Kingsfield News - December 2010
This recent Scotland on Sunday article written by Golf Media Reporter John Huggan praises Kingsfield GC and encourages golfers of all ages to utilise our facilities.
John Huggan: If golf wants a future it must look like this
It's a nightmare for anyone lacking experience and/or confidence, especially when the game itself is a difficult enough proposition for any beginner.
So the traditional club model has to change if we, as a nation, are to flourish again in the spo rt we gave to the world. Which is where facilities such as the Kingsfield Golf Centre comes in. This, folks, is the future: a place where whole families can go to enjoy both golf and the company of other, like-minded individuals, all without worrying about breaking some archaic rule that passed its sell-by date 50 years ago.
Located just off the M9 near Linlithgow, Kingsfield has just about everything for golfers of all ages, abilities and genders. As well as a nifty little nine-hole course (around 3,000-yards, par-34), there are 20 practice bays on which the balls are replaced annually, a string of PGA coaches to choose from, computerised club-fitting facilities, a putting green that offers a serious challenge to the serious player and lots of fun for the less committed individual and a short game area boasting bunkers alongside pitching and chipping greens. And the coffee shop isn't half bad either, to the point where, according to Kingsfield owner Robert Arkley, 99 per cent of the customers are non-golfers. Sometimes, if you are lucky, European Tour professional Stephen Gallacher, a local resident and Kingsfield regular, might be the man clearing your table.
"We had an open weekend recently and maybe 500 people showed up," says Arkley. "So there is definitely a market for what we have to offer. The hard part is getting the message across. So many people have preconceived notions about golf clubs and what they represent; we need to make it clear we are a ‘non-traditional' facility.
"Our junior classes have been enormously successful. [Former Ladies European Tour player] Jane Connachan does a great job in that department. And she has beginners coming in as early as age four or five. So someone arriving here at age 14 is a veteran. But they are all welcome and it is tremendous to see so many having so much fun with the game."
Kingsfield then, is a world removed from the type of stuffy, clique-ridden golf clubs that, sadly, are so easy to find in this country. You know the type: run by incompetents whose sole motivation for serving on committee is the boosting of their own pathetic egos rather than the betterment of the club as a whole. One can only wonder at the collective damage such individuals have wrought over the years. We've all met them - I know, to my everlasting sorrow, that I certainly have. And they know who they are.
Still, such horror shows are a million miles removed from the amiable ambience at Kingsfield. It was a pleasure to watch as all kinds of groups and individuals made use of the myriad facilities, everything from the classic family of four putting together to the dedicated and single-minded hitter of balls on the range.
Indeed, when one family comprising mum, dad and two kids (each wearing - deep breath - denims and trainers) left the premises, the sky did not darken and lightning did not strike them dead for, heaven help us, wearing "inappropriate" clothing.
"Clubgolf has been great as far as it goes," says Gary Nicol, one of half a dozen experienced coaches at Kingsfield. "But after putting clubs in kids' hands, they have to have somewhere to go if they want to really play golf. So if Clubgolf takes youngsters from A to B, we like to think that we are C, the next step on the ladder. The problem, of course, is that there aren't many Cs about. While there are exceptions, too many clubs don't offer much to juniors wanting to learn.
"People also tend to feel intimidated at so many golf clubs. We want to remove that psychological barrier. It doesn't matter who you are when you walk through our door; everyone is treated exactly the same, from the complete beginner to an Open champion like Paul Lawrie. And we've had both here on a regular basis.
"In fact, it is remarkable the range of people we get here. It would be hard to pigeonhole any of them. All age groups are represented, from eight to 80 and we like to think we have everyone covered. I can't think of one person who might come here and not benefit hugely from what is on offer."
Like I said…the future.
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