Volunteers contribute a huge amount to the game of golf in
Scotland at local, regional and national level and are a key part of the game’s
fabric. Without volunteers, many clubs wouldn’t exist and at Scottish Golf, we
are committed to improving your volunteering experience, through training,
education and reward.
Donating your time can really benefit your Club, help you learn and develop new skills and can have a positive impact on mental health and happiness. There are lots of opportunities across the game where you can get involved, from supporting your club committee, helping at events, coaching juniors and beginners, through to ratin courses.
Volunteer Training & Education
Scottish Golf delivers an annual programme of education and
training for volunteers at club level, covering a wide range of roles from
Child Protection (Safeguarding) to Coaching and Handicapping to Marketing.
Taking a blended learning approach, this includes regional seminars and
workshops, as well as online learning, giving you the opportunity to learn
remotely at your leisure, with each session delivered by an experienced member
of our staff or an external expert from the industry.
To access our latest workshops, click on the link below:
There are lots of volunteering opportunities available at
every level of the game so it’s important to find a role that suits your
experience, skills and passion. With the ever-increasing demands on running a
golf club, clubs need lots of different people with a wide range of skill sets,
while at national level roles are available across amateur championships,
professional events and course rating.
At club level, the most common volunteering roles can be
summarised as follows, with support available from Scottish Golf throughout the
Club Development section of our website:
Committee Members – The committee exists to serve the club and to ensure everything runs smoothly so that its members receive the best possible service and experiences, with a wide number of convenor roles often required, including; finance, greens, marketing, match and handicapping and social.
Junior Organiser – if your passion is growing the game at junior level, clubs need people to coordinate all their junior activities, from beginner level coaching to running events and attracting new junior members.
Safeguarding Officer – a vital role at any golf club, this role safeguards the welfare of children and supports those involved in junior coaching, with extensive support provided by Scottish Golf to ensure clubs are compliant with legislation and best practice.
Coaching – in partnership with the PGA, Scottish Golf offers the chance for volunteers to qualify as an ASQ Award for Golf Coaching Assistant (formerly Level 1) to help with juniors and adult beginners, with ongoing support and CPD (continuous professional development) opportunities available to help to develop your coaching skills.
Handicapping – each affiliated club is required to support the administration of their members’ handicaps and with major changes coming into effect at the end of 2020 through the new Worldwide Handicapping System, Scottish Golf provides a high level of support for volunteers and managers involved in this area of your business.
New Member Buddies – this is an increasingly important role at many golf clubs, with volunteers need to help with the integration of new members or Get into Golf beginners to improve the all-important early stages of new customers.
If you are interested in volunteering at a local level,
contact your golf club and ask them what roles are available. Those clubs
engaged in our Governance support should have role descriptions to show you, to
help you find the role to fit your skillset or area of interest.
Volunteering for Scottish Golf
Scottish Golf is always keen to hear from people willing to
volunteer in various aspects of our activities, with the two main areas being
Course Rating and Championships. We offer training in both areas and the opportunity
to travel across the country to different courses, with the chance to meet
like-minded people and support the game at grass roots level.
If you are interested in finding out more about these roles,
please contact the relevant department in the first instance using the contact
details below:
You can also volunteer at some of the major professional
golf events coming to Scotland in 2020. Further information will be available
on each of the following championships:
ASI Scottish Open, The Renaissance Club, 9 -12 July
ASI Ladies Scottish Open, The Renaissance Club, 13 – 16 August
AIG Women’s British Open, Royal Troon, 20 – 23 August
