Dunnikier Golf Club expanding with ethos of “Golf for All”

Fife Golf Trust and Dunnikier park golf club have invested over £50,000 on this purpose built golf course focussed on the development of “golf for all.”

The course has been made specifically to encourage an easier and gentler introduction to the game with no hole longer than 95 meters, holes that are twice the size of a standard golf hole and shallow bunkers for beginners of all ages.

The 2019 course has been built to help and develop golf, as a sport, across all age groups, ability and gender.

Speaking to the Fife Free Press, committee member Mark Smith explained the benefits the course can offer.

He said: “We have developed a platform for schools and young adults that includes our School Sessions, having named each hole after local primary schools with a weekly schedule during the term for each school to have coaching sessions from our PGA Professional Alasdair McDonald.

“Alongside our School Sessions we work with the SGA to deliver our Girls in Golf sessions and celebrate our community links with our Disabled Golf program both to be held weekly through the golfing season.

“The initiatives put in place by the committee have acknowledged that, though we have a strong committed membership of over 650, we have seen a shift in our age profiles over the past decade, and recognise our club can only grow by introducing a policy of encouragement ‘for all’ to play the game and bring more diversity into the club.

“A policy of welcoming and involving all at our club is part of our recipe for success, from the ‘wee wonders’, our junior development platform encouraged with free club membership and weekly coaching and competitions, through all ages to our senior members with a weekly program celebrating our ever-young members with competitions and coffee mornings encouraging our sense of community.”

Like other clubs and business across the country, Dunnikier felt the impact of the Covid-19 crisis and lockdown but are now coming out the other side full of optimisim.

“As our winter program was coming to an end, our spring and summer social and golfing Calendars were filled with excitement and expectation,” said Smith.

“Our members who would normally pay their annual fees in the last week of March and showed their passion and complete empathy with the club as 98% paid on time.

“On Friday, July 17 our clubhouse reopens with our team back in place and welcoming our first customers, though in the short term this will be for members only.

“As we get back to ‘business as usual’ we look forward to welcoming all of our customers and hopefully create our next chapter.”

The club are also running a competition on the 2019 course over the summer holidays for school kids which is free to play with a monthly prize. To play in the comp just email our PGA pro, Alasdair McDonald, [email protected].