Indoor coaching area and green keeping facility at Reay should suit golfers to a tee
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REAY golf club hopes its plans to provide an indoor coaching area and a fit-for-purpose green keeping facility will suit golfers to a tee.
The club was granted planning consent for the facilities by Highland Council and hopes it will reap benefits for members and visitors alike.
Councillors heard the proposals include the demolition of existing equipment storage sheds at the 18-hole course.
The club, which has employed a fully-qualified head greenkeeper for the first time, is hoping that by improving its facilities it can benefit from its proximity to the popular North Coast 500 tourist route.
A report before the councillors stated that the route runs alongside the course boundary. By enhancing the playing condition of the course the club hopes to boost the membership and help grow golf tourism in the area.
"This will help the club achieve greater financial profitability and sustainability while at the same time create a potential spin off to other tourist service related businesses in the area who may benefit from a growth in golf tourism and longer visitor stays in the area," stated the document.
It added: "The committee decided to employ a fully-qualified head greenkeeper for the first time in the club's history. The aged ad hoc green keeping facility falls well below a reasonable standard. Not only does it not provide proper welfare facilities and a decent and safe working environment it does not best protect the valuable equipment assets which the club wish to maintain in the best condition, replace and upgrade as appropriate in the years to come. This is the starting point behind the decision to seek to deliver a fit for purpose facility to support the clubs objectives to constantly improve the course management.
"The plans for the green keeping facility include an additional bay for a modest indoor coaching facility and technical equipment. The facility and technical equipment will help the club build a remote accessible link with an experienced PGA coach further south which will help mitigate the need for long distance travel to access the highest level of coaching," it added.
The application was approved earlier this month.
