£2 million to get new Scots blood on the greens
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SCOTTISH Government investment worth £2 million between 2014 and 2018 will attract tens of thousands more children to the game of golf, according to First Minister Alex Salmond.
The extension of annual investment of £500,000 in each of the four years to 2018 was announced by the First Minister during a visit to a children’s golf lesson at Gleneagles – part of Scotland’s successful clubgolf initiative. The package builds on legacy plans for the 2014 Ryder Cup, the first time in more than 40 years the prestigious tournament will be played in Scotland.
The First Minister also welcomed a donation of £19,500 to clubgolf by Gleneagles. The money represents the proceeds of its £5 Friday initiative, where all the revenue from on-the-day ticket sales at the Johnnie Walker Championship was donated to Scotland’s junior golf programme.
Mr Salmond said: “Scotland is the undisputed worldwide home of golf. We have the best courses in the world and facilities that are second to none.
“Encouraging the next generation of golfers is crucial. Clubgolf gives thousands of children in Scotland the chance to play golf, putting a club in the hands of every nine-year-old in the country and creating the possibility of golfing success at the highest levels.
“This continued investment by the Scottish Government will ensure a lasting legacy from the 2014 Ryder Cup.
“Golf makes an enormous economic contribution to Scotland. The 2014 Ryder Cup alone will generate an estimated £100m for our economy and golf tourism is worth an estimated £220m to Scotland every year
“As we look forward to the Ryder Cup we are also celebrating 2011 as the year of Active Scotland. That means that as well as inviting golfers from around the world, we want as many Scots as possible to reap the benefits of being active too.”
Clubgolf manager Jackie Davidson said: “Clubgolf is delighted to receive this further four-year commitment from the Scottish Government which will enable us to build on the success of the programme.
“We are already introducing record numbers of children to the game, raising junior performance levels and increasing junior memberships in clubs.
“Extending funding until 2018 is a great tribute to what we have achieved and puts us in a strong position to promote lifelong participation, increase club membership and support wider opportunities for talented players to come to the fore.”
