Golf: Edinburgh Airport funding helps city club prosper

TURNHOUSE has become one of Scotland's high flyers in junior golf thanks to some help from neighbours Edinburgh Airport.

The number of juniors receiving coaching at the Capital club has doubled since it became involved in clubgolf, the national junior initiative.

The project has been supported by Edinburgh Airport, who have just handed over a cheque for 5,000, the third instalment of a 15,000 grant which has helped transform the club's practice area.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"As soon as we heard about clubgolf, we embraced it immediately and we have continued to do so ever since," said the club's junior convenor, Iain Holt.

The expansion of the practice area, for which the club also received 28,500 from sportscotland, has been just as important in the success of the project as the commitment by members to become volunteer coaches.

"When we started out with clubgolf coaching we only had a small chipping area, a putting green and driving range," added Holt.

"But because of this funding we have built a second, larger pitching area with four bunkers and a 500 square metre putting green which enables us to coach more children at the same time."

The impact of the new facility has been considerable. It has allowed the club to double the number of its coaching sessions to six per week and this year there are 72 children in the programme.

"We are extremely grateful to Edinburgh Airport for their generosity in awarding a substantial amount of money," commented Holt. "This facility is the best in the area and it benefits all members of the club. It has been a huge help to our clubgolf programme, allowing us to expand our coaching programme and introduce 100 percent more youngsters from the local community.

"It enables us to have more variety in our coaching, and also teach children on a more individual basis. As a consequence it makes it more fun and more children stay involved."

Kevin Brown, managing director at Edinburgh Airport, added: "We're delighted to have seen this superb initiative grow over the three years we've been working with Turnhouse.

"We look forward to seeing some of these budding young Edinburgh golfers using our airport in the future as they jet off to represent Scotland at major golf tournaments."