Edinburgh’s Kingsknowe GC makes juniors a priority

Good work by others too !  April 2010 Edinburgh’s Kingsknowe Golf Club had been a model of good junior practice for many years. In 2008 the clubs had 75 junior members, 50 percent of them with handicaps, and there was a small waiting list.  Yet, despite its junior initiatives, the club felt youngsters were never made to feel like an integral part of the club.  Since 2008 many changes have been made to benefit juniors.  The joining age has been lowered from 11 to nine years old, and junior membership places increased from 75 to 100.  Junior annual subscriptions have been reduced and nine and 10 year olds pay just £50 a year. The club’s junior competitions have also been given a major overhaul. In 2009 the club signed up to offer clubgolf coaching and nine children took part in its first Stage 1 coaching course.  In 2010 four members had qualified as Level 1 coaches with the intention of running a bigger course starting in April. The club charges just £1.50 per child for an hour and a half’s coaching. In 2010 the club’s volunteer coaches helped Active Schools teach firstclubgolf in a local primary school.  They also organised a pilot scheme at nearby Wester Hailes High School to encourage more secondary school children to play the game. To read the full account of how Kingsknowe has created a booming junior section in less than two years visit the case studies section on this site. View Case Study