{"id":418710,"date":"2026-02-10T21:35:09","date_gmt":"2026-02-10T21:35:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/418710\/"},"modified":"2026-02-10T21:35:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T21:35:09","slug":"golf-officials-swing-in-for-visit-as-memberships-at-two-clubs-soar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/418710\/","title":{"rendered":"Golf officials swing in for visit as memberships at two clubs soar"},"content":{"rendered":"

NATIONAL golf officials visited the isles last week on the back of a surge in memberships at both the Shetland and Whalsay golf clubs last year.<\/p>\n

Whalsay \u2013 the most northerly golf club in the UK \u2013 grew its membership by almost a quarter in 2025, while Shetland Golf Club at Dale saw its numbers grow by nearly 13 per cent.<\/p>\n

Both clubs also saw large rises in junior participation, with 76 new boy and girl members signing up throughout the year.<\/p>\n

Scottish Golf chief Robbie Clyde and north development manager Eilidh Paterson were in Shetland last week to see the progress up close, and held meetings with the council\u2019s sports team too.<\/p>\n

The pair are seeking to continue golf\u2019s growth in Shetland, and spoke with development manager Neil Grant, Active Schools manager Louise Jamieson and sports development officer Jack Clubb about achieving that.<\/p>\n

Talks centred around encouraging beginners into the game, growing the number of women and girl players and funding options for the two clubs.<\/p>\n

Clyde said there was a \u201cgenuine passion for golf on Shetland\u201d, which had been evident in discussions with club officials and staff at Shetland Islands Council.<\/p>\n

\u201cMembership numbers at both Shetland and Whalsay have risen in the past year, but there\u2019s so much more we want to do to support the growth of the game,\u201d the Scottish Golf chief executive said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn particular, we all feel that there\u2019s a real opportunity to encourage more women and girls to enjoy the game.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt can be easy for our members in the Highlands and Islands to feel a little bit isolated. I felt it was crucial to meet the clubs face-to-face and reassure them that they are very much part of the wider Scottish Golf community and we\u2019re proud to support them in any way we can.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Paterson said they wanted the clubs in Shetland to \u201cfeel confident\u201d that they were being backed and supported by the national golf body.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe wanted to hear directly from the council and clubs and discover how we could tailor our work to support golf\u2019s development in this remote but stunningly beautiful part of Scotland,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are a number of things we took away from the trip that the wider Scottish Golf team and I will now look to activate in the coming months so that we can build on what was a really successful 2025 for golf in Shetland.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shetland Golf Club chairman Ross MacDougall said there had been \u201climited direct engagement\u201d with Scottish Golf in recent years.<\/p>\n

But he said this trip \u201cmarks an important step in developing a more collaborative relationship\u201d between the two.<\/p>\n

\u201cA common perception persists that golf is a sport out of reach for many. Shetland Golf Club is committed to challenging that stigma.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe club aims to create clear, accessible pathways for beginners and juniors to get involved. All necessary equipment is provided, meaning newcomers only need to bring themselves.<\/p>\n

\u201cShetland Golf Club would also like to extend a sincere thank you to its volunteers and sponsors, whose continued support keeps the club thriving and enables the development of new opportunities for the community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Information on programmes and pathways for getting started will be shared by Shetland Golf Club this spring.<\/p>\n

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