Kirkcaldy primary school pupils pick up clubs for unique take on popular sport

Pupils from Capshard Primary School have been provided with clubs, balls and tee markers to build their very own Park Gowf course. Funding came as part of a round of £8000 in funding from the Our Minds Matter Small Grants Fund.

Relatively unknown in Scotland, the one-club game is popular in Japan. It was first introduced by a Kirkcaldy-based charity in 2021 as a way of encouraging people of all ages to take up golf, with the aim of gaining the same physical and mental benefits.

Martin Christie, chair of Dunnikier Park Community Golf (DPCG), explained, “Our aims are to strengthen community engagement, raise self-esteem and confidence, support healthier lifestyles, and build a successful pathway to golf. Our partnership with Capshard and other primary schools, involving hundreds of pupils, is a major stepping stone in helping to achieve those aims.”

The school liaised with DPCG and Fife Golf Trust to fund the new short course at the school. Gillian Mann, headteacher at Capshard, said that pupils and staff are benefitting from the facilities and that she hoped the partnership with DPCG would continue to develop.

She added, ‘’We are thrilled to be part of such an amazing partnership with Dunnikier Community Park Golf and we are delighted to have such a great facility for the children to use. Our staff and children are all thoroughly enjoying playing Park Gowf and we look forward to developing our partnership with DPCG and our gowf skills over many years to come.’’