Scotland’s GolfSixes model is way forward for growing game, says Keith Pelley

Scottish youngsters are enjoying the GolfSixes format. Picture: Euan Duff.

The home of golf has been held up as the shining example by Keith Pelley, the circuit’s chief executive, on introducing the six-hole matches and how something different can prove more appealing to youngsters than the traditional way to play the game.

Last year in Scotland,  67 clubs took part in GolfSixes across 15 regional leagues. The total number of players involved was 605, including 186 girls, with a 20 per cent increase in junior membership being recorded from those clubs who took part.

Move forward to this year and 150 clubs have registered for Junior GolfSixes Leagues – a staggering 123 per cent increase on last year. Scottish Golf will be staging up to 30 regional leagues from the Highland & Islands down to the Borders.

The Junior GolfSixes Leagues in Scotland have been funded by the Golf Foundation and Solheim Cup, with significant additional investment from the R&A in 2020 for the next three years as part of a six-figure sum across GB&I.

“In my opinion, Scotland is where the model is right now in terms of what we need to do to grow the game,” said Pelley. “It’s about consolidating as many of the organisations as you can and coming up with the one concept and  promoting it.”

The format was introduced on the European Tour in 2017, the Centurion Club near St Albans staging it on two occasions, the second one involving both women’s and mixed teams. The 2019 event then moved to Portugal, where it is being staged once again this year at Oitavos Dunes in Cascais in early May.

“I still think we haven’t done a good job yet in terms of taking GolfSixes to another level,” added Pelley of how he feels the concept can be used at all levels of the game.

“I believe that is the format to grow the game, I really do. That’s the format that can get the next generation into golf. We haven’t built on it other than putting on a tournament and it is a plan in 2021 to invest in it significantly.

“To get people involved in the game, you have to fall in love with it and I really don’t think you can fall in love with it playing 18 holes at very young age.”

According to someone who has been heavily involved in junior golf for a number of years, GolfSixes is helping turn the tide in terms of making the game more popular again with youngsters.

“It is the best thing to happen in junior golf for some time,” said Mary Richardson, who was the junior convenor at Craigmillar Park when the capital club won last year’s inaugural Edinburgh  GolfSixes.

“It is a fantastic initiative for kids before they get a handicap. It keeps kids in clubs, which is important as so many other – albeit good – initiatives occur away from the club environment.

“It was great to see the kids taking pride in representing their club in a non-pressurised environment and a fun introduction to competition.”