Following yesterday’s announcement by the First Minister, Scottish Golf can confirm the following movement in Protection Levels from Monday 17 May.

Level 3: Moray is very likely to remain at Level 3. This decision will confirmed at the end of the week and we will inform all clubs as soon as possible. 

Level 2: Mainland Scotland and islands not moving to Level 1 will move to Level 2.

Level 1: Orkney, Shetland, Na h-Eileanan Siar, all islands in Highland (except Skye) and the following islands within Argyll and Bute will move to Level 1 – Coll, Colonsay, Erraid, Gometra, Iona, Islay, Jura, Mull, Oronsay, Tiree and Ulva
We have received final approval from our partners at sportscotland and the Scottish Government on our updated guidance which is available here.
While there are no further changes to on-course activities, our updated guidance means that from Monday 17th May, the following changes will take place for clubs who can offer hospitality services.

In Level 2 areas:

All indoor hospitality may operate until 22.30.
Groups may consist of up to 6 people from 3 households.
Alcohol may be served (2-hour dwell time).
All outdoor hospitality may continue where groups of Over 18s may consist of up to 8 people from 8 households.
In Level 1 areas:

All indoor hospitality may operate until 23.00.
Groups may consist of up to 8 people from 3 households.
Alcohol may be served.
All outdoor hospitality may continue and groups of Over 18s may consist of up to 12 people from 12 households.
Please note that detail for all future levels remains indicative at this stage and could be subject to further relaxation or change. You can continue to keep up to date on all the latest COVID-19 updates on our dedicated webpage here.

Once again, we would like to thank all of our clubs and gofers across Scotland for your continued co-operation and adherence to the current guidance during these challenging times.

Club Golfers Tee Off 2021 Scottish Golf Events Season At Craigmillar Park.

Scottish Golf stages its first national event for over a year when the Scottish Medal Final East is played under strict COVID-19 guidelines at Craigmillar Park Golf Club in Edinburgh on Friday 7 May. The Scottish Medal Final East event has attracted a field of 109 male and female players all of whom came through qualifiers at their home clubs to earn a spot in the second stage of this new competition.

It is the first of six Regional Finals to be played between now and the end of July with the six male and six female competitors with the lowest net scores in those Regional Finals progressing to the Grand Final to be played at The Duke’s, St Andrews, on Sunday 15 August.

Read the full newsletter here

Following this week’s announcement by the First Minister, Scottish Golf welcomes confirmation that mainland Scotland will be entering Level 3 on Monday 26th April. We have received final approval from our partners at sportscotland and the Scottish Government on our updated guidance which is available here.

Our updated guidance means that from Monday 26th April, the following changes will take place:

• Adults living in Level 3 or Level 4 areas may leave their local authority area to participate in informal exercise and organised sport that starts and finishes in the same place.
• Clubhouse facilities may open.

• All indoor hospitality may operate until 20.00, allowing 6 people from 2 households to meet. No alcohol is permitted.
• All outdoor hospitality may resume. Groups may consist of up to 6 people from 6 households. Alcohol may be served, and licensing times apply.
  
  Clubs should note that the Scottish Government has issued updated guidance, available here, with additional precautions for hospitality venues. The guidance highlights that hospitality venues should gather contact details for all their customers – not just for the lead member of each group.
  
  We know that 26th April is a date that will have been circled in the diaries of both golf clubs and golfers across Scotland for some time now, and we are delighted that we can continue to make progress out of lockdown. We would remind everyone to continue to follow the latest guidance and take the required precautions to ensure we can continue to benefit from these new relaxations.
  
  Please note that detail for all other levels remains indicative at this stage and could be subject to further relaxation or change. You can continue to keep up to date on all the latest COVID-19 updates on our dedicated webpage here.

Get The Most Out Of The National Junior Framework - Over 100 clubs are already benefitting from the Scottish Golf National Junior Framework. To support clubs using the Framework, we are running a series of interactive webinars that will demonstrate how the Framework can help you plan, fund and grow your junior section in 2021.

During the interactive webinars, you can find out more about the functionality of the National Junior Framework and access a range of funding opportunities available to support you with coaching, junior equipment and school to club links. You can also register for an exciting series of events to encourage more on-course play and access the competition packs.

The webinar is open to all Scottish Golf affiliated clubs who have registered, or are looking to register, for the National Junior Framework. It is aimed at Junior Organisers, PGA Professionals, volunteer coaches and anyone involved in delivering junior activities at their club. Read the full newsletter here

If your club wants to increase the number of junior members and see them progressing to get a handicap, then our Junior Flag Events are perfect for you. Flag Events provide a great opportunity for juniors to develop their game on the course in a fun and relaxed format while introducing them to scoring, etiquette and other aspects of golf.

They are also a great way of engaging parents and creating a buzz at your club on the day of the event. Aimed at juniors aged 12 and under without a handicap, a Junior Flag event is played on a shortened 9-hole layout at each club. Players start at the 1st hole and have 36 shots to play as many holes as possible, placing their flag where their 36th shot finishes.

As well as creating a fun event at the golf club, the top four players in each Club event will qualify for a regional event run by one of our partners from the Stephen Gallacher Foundation, Paul Lawrie Foundation and Junior Golf Scotland. 

The top team from each Regional event will earn a place in the Grand Final with the opportunity to be crowned Scottish Junior Flag Champions!Michael MacDougall, Foundation Manager at the Paul Lawrie Foundation, said, “For clubs themselves, Flag Events are a great way of providing kids with an introduction to golf and are central to our Foundation. They are great fun, easy to run and are events that will get kids enjoying the game.”

Following the First Minister’s latest update, Scottish Golf welcomes the news that the early easing of some lockdown restrictions will now take place from Friday 16th April. We have received final approval from our partners at sportscotland and the Scottish Government on our updated guidance which is available here. Our updated guidance means that from Friday 16th April, the following changes will take place:

Adults living in Level 3 or Level 4 areas may leave their local authority area to participate in informal exercise that starts and finishes in the same place.
Groups can consist of up to 4 golfers from within Scotland, with no restrictions on number of households

Golf continues to benefit from being classified as informal exercise by the Scottish Government and we recognise that this is a privileged position in comparison to some other sports at this time. This means that players from outwith the club’s local authority area can now travel to participate in a casual game of golf. However, where cross-border travel is required, competitive play will not be permitted at this time. We anticipate that from the 26th April, subject to further announcements, this restriction will also be lifted.

This announcement is welcome news for the golfing community. We know many golf clubs and golfers have endured significant sacrifices during the recent lockdown, but we hope that today’s update will provide an opportunity for more people to get back out on the golf course and enjoy the physical and mental health benefits that a round can provide. We thank you again for your understanding and, as the lighter nights and better weather return, we hope you enjoy being able to meet up with friends and family for a game.

Keep up to date on all the latest COVID-19 updates on our dedicated webpage here.

As the golf season starts to come out of hibernation for 2021, the Scottish Golf Performance Programme is getting into full swing with the release of the structure that has been developed in conjunction with Paul Lawrie and Catriona Matthew. The Performance Programme is devised to add value and support to the work the player is doing with their personal coach. It is not about teaching a player how to improve their swing – their coach already does that. It is about developing potential and maximising performance of our elite players at men’s, women’s, boy’s, and girl’s levels to prepare physically and mentally for competitive golf at the highest level. Read more here

The Scottish Golf National Junior Framework is a one-stop-shop that will enable affiliated clubs to plan, fund, manage and grow a junior section all in one place. The comprehensive Framework, available at www.ScottishJuniorGolf.org, supports clubs who want to increase their junior membership and is based on consultation with a wide range of people who work on the frontline of junior golf, including junior organisers, PGA professionals, volunteer coaches, the Paul Lawrie Foundation, Stephen Gallacher Foundation, PGA, Junior Golf Scotland, Children’s Golf Trust, R&A and the Golf Foundation. 

For more details click here