John Dunlop coaches girls from Broadlees Academy’s ‘Girls in Golf Group’

Broadlees juniors to benefit from new practice facility

Young golfers in the Strathaven area who are learning the game at Chapelton’s newly formed Broadlees Junior Golf Academy are set to benefit further from the facility’s new purpose built practice area, due to be opened in March.

Earlier this year Broadlees and its nearby schools joined forces with the national junior golf strategy, clubgolf, the partnership between the Scottish Golf Union, the Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association, the Professional Golfers' Association, the Golf Foundation and sportscotland.  

Emerging out of Scotland’s successful bid to host the Ryder Cup, clubgolf has been developed as a direct result of the Scottish Executive's commitment to introduce every nine-year-old child in Scotland to the game by 2009.

Over 50 children who had experienced clubgolf’s six week introductory game at school decided to progress to the second phase of clubgolf's Player Pathway, Stage 1, hosted by Broadlees Academy.

Whilst these children have been developing their skills at the Academy this summer, an Awards for All grant was secured and an area of rough ground at Broadlees was transformed into a new practice facility.  This is due to be opened officially next March, but last Monday the children were allowed on it for a five minute taster session.

“Broadlees is a great facility now and it will be a fantastic facility when it’s ready,” said Ann Lang, clubgolf’s South West Scotland Regional Manager and clubgolf Level 1 Advanced Coach, who along with PGA Pro, John Dunlop and clubgolf Level 1 coaches Colin Baxter and Stuart Hamilton, teach the children two nights a week on a voluntary basis.

“Barbara and Robert Anderson, who own Broadlees Golf Driving Range, have put a power of work in themselves to make it work,” said Mrs Lang.  “The new facility is a practice hole with bunkers and a practice putting green and we’ve got a new portakabin, an office for us and a den for the children.”

The Academy has taken extra steps to encourage its juniors.  Recognising the need to redress the balance of the shortage of girls playing the game, it has set up ‘Girls in Golf’ girls only coaching, so far attracting 16 girls.  It also took the children to this year’s Open at Carnoustie and Johnnie Walker Championships at Gleneagles.

“The children find the whole experience fantastic,” said Ann Lang.  “Some of these children are not from golf families but the overall response has been so great that we will continue coaching through the winter because they want it to keep going.”