Performance chief's passion for golf

THE man tasked with improving the performances of Scotland's leading amateur golfers has revealed how suffering a heart attack led to him focusing on getting the most out of life and setting his sights on turning a passion for the game into a full-time job in golf.

Kevin Cademy-Taylor, a 43-year-old from Northumberland, takes up a new role of performance development manager with the Scottish Golf Union on Monday, having been appointed as part of a shake up that has also seen Adam Hunter and Neil Marr move into the post of head coaches of the Scottish Under-16s and Under-18s boys' squads respectively in the last few months.

A two-time Northumberland champion, Cademy-Taylor is heading north with a wealth of experience from a variety of playing and coaching roles in England, where he managed the national Under-18 boys team and was also voted Volunteer Coach of the Year in 2010 after helping his County win the Northern Counties title for the first time in 17 years.

However, all his previous positions have been voluntary ones and it was only after his scrape with death seven years ago that Cademy-Taylor had time to take stock of his life and, during part of the 15 weeks he was off work, he put a plan in place to secure the sort of position he's about to embark on for the SGU at its headquarters on the outskirts of St Andrews.

"I don't really know what caused the heart attack. But we did not make the mistake of thinking it was indigestion or anything like that. (My wife] Lynne quickly drove me to hospital when I started getting pains in my chest at home first thing one Friday morning," he said. "I don't know if things would have turned out differently if I had gone to hospital half an hour later, perhaps they might have done but the experience changed me. I was shown the yellow card. I became focused on getting the most out of life I possibly could and that meant finding a job in golf because I love the sport so much."

It was second-time lucky for Cademy-Taylor with the SGU, having earlier applied for the post of performance director which was filled by Steve Paulding, the former head coach of the British Olympic cycling team. After giving up his job as a quality controller for a company making toilet and kitchen rolls, he can't wait to get started in his new position, which was created in the wake of Spencer Henderson, the Scottish national junior coach, leaving last year to become Turkey's national coach.

Cademy-Taylor said: "My overall plan is to get younger boys and girls more used to an elite programme as early as possible.They've all got the talent to get to that level but then have to deal with stuff like nutrition, strength and conditioning etc and my opinion is that their talent goes back as they are spending time on the other stuff.

"Lloyd Saltman, Eric Ramsay and one or two others looked as though they were going to be world-beaters and it is nice to see Lloyd doing well again now. However, when they had a totally professional attitude thrown at them I think their games went backwards for a period of time. Richie Ramsay, by contrast, was used to that through the period of time he spent at Stirling University and he managed to make the transition quite seamlessly.

"I will be looking to have a more rounded programme through the Areas leading into the Academy. The Academy programme has been in place for a while now but the coaches need to be able to lead the content.

"I have worked with some top coaches in England, including Graham Walker, who has half a dozen players on Tour, including Danny Willett, David Horsey and Paul Waring."

Cademy-Taylor is no stranger to Scottish golf, having played in events like the Amateur Championship and St Andrews Links Trophy over the past couple of decades. He also beat the aforementioned Saltman in a match between Lothians and Northumberland when they were both the No 1 for their counties.

"I have known (Scotland captain] Scott Knowles for a number of years so it will be nice to have a friendly face around. My wife is also a keen golfer and we've bought a house in Lundin Links, which is 500 yards from the first tee," added Cademy-Taylor.