PGA Pro becomes
Islay’s local hero

October 2009

The remote island of Islay is better known for whisky than its sporting prowess yet it has the potential to run one of the most successful junior golf coaching programmes in Scotland.

Islay Golf Club members had been thinking about ways to improve its junior coaching, which had by their own admission been somewhat ad hoc, when with perfect timing, a PGA Pro decided to move to the island.

Seeking a life-changing escape to the country, Ron Goudie uprooted from the London suburbs after a 15 year tenure at Epsom Golf Club. His arrival in Scotland last August coincided with a major junior push north of the border through the national junior golf programme, clubgolf.

Emerging from Scotland’s successful bid to host the Ryder Cup, clubgolf is a partnership between the Scottish Golf Union, the Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association, the Professional Golfers' Association, the Golf Foundation and sportscotland which aims to create the opportunity for every nine year old in Scotland to play golf.

The importance of a Pro to Islay’s junior coaching programme cannot be overstated. Not only has Ron, who coached some fine players in England, taken on a leadership role by starting junior coaching, the programme now in place means the island has a structure to potentially take juniors from complete beginner all the way through to national academy level.

Building from the grass roots, four committed club members headed to the mainland earlier this year for a two day Level 1 training course with the PGA. They all qualified and, together with seven helpers, have been teaching the fundamentals of the game to local children.

Ron is both the catalyst and hands on coach in the new junior programme. His experience is already helping accelerate the coaching, and his expertise will come to the fore fully when the children reach the point where professional help is needed to fully develop their potential.

“Having a Pro on the island has made an enormous difference and encourages the parents to bring kids along,” said Islay GC’s clubgolf Coordinator, Keith MacDonald, who can’t remember the last time the island had a resident Pro. And as a result he feels signing children for coaching has been simple, “All we did was put out a few posters and all sessions were full.”

Starting a coaching programme has been a real community effort. The Machrie Hotel, home of Islay Golf Club, offers the course free of charge for under 16 year olds. Local builder, Gordon Currie, has given his time freely to help drain the practice area used by the juniors.

Now, nearing the latter stages of its first season of clubgolf coaching, the Club has 36 juniors on its programme on Stages 1 and 2. The Club has started running mini medals on Sundays; three holes on its practice ground, 5 and 9 holes on the course then handicap competitions.

Escaping the rat race for a remote island has proved a good move for Ron, who is enjoying the island, its climate and its people.

“It’s been a fantastic life-changing experience for me,” said Ron, who is attached to the Machrie Hotel. He makes his income solely from coaching but has plans to help his wife run a guest house at their new home in Laphroaig.

“I’m very happy here teaching and the Machrie is a fantastic, natural and world class course. It’s number 62 in UK’s top 100 courses and there’s nothing like it anywhere on the planet.

“The kids up here are like sponges, absolutely enthusiastic about anything they do.”

Ron’s coaching skills have been utilised by the neighbouring island, Colonsay. Home to less than 100 people and only accessible as a day trip from Islay on a Wednesday in the summer, Colonsay has a 150 year old links course.

“It’s like taking a step back in time,” said Ron. “There are no greens, they just cut around a flag to create grass a bit shorter than the rest. But they don’t have any coaching opportunities on the island.

“So during the summer holidays I took the boat there each Wednesday afternoon, taking equipment over each time. Someone collected me from the ferry terminal, I taught a dozen children clubgolf Stage 1 and a group of adults and then I got the boat back in the evening.”

On Islay in late September, the Club is in the second half of its 10 week clubgolf course. The Club has recently held a festival for local children. Meanwhile more volunteers are being recruited to become clubgolf Level 1 coaches. It’s just as well as the junior coaching programme is packed.

“Once we’ve done a year of coaching the plan is for some of the volunteer coaches to go on a Level 2 training course, so that Ron can concentrate on the children that have moved on to Stage 3 of coaching,” said Keith. “He’s only been here a year but he has already made a big difference to our junior section.”

Ron’s coaching experience and expertise really does give him the potential to become a Local Hero. Let’s hope he stays.

To view Ron’s website go to: www.islaygolfteacher.co.uk