A hotly anticipated community-based golf and entertainment facility opened on Saturday on the south bank of Hogganfield Loch in Glasgow.
Golf It!, a new concept from the R&A, is set to revolutionise the sport, making it more accessible and inclusive to golfers and non-golfers alike.
The vast new indoor and outdoor attraction boasts an extensive range of introductory golf formats including a twist on pitch and putt, three adventure golf courses, community putting greens and a 52-bay double-decker floodlit driving range.
A new-look nine-hole course that incorporates five sets of tees to encourage people at all levels of ability to play together will feature alongside nature trails, bike hire and street food-style dining and drinks areas, with Glasgow’s Big Feed making the venue its new permanent home. Glasgow’s first-ever Padel tennis courts are also set to launch later in the year onsite.
“The aim at Golf It! has always been to make it as welcoming and affordable as possible,” said Russell Smith, the general manager at Golf It! “I believe we have achieved that with a facility that is a phenomenal experience for all of the family.
“It is crucial for us that ‘community’ is at the centre of everything we’re setting out to achieve at Golf It! Most of our 50 trailblazers – the name we’ve given our new team members on site – are from the local area.
“Working with Beano Brain, schoolchildren were asked to design the adventure golf holes. There's nothing like it anywhere else in the UK, and it’s their vision of what golf should look like. We hope we’ve done their imagination justice.
“We can’t wait to show everyone how spectacular the venue looks. Golf It! is for those kids, their families and the whole community, who might not have thought of visiting a golf attraction.”
The full list of features at Golf It! includes:
Golf It! already has won the backing of a range of delivery and community partners, which includes Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Life, VisitScotland, National Lottery Heritage Fund, Golf Foundation, Active Schools Network, GEO Foundation, AIG, Toptracer, Toro, Acushnet, Callaway, PMY Group, Range Servant, Your Golf Booking, Scottish Power Carryway, Golfway and Adidas.
St Paul’s Youth Forum, community partner of Golf It!, is a youth project in Provanmill that aims to provide opportunities for young people across the East End of Glasgow. Young people from the project and local schools have planted a community orchard at the venue and will be operating On Bikes, a youth-focused bike charity which provides free bike access on site.
For more information, visit HERE.
Follow The R&A on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
The R&A