Aspiring junior golfers
invited to Gleneagles
clubgolf, the national junior
golf programme which has introduced over two thirds
of Scotland’s primary school children to the
game this year, is expecting as many as 400 youngsters
to converge on its coaching stand at Gleneagles this
week.
Launched at Gleneagles in 2003 as
a lasting legacy to Scotland’s successful bid to
host the Ryder Cup, clubgolf is a partnership of the
Scottish Golf Union, the Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association,
the Professional Golfers' Association, the Golf Foundation
and sportscotland,
Junior coaching this week is part of Gleneagles’ and
the European Tour’s commitment to promoting junior
golf in Scotland through clubgolf.
This summer’s European Tour events, the Senior
Open at Troon and the Scottish Challenge at Cardrona,
have all featured clubgolf coaching.
For the fifth year in succession Gleneagles has given
hundreds of the clubgolf children the opportunity to
experience Gleneagles this summer after offering participating
clubs the chance to play on its Wee Course between June
and October.
This week at Gleneagles, clubgolf’s coaching stand
in the tented village will be the centre of attention
for budding young golfers. PGA Professionals and qualified
clubgolf volunteer coaches will be on hand to teach the
short and long game to 250 children who have been invited
from schools and clubs across Scotland. A further 150
coaching places are available to the public, to be booked
at the clubgolf stand.
Patrick Elsmie, Gleneagles’ Operations Director,
said, “Gleneagles has always been committed to
golf and we are thrilled to be a part of the clubgolf
initiative. We hope to be able to help them in achieving
their goal of allowing every child in Scotland to experience
the game by the age of nine.
“As the venue for the Ryder Cup in 2014 it is important
that Gleneagles continues to work closely with organizations
like clubgolf to ensure that the game of golf in Scotland
and our young people reap the benefits of playing host
to such a prestigious tournament”.
