New project to help Fife golfers with dementia keep playing sport they love

It offers people living with the condition the opportunity to continue playing the sport they love in a supportive and welcoming setting.

St Andrews Links Trust is hosting Linked Together in collaboration with local golf clubs and supported by “Fore” Get Me Not Golf.

With around 90,000 people in Scotland currently living with dementia – and estimates suggesting one in three people born today will go on to develop the disease – the need for meaningful, accessible support has never been greater.

The St Andrews project was initiated by The St Rule Club and supported by St Regulus Golf Club, New Golf Club, The R&A and Thistle Golf Club,

The six-week pilot is scheduled to take place from April 8, with an initial group of nine participants. Each week, sessions will consist of one hour of golf activities at The Craigtoun Course practice facilities, with one week on the Himalayas, followed by refreshments and socialising at the Links Clubhouse.

Approximately 40 volunteers from the local clubs have been recruited to provide dedicated, one-to-one support for every participant.Founders of “Fore” Get Me Not Golf also delivered specialist training and support to the instructors, golf clubs and volunteers to ensure the sessions are safe, enjoyable and tailored to the needs of participants.

Marion Todd, former Captain of The St Rule Club, said: “Thousands of people across Scotland are currently living with dementia, and each one of them will have had hobbies and interests before their diagnosis. We want Linked Together to support people to continue with those things that bring them joy and use golf as a way to help those in our community.

“We are proud St Andrews Links Trust and the other golf clubs have joined us to make this pilot programme a reality and hope it gives participants and their carers a real sense of support and connection.”

Dementia-friendly golf prioritises wellbeing over performance, with participants paired with a trained ‘buddy’ to assist with shots and guide play. Sessions maintain a consistent weekly routine while remaining flexible in format – for example, split between the driving range area and practice putting green, with course play incorporated where suitable.

The pilot programme also offers carers the opportunity for respite and the chance to form support networks with others caring for loved ones affected by dementia.

Christine Randall-Klee, community engagement lead at St Andrews Links Trust, said: “One of our core missions is to ensure anyone who wants to play golf can do so, no matter their circumstances.

“With support from our local clubs and specialist guidance from “Fore” Get Me Not Golf, Linked Together does exactly that, bringing together participants, carers, volunteers and the clubs at the Home of Golf to break down barriers to participation and build a more dementia-friendly society.”

Marion Todd, former Captain of The St Rule Club, said: “We want Linked Together to support people to continue with those things that bring them joy and use golf as a way to help those in our community.

“We are proud St Andrews Links Trust and the other golf clubs have joined us to make this pilot programme a reality and hope it gives participants and their carers a real sense of support and connection.”

Tony Pennock, Founder of “Fore” Get Me Not Golf, welcomed the move into the Home of Golf.

He added: “We know that dementia can make people feel isolated from the things they once enjoyed. Golf, in particular, is well positioned to help those living with dementia; it can offer a familiar environment, physical movement, and, most importantly, a sense of belonging.

“We were delighted to share our expertise with St Andrews Links Trust and the town’s golf clubs to develop Linked Together and expand the provision of dementia-friendly golf in Scotland.”

To ensure Linked Together is inclusive and accessible to all, St Andrews Links Trust is providing the space, equipment, and refreshments entirely free for participants.