Eyemouth junior section transformed in just two years

26 August 2009

In just two years Eyemouth Golf Club has expanded its junior section from 12 to 75, after starting a new initiative which verges on being revolutionary.

“Juniors are the future of the game and the future of any golf club,” said Michael Hackett, who was shocked by the lack of junior members when he became Eyemouth’s first Club Professional in 2007.
 
“If you don’t have a thriving junior section you don’t have future members coming through as adults.”
 
Tackling the challenge Michael recommended to the Club’s committee (and it was accepted) to make membership for under 12 year olds free.  Then, together with his Assistant Professional, Daniel Wood, and volunteer helper, Jim Martin, he began offering junior coaching.
 
This year the national junior golf programme, clubgolf, awarded the Club a £350 grant to put one of its members, Bob Holmes, through the Level 1 coach training course.   
 
clubgolf is the partnership between the Scottish Golf Union (SGU), the Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association (SLGA), the Professional Golfers' Association (PGA), the Golf Foundation and sportscotland, launched after Scotland’s successful bid to host the 2014 Ryder Cup.
 
A share of this grant went towards improving the Club’s practice facilities to benefit the juniors. Last year the Club had been awarded a £10,000 Awards for All grant which has since been used for an indoor area, complete with video analysis equipment.  
 
Having an extra coach and upgraded facilities meant that this year, for the first time, the Club could offer coaching in three stages.  Bob, who is the Club’s junior convenor, teaches the youngest children the fundamentals, including the basics of the swing and etiquette.   Michael develops their skills and prepares them for playing on the course.  Daniel and Jim then take them onto the golf course and play a few holes.
 
Through the four coaches’ efforts the Club’s junior membership now stands at 75.   
 
“Hopefully we will have another group of kids coming through after this one, which will put the Club in a very strong position,” said Michael.  “If we can then get half of the children becoming adult club members it will have been very worthwhile.”  
 
The presence of a junior friendly club so near to the local primary schools allows children a clear route to progress their golfing skills.  Through the Active Schools network these schools already introduce their P5 children to the game through clubgolf’s introductory game, firstclubgolf, which uses modified equipment.
 
Eyemouth GC’s Bob Holmes, a retired school teacher, is now making moves to involve the local High School.     
 
“We’re hoping we can link golf to the secondary school PE curriculum to encourage older pupils to have golf coaching,” said Bob, who recognises the need for more volunteers to follow his lead and become volunteer coaches.
 
“If we can recruit three of four more coaches or helpers then we would really take off,” he said.
 
 “We have more children coming in, more parents saying good things about the coaching and club members responding positively about seeing juniors out on the practice ground.
 
“We are pushing golf and getting as many kids involved as we can.  We need to go out to talk to them and their parents about the benefits of playing golf and joining Eyemouth Golf Club.
 
“We will help raise the bar in relation to playing standards and instil in our young players the value of the etiquette of golf - not just in relation to the game - but to life in general.”