Scottish Golf Academy

As junior golf training grows at The Dragons Tooth Golf Course, one dream is that a Highlands Youngster will progress from West Coast golf to the Scottish Golf Academy.

We read with interest that the 2011 intake is just announced.  Entrants are invited from  golfers aged 15 and under on 1 January 2011 with a handicap limit of 10 for boys and 20 for girls.  The Academy programme provides aspiring young players with a comprehensive coaching and support programme. More at www.scottishgolf.org/go/performance/academy 

So, do we have anyone in Glencoe, Kinlochleven or Ballachulish who would like to attend?!  The course near Fort William already has a Modern Apprentice, and is keen to support all skills training.  Indeed, it was interesting to get a call the other day from the University of the Highlands and Island MI (UHI MI), where participants on a rural skills course at West Highland College asked if they could do some practical work on the Lochaber Golf Course.  Of course Head Greenkeeper David Lawrence said "yes!".

Meanwhile, plans are coming along well for the Junior Golf Training Programme for the Spring and Summer.  Four new adult trainers have kindly volunteered to attend an SGU programme, and will then support the existing group of loyal junior and youth trainers - led for a number of years Ballachulish enthusiast Charles Young. More on this in another golf blog . . . .   

"You are not alone"

It's good to see that Glencoe is not alone in it's collaborative spirit around golf!  Evidently the Golf Greenkeepers Assocation (GGA) and the British International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) have recently announced a partnership.
 
Whilst you may come to Fort William to get away from it all (enjoying peaceful golf on amazing greens at Ballachulish - where you have zero stress 'cos you just "turn up and get on") and escape from that busy world of professional golf and expensive, snooty courses, there is something in the proposed partnership.  One key stand, I think, focuses on eco-golf, and a whole new world of running golf courses in a sustainable way.  Something that IS relevant to us here in the Highlands - the last great wilderness of Europe?

With more on the partnership at
www.golfbusinessnews.com/news/courses/bigga-geo-partnership/?utm_source=Newsletter+Subscribers&utm_campaign=136500ad77-Weekly_Newsletter_January_21st_20111_21_2011&utm_medium=email

we are told that GEO and BIGGA will work together in the following areas:

• Communications – GEO and BIGGA will present new opinion and perspective through Greenkeeper International and via a new Sustainability Section at www.bigga.co.uk;
• Education – GEO and members of the GEOSA Network will contribute to national and regional seminars and workshops;
• Workplaced tools and programmes – BIGGA will promote GEO’s Self-Assessment and OnCourse™ guidance resources to help greenkeepers evaluate and forward plan their sustainability actions;
• Recognition for members – BIGGA and GEO will work together to encourage and incentivise participation in GEO Certified™.  BIGGA will also promote the achievements of GEO Certified™ golf facilities, and especially the greenkeepers and course managers that contributed to those facilities all round high sustainability performance.

Welcome Collaboration
All good wishes to those involved across Fife Golf as the Fife Golf Partnership begins to shape up.  This new and innovative alliance aims to bring people together to focus efforts on growing the market.

At an open meeting last week, over 40 people gathered to review research and proposals, prepared by leading Scottish consultants BTS.  The energetic meeting were supportive of "moving forward" to the next step.

And the Dragon's Tooth Golf Course was their at the Ladybank Golf Course, too!  Laurence Young had the slot as guest speaker, and gave an overview on the interesting partnership working and collaborations happening around the Loch at Ballachulish and Glencoe.  He paid tribute to the work of the Glencoe and Loch Leven Marketing Group ( Visit Glencoe ) - going strong for over 30 years! - and the exciting DMO, Outdoor Capital of the UK.

This West Coast Golf Course has, for example, linked with other activity providers, to produce a co-ordinated ACTIVITY MAP for visitors.

Thanks, Ladybank, for your hospitality on the day - and best wishes to our partner golf courses in Fife (it was good to meet some of our big brothers!).

Great News For Highland Golf

All of us at Dragon's Tooth Golf Club would like to extend a hearty congratulations to our friends up at Castle Stuart Golf Club who have today been confirmed as the venue for the 2011 Barclay's Scottish Open.

It's a tremendous boost for golf in the Highlands as a whole and will ensure that the golfing world will be looking a little more northwards this summer.

We're certain that it can only highlight the wonderful range of golf available to the visitor across the Highlands from championship links such as Castle Stuart, Royal Dornoch or Nairn to the wonderful scenic gems such as ourselves at Dragon's Tooth near Fort William.

Well done guys!