Amateur game given £1m shot in the arm

Published on Wednesday 22 July 2009 22:42

FUNDING for the development of Scottish golf at amateur level has risen to over £1million this year in order to allow the grassroots of the game at the home of golf to flourish.

Sports minister Shona Robison announced details of increased backing for emerging golf talent at Ladybank Golf Club in Fife yesterday where the Scottish Boys championship is being staged.

The late announcement of government support, up to 1,047,160 in 2009, from 911,000 last year, reflects the success both of the clubgolf programme, the junior initiative which introduces the game to primary school pupils, and the elite talent being nurtured by both the Scottish Golf Union and the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association.

Robison said: "I am delighted that more than 1 million will be invested for the development of golf in Scotland.

"Golf is a big part of our culture, our identity and our economy and this is a great time for the game in Scotland. Last week the First Minister announced that a record number of boys and girls have been introduced to clubgolf, our national junior golf programme. The funding announced today will further ensure our player base continues to increase and more Scots enjoy being active and healthy in the home of golf."

Almost 40,000 primary school children throughout Scotland have enjoyed an opportunity to try the game for themselves this year. Andy Salmon, the SGU's golf development manager, said: "This combination of government and lottery funding demonstrates the importance of golf to Scotland, not just as a sport but as part of the national culture. It will allow us to build on some very notable recent successes.

"Our national coaches have enjoyed tremendous success of late and our work to introduce golf to every child through clubgolf has produced some really world-class outcomes. Allied to this, the investment allows us to focus on supporting our clubs without which there would be no golf industry."

The story of Scottish amateur golf over the past three years is full of notable accomplishments. Richie Ramsay won the US Amateur in 2006, half of the most recent Great Britain and Ireland Curtis Cup side were Scottish women and the current men's team hold the prestigious Eisenhower Trophy for the World Amateur Team Championships as well as the European Amateur team title.

On the other hand, it can't be overlooked how there is no public funding available to ensure the home of golf's promising talent go on to fulfil their potential when they play the game for a living.

The gap between achievement in the amateur game and under-achievement in the professional ranks has never been wider in Scotland. In spite of all the recent development success, not a single Scot is ranked in the world's top 100. Because of this alarming slump, there are obvious concerns about the lack of joined-up thinking in the game's structure.

Salmon explained: "It's a real concern, but this is not an issue we're hiding away from. We're doing everything we can to try and raise funding from the private sector which would enable us to support our players when they turn professional."