£2m drive to develop golf from juniors to Tour pros

OUTDOORS and indoors, there was reason to be cheerful yesterday at North Berwick Golf Club. As members enjoyed one of the best days of the year so far on the West Links, good news for Scottish golf was being announced in the historic clubroom at the East Lothian venue.

It came in the form of an investment package worth more than 2million, with half of that money going to the Scottish Golf Union and Scottish Ladies Golfing Association to support coaching and player development, including clubgolf, the national junior initiative, and the other half being directed to a new project to support Scottish golfers as they bid to make the transition from leading amateur to Tour professional.

While Catriona Matthew (Ricoh Women's British Open), Martin Laird (Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospital for Children Open) and Richie Ramsay (South African Open) all chalked up notable success in 2009, the struggle by most Scottish players to secure a foothold on the top professional circuits around the world has become a growing concern in recent years.

It has long been felt that more needed to be done to help players after they make the switch to the professional ranks and, over the next five years, sportscotland, in conjunction with the Scottish Government and the National Lottery, is providing 1m to provide support in this respect.

An independent company is being established by sportscotland to oversee the new initiative, with Graeme Simmers, a former R&A captain, chairing its board. Bernard Gallacher, the former Ryder Cup captain, will be on the board, with Colin Montgomerie, Paul Lawrie and Catriona Matthew all having pledged to be involved in an advisory capacity.

"This is an exciting time for sport in Scotland as we build up to the Ryder Cup in 2014," said Louise Martin, chair of sportscotland. "The profile of golf has never been higher and we are delighted to make an announcement which will make an impact on the game in Scotland though from grass-roots participation to hopefully achieving success on the professional circuit.

"This marks an important step forward for the future of golf in Scotland, filling in the last piece of the puzzle to allow Scotland's golfing talent to flourish. The SGU and SLGA deliver constantly, both on and off the course, and that's why sportscotland has increased investment in a sport which is part of the very fabric of our nation."

Last year alone, clubgolf introduced almost 40,000 Primary 5 pupils to golf. More than 140,000 children have been introduced to the sport through the initiative and, in 2010, all 32 Scottish local authorities will offer the scheme's introductory game, firstclubgolf, to nine-year-olds.

Of the money being invested in the SGU and SLGA, 500,000 will go to clubgolf. First Minister Alex Salmond, who attended yesterday's announcement, said: "We are exceptionally proud of the clubgolf programme. It has developed a mass participation in the game in Scotland and even if a fraction - let's say a quarter - went on to develop their interest in golf and sustain their interest in golf, then the obvious impact of participation is very clear to see."

On the new investment to specifically help with the transition from amateur to professional, Salmond added: "We are a successful golfing country at the moment but, with the right strategy and the right investment, we are certain we can regain our position as the pre-eminent golfing country.

"Today we are announcing what we would describe as 'The Complete Package'. It reinforces the participation and reinforces the success Scotland has enjoyed in the game. We now have the framework to get the best out of our national game."

Douglas Connon, chairman of the SGU, and Colin Pearson, the PGA's head of golf development, both welcomed the announcements. "The funding that has been provided for the transition from amateur to professional is the missing link in the player pathway that we have," said Connon. "This will enable players to be in a position to achieve success."

Revealing that the PGA had been involved in discussions in the lead up to the decision being taken to try to help players through the transition phase, Pearson commented: "We welcome this announcement. Using clubgolf as a example, we are a key partner in the development of Scottish golf. We are involved at operational level (with this new initiative] and fully expect to be involved at other levels."

While she may have done pretty well for herself without such support, Matthew, who lives in North Berwick and was there yesterday to lend her backing to the announcement, is confident players will benefit in the future.

"An individual who I met in America sponsored me for the first three years," she said. "We had an agreement where I paid him back out of my prize-money and that meant I didn't have to worry about how I was going to make it to the next event."