Orkney girls test their clubgolf skills. Image by Janette Mackie.

Orkney junior programme to expand

By ROB EYTON-JONES

Orkney Golf Club’s junior section, which grew impressively as a result of beginning its clubgolf programme in 2007, is set for further expansion this year.
“We recently put through seven new PGA Level 1 coaches and trained four of them on the new Advanced Level 1 CPD Course,” said Janette Mackie, the Club’s Junior Administrator.
“Adding these to our existing coaches we now have ten PGA Level 1 qualified coaches and four PGA Advanced Level 1 qualified coaches. This has given Orkney Golf Club a junior pathway for development from beginner through to the stage where they can gain a handicap.”
The club’s PGA Level 1 coaches will teach Stage 1 of the clubgolf programme. This involves 40 hours of coaching delivered over two years, and covers the fundamentals of putting, chipping, full swing, rules and etiquette.
So keen are the coaches to generate interest in the programme, they have visited local primary schools this spring to help introduce clubgolf’s introductory game, firstclubgolf, to Primary 5 children. Taught with multi-coloured modified clubs, rubberised balls and Velcro targets, firstclubgolf gives nine year olds an enjoyable and safe first experience of the game.
These children will now have the opportunity to progress their skills at the Club, which has almost 60 children enrolled on this year’s coaching courses and will include girls-only lessons.
The club is working with sportscotland to provide new practice facilities for its juniors. “We are looking at erecting a three-bay indoor practice area with a video analysis system which will link to a professional PGA Coach on the mainland for remote coaching,” said Mrs Mackie.
“We also have plans for four shortened junior holes, a two-bay galvanised outdoor practice net and to increase our practice putting green from four to nine holes.
“We will be actively working this year to provide these facilities for our juniors so any clever ideas, donations or business sponsorship would be very welcome.”
Said clubgolf’s Highland Regional Manager, Willie MacKay, who along with sportscotland’s Martin Bowie, travelled to Orkney at the end of last season to present prizes to the juniors, “After a very successful junior coaching season for Orkney Golf Club it was a real pleasure to attend their prize giving with so many juniors and parents present.
“Their youngsters are very fortunate in having so many adult members interested in their development. The 2008 junior season looks very promising with Orkney Golf Club now having coaches qualified to deliver the clubgolf Stage 2 coaching programme which should see several gaining their handicap.”