Hundreds enjoy Gleneagles experience

August 2010

Over 300 children from schools and clubs across Scotland were invited to Gleneagles by clubgolf last week.

Each group was treated to a one hour coaching session from PGA professionals and clubgolf volunteer coaches, instruction covering bunker play, putting and the full swing. The children also watched Europe’s top professional golfers in action.

“A lot of our children had never been to a golf course before, let alone a big event like this so they were in awe of the scale of it,” said Active Schools Co-ordinator David McLeish, who took 12 children from Angus’s St Thomas Primary School on Friday.

“Before the coaching clinics we have a walk around the course, had a seat at lunch on the eighth green and saw quite a few famous players. One of the golfers holed a great put and threw the ball to the kids, which was really nice of him.”

The St Thomas children were introduced to the game through firstclubgolf, playing it every Friday afternoon for 18 weeks of the year.

In September, Arbroath Academy Sports Leaders, in conjunction with Sports Development., will run a clubgolf festival for P5s from four schools in the cluster.

“This will be the first experience these children will get of golf and a springboard to clubgolf coaching,” added David.