more Scots professional golfers the chance to test their skills against the cream of Europe as they bid to progress to the main Tour.

Kemnay Golf Club, winners here a year ago, returned from Aberdeenshire to win a second clubgolf Pro-Am title, after a round of 58. They beat locals, Duns, by one point.

“After last year we said we would keep the team together and see if we could win it again,” said Kemnay’s clubgolf coach, Stuart Mitchell, who played with club mates Simon Tickle and Bob Sproat, and pro, Scott Henderson.

“It was fantastic for the tour pros to give up their time and play with the coaches and a superb day for us to be playing with guys like Scott.

“All the clubgolf coaches give up their time every week to teach kids so is this is a nice reward. I’d definitely recommend it to other coaches.”

The Kemnay trio are part of a growing army of the volunteer coaches who are playing their part in making the national junior programme, clubgolf, a huge success.

Two thirds of all P5 children in Scotland should receive an introduction to golf at school this summer. Some 1200 coaches working in 220 Scottish clubs will give many of these children an opportunity to develop their golfing skills at a local club.

Lloyd Saltman, who along with his brother, Elliot, and fellow Scots pros, Barry Hume, Andrew McArthur and Jamie McLeary, accompanied a team in yesterday’s clubgolf Pro-Am, is a keen supporter.

“It’s fantastic seeing so many young kids getting the opportunity to play,” he said. “When I started at eight or nine years old there was nothing like clubgolf; you had to do it all off your own back.

“The more children we can give the opportunity to play the greater chance we have of producing more top class Scottish golfers.”

clubgolf’s presence at the Scottish Challenge continues this weekend with coaching for youngsters. On the penultimate day of the tournament, Saturday June 28, clubgolf coaches and tournament professionals will be on hand at the main practice ground at Cardrona from 10am to 3pm to give coaching to children aged from nine to 14.