New Kemnay junior golf development off the starting blocks

October 2009

A project designed to give children in the Kemnay area better opportunities to play golf and reach their potential got off the starting blocks this month when Kemnay Golf Club purchased 10 acres of adjoining land.

In 2004 the Club was one the first in Scotland to experience the benefits of offering the national junior golf programme, clubgolf, a partnership between the Scottish Golf Union, the Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association, the Professional Golfers' Association, the Golf Foundation and sportscotland, launched after Scotland’s successful bid to host the 2014 Ryder Cup.

Members were trained to become volunteer coaches, clubgolf Stage 1 coaching was offered and schools were contacted and shown the benefits of the introductory game, firstclubgolf. 

Five years on the Club has 39 children on its clubgolf coaching programme, 20 fully trained volunteer coaches and the backing of its Pro, David Brown, to deliver advanced stages of the programme. 

Yet seeing the programme was fast reaching saturation point for its limited junior facilities, the Club realised it was time to build a dedicated junior facility and submitted an application through sportscotland Sports Facilities Fund, set up to improve sports facilities across the country, as part of its drive to increase participation.

“We have a wide catchment area with two primary schools in Kemnay involved with clubgolf as well as outlying primaries that feed into the Club,” said Club Captain and clubgolf Level 1 coach, Martyn Paterson, who submitted the application.

“We take between 30 and 36 children a year into our clubgolf programme but we have been restricted to that number by the facility.  With a better and dedicated facility we could take in many more than that, hence the reason for our application.”

The Club’s application was successful and last December sportscotland announced a substantial investment of £46,000, approximately 37% of the project’s overall cost. 

This month the Club reached a defining stage when they purchased 10 acres of adjoining farmland to begin creating a practice area which will comprise driving bays with artificial mats and a six hole short course aimed at delivering clubgolf coaching to juniors.  At the same time it will upgrade existing practice area to create a new green for short game practice.

“The new facility will be of huge advantage to our youngsters and coaches, who will benefit enormously from having their own dedicated and safe environment. 

“With three covered bays we will be able to take the children out and keep the coaching going even in inclement weather.  In addition we will develop our existing practice area and develop a short game practice area.”

“With these additional facilities we could take up to 50 children the first year it’s open, then progress these numbers from there.”

Work on Kemnay’s new facilities is due to start next spring with the intention of unveiling the new facilities next September.