Following the success of Europe at the 2019 Solheim Cup, Scottish Golf has announced an expansion to its offering of Girls Golf Hubs across Scotland, with support from the event’s Golf Development Fund, VisitScotland and The R&A.
Announced at Nairn Dunbar Golf Club, home of Ladies European Tour professional Kelsey MacDonald, the new investment will enable Scottish Golf to work in partnership with 60 golf clubs to provide girls across Scotland with beginner level coaching in a fun and friendly environment.
The new hubs will be supported by Scottish Golf through investment in a PGA Professional who will deliver a six-week block of coaching. All hubs will also be provided with access to a new marketing portal that will allow them to promote their sessions locally.
Participants at each Girls Golf Hub are also set to benefit, with every girl receiving a goody bag, a golf club to keep and a membership voucher to use at their club following the programme.
Carol Harvey, Women and Young People Development Manager at Scottish Golf said: “Following Catriona Matthew’s inspirational captaincy of Europe at the Solheim Cup, we are delighted to have received support from the event’s Golf Development Fund to work with clubs across the country to take our Girls Golf Hubs to another 60 venues.
“These hubs are the perfect introduction to the game for girls who are looking to learn something new and with the support of a PGA Professional, they can learn in a relaxed setting, allowing them to have fun in a group coaching environment.”
Joe Fitzpatrick, Sports Minister, added, “I’m delighted that Scotland continues to reap the benefits of this year’s hugely successful Solheim Cup, thanks to the expansion of Scottish Golf’s Girls Golf Hubs through funding from the Solheim Cup Golf Development Fund.
“This initiative supports our aim to get more women and girls in Scotland participating in sport and physical activity. We know that there are many benefits of making sport and physical activity a part of daily life, from improving physical and mental health, to developing skills and strengthening communities. The impact can be life-changing, which is why we want as many people as possible to enjoy those benefits. It’s great news that Scottish Golf are expanding their Girls Golf Hubs offering and I hope the initiative continues to be a success.”
Jackie Davidson, Assistant Director – Golf Development at The R&A, said, “We believe that there is a huge growth opportunity for golf if it can encourage more women, girls and families into the sport so we are working closely with national associations to invest in initiatives that will boost participation rates among these groups. The Girls Golf Hubs will help to make golf more accessible and appealing for young girls across Scotland and we look forward to seeing the results of the expanded programme of activities.”
The new Girls Golf Hubs will run for six weeks with PGA Professionals delivering the entry-level coaching.