New North Gailes junior programme a breath of fresh air

March 2010

A unique junior golf programme which began in Ayrshire this year is capturing the imagination of local youngsters.

Launched at North Gailes Golf Centre in January, ‘Juniors do golf’ incorporates the structure of martial arts to provide a holistic approach to the game, teaching body and mind skills, adopting a coloured cap – white to black - grading system to show their current level of play.

To welcome juniors as an integral part of the game, the centre has a juniors-only area, complete with coloured bays and a target practice course.

As a direct result almost 100 Ayrshire children signed up for the course this year. Last week the programme’s first recruits graduated from their yellow to orange caps.

“We have had a phenomenal reaction from the children,” said North Gailes’ head of golf Mark Shervill, who designed the programme and teaches it together with four fellow PGA Pros.

“Ninety-two children started the programme, and approximately half had little experience of golf before they came to us.

“They have really taken to it, have shown great application and we are seeing them progress and play with a lot more control.

“All of them have been striving to earn their next cap and we have pretty much had 100 percent success rate going through to orange after tonight’s assessments.”

North Gailes’ junior programme coincides with the drive to give every Primary 5 child in Scotland the opportunity to play golf through the national junior golf programme, clubgolf.

A lasting legacy to Scotland’s successful bid to host the 2014 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.

In 2009 over 753 North Ayrshire Primary 5 children, just over half of the year roll, were introduced to golf through clubgolf’s introductory game. This year the target is to roll out the game to 75% of the children in the area.

There is no doubt clubgolf’s introductory game, taught by staff supported by Active School’s Co-ordinators is helping children become more physically active, adopt healthier lifestyles and begin a game they can play for life. Junior friendly clubs provide essential opportunities for children to develop their skills.

North Gailes ‘Juniors do golf’ programme continues the education on every front. Encouraging children to take more responsibility, with home work included, in the form of a learning manual which they study and complete as home work, has produced other positive outcomes.

“When the kids are at the club we emphasise that this is their own place and we encourage them to create their own environment and take the lead by, for instance, creating their own safety zones,” said Shervill.

“It is their responsibility to take care of and update their own manuals. As a result you see so much more respect from kids, more self discipline, greater self confidence, more care and attention.

“Parents come to me and say that the manual is helping their children’s discipline in terms of their school work as well. They are starting taking more pride in things. They are getting their teeth into it, taking ownership of something and they are benefitting in every area.”

In breezy North Gailes, ‘Juniors do golf’ is providing a further breath of fresh air.