PGA pro Michael McAllan opens up on his 'struggles with poor mental health'

PGA in Scotland Nominee for national award says ‘life is definitely on the up’

Nairn Golf Club's Michael McAllan, right, is presented with a plaque to mark being the PGA in Scotland Nominee for the 2023 Toby Sunderland Award by PGA in Scotland Chairman Jason Boyd. Picture: PGA in Scotland

A Scottish PGA professional has spoken about feeling proud to have used his own “struggles with poor mental health” to support others in a similar position.

Michael McAllan, who started his PGA career in and around Edinburgh and is now at Nairn, opened up on his mental health battles as he reflected on being the PGA in Scotland Nominee for the Toby Sunderland Award.

“Having worked through my own struggles with poor mental health, I have been very happy to use my experiences to try and give something back to those who need support,” he told The Scotsman. “Part of the work I have done has been in the form of a number of articles I have written and had published online.

“These include a piece on my personal and professional rejuvenation since leaving my previous place of work and starting afresh at Nairn Golf Club called ‘Last Night a Golf Club Saved My Life’ and a blog piece on looking after mental health that I was asked to write for Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) in Moray.

“I try to be as open as possible when talking about the subject of mental health – this has really helped me personally but has also led to some positive discourse about the matter with people in my network. I really hope it has helped.”

McAllan was also recognised for his charity fund-raising efforts, having been the driving force behind Covesea Links Course on the Moray coast staging its first Open last year, when thanks to approximately 85 golfers taking part, the sum of £5500 was raised on the day for SAMH [Scottish Action for Mental Health].

“I didn’t set out to seek recognition for anything I have done in terms of fundraising or supporting my peers as it has simply felt like the right thing for me to do at this stage of my life with the experience of life that I now have,” he added. “However, it is a real honour to be acknowledged by the PGA in this way.

“I feel very lucky as a PGA pro to have worked over the last 20 plus years with some very good teams at Baberton, The Roxburghe, Murrayfield, Glenbervie, Elgin and now Nairn. The relationships I have built up through this time have definitely helped me develop into the person I am now. I have formed some very important and close friendships with some great people in the industry who supported me through some really rough times. I now feel it is important to give back what I can.

“I was very humbled to receive a lovely plaque from the PGA to mark my nomination for the award. It feels like I am on a bit of a roll now personally and professionally. Life is good and my family are happy. I was even awarded Employee of the Year at Nairn for 2023. Life is definitely on the up.

“I couldn’t have done any of this without my family behind me, so I thank them for supporting me thick and thin and also ‘Team Burnett’ (Andy and Angela) at Covesea Links for hosting such an amazing event last September and I believe their 2nd Charity Open is already in the planning stages.”