Children at Tarbat Golf Club's recent Fun Day

Tarbat GC summer holiday clubgolf coaching

Tarbat Golf Club will offer local school children the chance to learn to play golf this summer holiday after joining forces with clubgolf.

The Club has a welcoming attitude to juniors, is one of a handful of clubs to allow juniors to play in competitions, and its junior membership is a ridiculously low £30 per year.  Yet, in an area which is not exactly stacked high with sports facilities, it has only 29 on its junior membership.

“The Club is friendly and inviting, patient and understating, which is why I felt it was a shame we had so few juniors.” said Mr Cunningham.  “The members realise the future of the club depends on youngsters coming through and we want to introduce golf to kids in the community.”

Encouraged by the success that nearby Tain GC has had through clubgolf, Tarbat’s Junior Convenor, Chris Cunningham, together with two other Club’s members, John Bell and Dave Mackay, and greenkeeper, Mike Keay, decided to make an impact by enlisting on clubgolf’s two day PGA Level 1 Volunteers course, enabling them to teach the fundamentals of the game to children.

 “The coaching we got on the PGA course was superb and I’ve brought my handicap down by two strokes just from putting into practice what I’m looking to teach,” he added.

Last week the four Tarbat coaches put their teaching abilities to the test after the Club, with full support from the committee, took the unprecedented step of closing the entire course to organise a Fun Day for children from local Hilton of Cadbol Primary who had experienced clubgolf’s introductory game, firstclubgolf, on the curriculum this term.

“We approached Mrs Blackwell, Head Teacher at the largest local primary school, Hilton of Cadbol Primary, to see if her kids would be interested in coming to the course,” said Mr Cunningham.

“The children had an introduction in school but had not had the chance to hit a golf ball with a real club.  Mrs Blackwell thought it was a great opportunity, she wanted us to take as many as possible and 24 kids in P5 and P6 spent the morning with the coaches and Club Captain, James Gordon, doing putting, chipping and pitching.   The emphasis was on fun and enjoyment and we had games with targets.  They loved it and the coaches enjoyed it too.”

Mr Cunningham plans to approach the catchment area’s other four primary schools, starting with Portmahomck, next term.  But anxious to make the most of the school holidays, he will be starting summer-long clubgolf coaching for local children from July (starting on Mon 2 July between 6.00 and 7.00pm).  Each lesson will cost just £1, to be ploughed back into a junior fund.  Children who have had five lessons and wish to make more of a commitment to the game can join the Club for only £25.

“We want children to realise golf is not a game for old fuddy duddies wearing plus fours,” said Mr Cunningham.  “It’s a good fun sport and a great way to get them off Play Station, out into the fresh air and interacting with other human beings.  Any boys and girls interested in learning to play golf are very welcome at our coaching.” 

Mr Cunningham has already managed to get his sons hooked on the game – according to him they are both ‘addicted’.  Now, with the help of his fellow volunteer coaches and with the full backing of the Club, he is ready to introduce a new generation of local children to the game.