Inaugural Orkney clubgolf coaches competition

To pool knowledge and ideas of clubgolf volunteer coaches working in three local clubs on Orkney this year, South Ronaldsay Golf Club hosted the inaugural Coaches Golf Competition last weekend.

The event was organised by Erik Donaldson and Stewart Barnett, two of the South Ronaldsay clubgolf coaches.

“With all three golf clubs, South Ronaldsay, Stromness & Orkney, having delivered clubgolf coaching to juniors for three seasons now and over 20 qualified coaches in Orkney the idea of a Coaches Golf Competition seemed a good way of getting the coaches from different clubs together,” said Willie MacKay, clubgolf’s Highlands and Islands Regional Manager.

“With coaches from different clubs playing together there was a sharing of ideas and different methods of coaching juniors.”

On the course that opened just three years ago, South Ronaldsay Golf Club started clubgolf coaching this summer. The Club’s four PGA Level 1 qualified coaches also ran winter indoor coaching at the local youth club, where nets and putting mats were funded by sportscotland.

“When I visited South Ronaldsay to view their indoor winter coaching sessions, Erik Donaldson agreed to host a coaches day,” said Willie MacKay. “clubgolf greatly appreciates his work and also the South Ronaldsay Committee for hosting this event.”

Stromness GC’s Dougie Slater, who had made the 70 mile round trip to compete, won the event on a countback over the last six holes, beating Stuart Gray, from Orkney GC.

“clubgolf’s Willie MacKay kindly heard the concerns about travelling south to play in volunteer coaches competitions held at Inverness and Strathpeffer so he put up a trophy for the Orkney players and the three clubs that have clubgolf volunteer coaches at present.” said Dougie Slater.

“The coaches are being added to so hopefully every year it will get more competitive. It’s good to get everybody together because as we are coaching the whole time, we don’t have time to frequent other clubs and when we all meet in other clubs it’s a good day.”

Next year the competition will move to Stromness, then to Orkney Golf Club a year later.

The three clubs are supporting Orkney Junior Golf Action Plan, launched this June and linking to Scotland’s National Junior Golf Development programme, clubgolf.

A partnership between the Scottish Golf Union, Scottish Ladies Golfing Association, Professional Golfers Association, The Golf Foundation and sportscotland, clubgolf aims to create the opportunity for every child to experience golf by age nine, and to increase junior participation in golf in Scotland.

Stromness Golf Club’s clubgolf coaching attracts up to 22 children each week. Six of the Club’s members have become fully qualified PGA Level 1 coaches and are delivering clubgolf Stage 1, a 40 hour course covering the fundamentals of putting, chipping, full swing, rules and etiquette.

“I became qualified to coach in 2006 and have been doing coaching ever since at Stromness Golf Club,” said Dougie Slater.

“Through clubgolf and Active Schools a lot of the youngsters are getting keen which is helping golf in the community. We don’t have a putting and chipping area but we are making the best of what we have and we are in the process of applying to Awards for All for a practice facility grant.”

On the course that opened just three years ago, South Ronaldsay Golf Club started clubgolf coaching this summer. The Club’s four PGA Level 1 qualified coaches also ran winter indoor coaching at the local youth club, where nets and putting mats were funded by sportscotland.

Said South Ronaldsay clubgolf coach, Erik Donaldson, “We held two indoor events in the Scouts hall last year, fun events for the juniors.

“The Boys Brigade have asked us to give coaching this year and Stromness Golf Club want us to do an evening in the winter.”

Geographically in between these two clubs is Orkney Golf Club, which has run a clubgolf programme for the past three years. Fourteen PGA Level 1 coaches (four of them qualified at Advanced level) and a support team of 40 helpers coach nearly 70 children each week.