Children and coaches from the Isle of Harris's first clubgolf Stage 1 course

Overseas passport to golf

clubgolf’s passport to golf has travelled over the seas to the Western Isles after the Isle of Harris Golf Club completed its first clubgolf Stage 1 course in the autumn.

“Angus Morrison and I sat the PGA Level 1 clubgolf course last year,” said club member and PE teacher, Hugh MacLean.  “And although October was a bad time of year to do it weather wise, we really wanted to get a course in this year so we could get another one in the spring.”

 

They make them hardy in the Western Isles.  Of the 11 boys who started the clubgolf Stage 1 course eight braved the elements each week to earn their passports. And they’re resourceful too. Many of the boys lived in distant villages making attending each week a serious commitment.

 

“The weather didn’t really put them off you have to be stoical up here, and they came along in all weathers,” said Mr Maclean.

 

“Some of the children came from as far as Tarbert, 12 miles away, and Scalpay, 15 miles away.  It was the great efforts made by club members and parents that got them here for coaching.”

 

Located at Scarista, the Isle of Harris Golf Club is an idyllic golf setting. The machar grasslands on the links shore slide westwards to pristine beaches where Atlantic breakers thunder onto sparkling white sand. Designed by nature, but nurtured by the club’s sole groundsman, the course is something of a tourist attraction.  It has even made the pages of Golf International as one of the golf world’s ‘hidden jewels’.

 

Yet, for all its mighty charm, members were all too aware that the club’s junior section was near non-existent.

 

“We had a very small and not very active junior membership,” said Mr MacLean. “It was to address this and make a start that we decided to get a couple of clubgolf Level 1 coaches and bring as many juniors up as possible.

 

“Our first group of children have responded well to the coaching.  The majority are from non-golf backgrounds so this was their introduction to golf and they thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

“We got a lot of support and encouragement from clubgolf who also helped with equipment and practice balls. Next spring we plan to run courses in tandem, one to reinforce what we’ve done with the boys and see if we can encourage girls to start too.”

 

The interest in clubgolf on Harris is being generated by the introductory game firstclubgolf, which uses modified equipment in the local schools.  Working in partnership with school staff, the Active Schools Team has played a crucial role and with Hugh and Angus as coaches the transition to real golf at Scarista has become a reality.

 

clubgolf Highland Regional Manager, Willie MacKay, who was privileged to be made a life member in September 2007, has worked with the Isle of Harris Golf Club since August 2006.

 

"Attending a committee meeting was very revealing. The attention to detail that they give is astonishing.  But the most impressive aspect for me was the caring and considerate way they looked at each issue they had when they reviewed their Life Members Competition and also their Harris Tweed Jacket Open Day, the two biggest events of the year. 

 

“I got the feeling that they were dealing with customers, treating them as clients, which can result in a different attitude to organising something for members. 

 

“The Club has been led through a lengthy period of change by Willie Fulton.  He and his committee have brought stability and quality to the golf course and club.

 

"However, it would be unfair to single them out in the Western Isles. There is great coaching and a strong junior section in Stornoway.  Clubs in the Uists, Benbecula and Askernich have also signed up to clubgolf and are getting clubgolf coaching underway. 

 

clubgolf’s next target clubs in the Western Isles are Barra and Solas.  Such is the growth of golf locally that sportscotland has awarded £35,000 towards building a driving range to be sited at Back Football & Recreation Club. This will go a long way towards growing the game in the Western Isles and, as a covered area it will give a base for a visiting PGA Professional to work from.