THE 13 Borders golf clubs developing their junior sections through national junior programme ClubGolf have the opportunity to gain national recognition when the RBS Junior Club and Volunteer Awards are presented at a prestigious event in March.
A prize of £1,000 is up for grabs in the RBS Junior Club of the Year Award, while £500 will be presented to Scottish Golf’s leading volunteer at the annual Scottish Golf Awards, taking place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Glasgow on Friday, March 23.
Hosted by BBC commentator Andrew Cotter, anchor for last season’s Masters, Open Championship and Walker Cup, the awards will celebrate the achievements of golfers and golf clubs across Scotland, raising funds to develop the country’s young players.
Numbers of juniors taking up golf across Scotland are at an all-time high as a result of the flourishing national junior programme ClubGolf, supported by RBS, which has introduced 220,000 P5 children to golf.
More than 12,675 children are now active in ClubGolf coaching at 311 clubs in Scotland, with an army of 1,575 hard-working volunteer coaches giving up their time to work with the youngsters.
Backed by 18-time major champion Jack Nicklaus, RBS launched a three-and-a-half-year sponsorship of the programme last summer, to support the development of the sport in the community and encourage children to stay in the game.
The RBS Junior Golf Awards will reward clubs and volunteers that demonstrate excellence in promoting junior golf, with the winners receiving their prize alongside the biggest names in Scottish Golf, with former Open Champion Paul Lawrie and Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie in attendance last year.
This year’s winners will join an illustrious list of names at the forefront of junior golf development, typified by the reigning Junior Club of the Year, Orkney.
To nominate your club for RBS Junior Golf Awards visit www.scottishgolf.org – all nominations must be received by February 10.
z The 13 clubs are: Duns, Eyemouth, Hawick, Hirsel, Innerleithen, Kelso, Lauder, Melrose, Minto, Newcastleton, St Boswells, Torwoodlee, West Linton.