Golf lessons for children aged nine 'a gimmick'

Nick Britten, Scotland Political Correspondent, The Telegraph, 27 October 2000

The Scottish Executive faced accusations of "governing by gimmick" yesterday after pledging to teach every child how to play golf by the age of nine.

At a time when ministers are caught up in a crisis over the future of the education system, new figures released yesterday showed homelessness at an all time high and hospital waiting lists are getting longer, the Executive is to spend £24 million teaching schoolchildren golf.

The initiative is part of Scotland's attempt to host the 2009 Ryder Cup, but left Rhona Brankin, the Sports Minister, facing intense criticism. It also poured more embarrassment on to the new Scottish Labour leader, Henry McLeish, whose first week in charge has been dogged by blunders and controversies.

Mike Russell, Scottish National Party education and sport spokesman, said: "I'm all for teaching kids golf, but this seems to me like a complete gimmick. I am sure people will be more worried about the state of the education system and yet another rise in the number of homeless.

"They want to see action on that, not these sorts of gimmicks. If this is the way Henry McLeish is going to run the country, then people will be depressed rather than excited." Miss Brankin said the Executive was keen to cement its worldwide reputation as the "home of golf" by encouraging young people to take up the sport.

She said: "Golf is immensely popular in Scotland and we can boast the best golf courses in the world. We want to give every child in this country the opportunity to play golf. Hosting the Ryder Cup in 2009 can help us to achieve that aim.

"We shall extend our existing commitment to golf and to widening opportunities and introduce every child in Scotland - boys and girls - to the game of golf by the age of nine. That is our 2009 Ryder Cup pledge."

The golfer Colin Montgomerie said he was "delighted" by the pledge. He said: "To give so many young people access to the sport, and to give them the chance to play golf by the age of nine, is the kind of commitment that few other nations can boast."

Brian Monteith, Scottish Tory education spokesman, questioned the timing of the announcement. He added: "Rhona Brankin's career will stay firmly in the bunker with cynical gesture politics such as this. "Such a daft scheme will not advance the cause of the Ryder Cup coming to Scotland and one has to ask why not teach music tuition to every Scottish pupil."

Executive tees up youth golf strategy

The Courier, 27 October 2000

Every Scottish child is to be introduced to golf by the age of nine, under plans announced yesterday as part of a bid to host the Ryder Cup in 2009.

The commitment was announced by deputy minister for sport Rhona Brankin as she teed off the official bid to bring the tournament to Scotland.

A successful bid for the event would net the Scottish economy at least £67 million, as well as boosting golf tourism, one of the Executive’s target sectors for increasing visitor numbers.

To aid the bid, £24 million is to be spent on developing the sport over the next nine years, with the pledge to give every child a chance at taking part in the game by the age of nine, a centrepiece of the strategy.

“Golf is immensely popular in Scotland and we can boast the best golf courses in the world,” said Ms Brankin. “We want to give every child in this country the opportunity to play golf. Hosting the Ryder Cup in 2009 can help us to achieve that aim.

“We shall extend our existing commitment to golf and to widening opportunities and introduce every child in Scotland - boys and girls - to the game of golf by the age of nine. That is our 2009 Ryder Cup pledge.”

The £24 million golf strategy is being backed by leading golfers including Colin Montgomerie and Sam Torrance and will see a formal bid for the tournament submitted at the end of this month.

Montgomerie sent a message of support and said, “I firmly believe that we have the most comprehensive bid possible.

“Our bid will be a catalyst for the development and promotion of golf in Scotland.

“I am delighted that plans have been developed as part of the bid to give so many young people access to the sport, and to give them the chance to play golf by the age of nine is the kind of commitment that few other nations can boast.”

Paul Lawrie, winner of the 1999 Open, said securing the event for Scotland would mean more to him than his victory at Carnoustie.

“We are the home of golf and the Ryder Cup is probably the second or third largest event in the world. I can think of nothing better than to play in a winning Ryder Cup team in Scotland. It would mean more to me than Carnoustie.”

Education minister Sam Galbraith, who has Cabinet responsibility for sport, said, “The Scottish Executive have produced a bid of the highest quality to attract the 2009 Ryder Cup to Scotland, the home of golf.

“Every criterion laid out by the PGA (Professional Golf Association) and Ryder Cup Ltd has been comprehensively addressed within the bid document.

“There has been no room for compromise on quality or commitment in the development of Scotland’s bid and we believe the finished product gives Scotland the best possible chance of winning the right to host the 2009 event.”

The £24 million strategy, made up of £14 million on golf promotion and £10 million to secure the Ryder Cup, is being backed by extra cash from the private sector including the Bank of Scotland, said Mr Galbraith.

An economic study commissioned by the Executive showed when the 1997 Ryder Cup went to Valderrama, in Spain, it created £56.2 million, while last year’s event in Boston generated £103 million.

But last night the SNP said the scheme shows the Executive has got its priorities wrong.

“Ten years ago there were 2000 council houses built but in 2000 there are none,” said party housing spokesman Linda Fabiani. “In a country as rich as Scotland we should certainly give our kids decent sports provision, but we should put a roof over everybody’s head first.”

Scottish Socialist MSP Tommy Sheridan pointed to figures showing that 1000 Scots sleep on the streets every night.

“Labour’s priorities are completely out of step with everyday reality,” he said.

“While ministers are going on about golfing opportunities, thousands of Scots don't even have a house.

And Scottish Tory leader David McLetchie said, “This policy is out of touch and should be out of bounds. “It’s hard to believe there’s nothing better to spend our money on.”

Golf tourism is worth an estimated £100 million each year to the Scottish economy, with 260,000 visitors playing on courses across the country, and the Executive wants to increase its impact on the £2.5 billion tourism industry.

A decision is expected on the winning bid in January.