Community Initiatives

School and Community Golf

Niddry Castle Golf Club is an Active Assured Accredited sports club with West Lothian Council which means that we have met set criteria in relation to governance, policy and procedure and are a safe and well-organised club.

Throughout the year Niddry Castle Golf Club provides participation opportunities through activity blocks, tasters and health weeks in local Primary and Secondary schools in partnership with Active Schools & Community Sport.

This partnership is especially important as it supports Active Schools delivery of both a targeted and universal provision.

As an accredited club we have also been eligible to receive summer holiday funding to allow the Club to engage with distinct populations who may otherwise not be able to access the sport of golf. We work to target specific young people and their families making best use of all the facilities we have to offer and work in partnership with Active Schools and Community sport to deliver this programme.

For the past three years, the Club has run a Get Into Summer activity. View some of the participants here.

As possibly the only accredited golf club in West Lothian, the demand from schools on providing sessions throughout the year and from all parts of the County and beyond is high. We always aim to deliver.

The Club also supports local Community Sports Clubs and organisations, providing after school’s activities and Fun Days to promote, for example, the Gala Day.

Get Confident in the

Basics for Women

Get Confident in the Basics for Women provides a fantastic first experience of golf, where the focus is on getting outdoors, having fun, and learning the fundamentals of playing golf. This five-week programme enables participants to join a friendly group of like-minded women, to develop their skills, feel more confident and enjoy the physical and mental benefits that getting active through golf brings. The Courses are delivered by PGA Level 2 Coaches, John Pritchard & Willie White, and show the Club’s commitment to increasing the female membership and raising the profile of the club’s activities to address the perception of women’s golf. At the end of the course the participants get a chance to put their new skills into practice by giving it a go on the Course, where they are accompanied by more experienced Lady golfers who provide more tips and guidance.

So far, over 80% of the Course participants have become Members of Niddry Castle Golf Club.

View some of our latest participants here.

Junior Coaching

Niddry Castle Golf Club runs five weekly sessions from the first week in April through to Mid-November.

The Juniors are aged from 5 to 15 years and come from Winchburgh and many of the surrounding villages. This year we had to implement a waiting list.

The Coaching Team consist of two PGA Level 2 Coaches and three PGA Level 1 Coaches. The Team are ably assisted by a team of parents and helpers, all who are members of the PVG scheme and have the relevant Child Well Being and Protection qualifications.

The sessions cover every part of the Golf game from grip, stance and posture, alignment, and ball position to the individual shots like putting, chipping, pitching, full swing and driving.

In addition to the weekly sessions, the Junior Section hold in-house individual and team competitions. The GolfSixes League is a Pairs Event where kids of 12 and under pit their skills against other West Lothian Clubs, both home and away. The Texas Scramble format is a gentle introduction to competitive golf for our younger members. We have an annual visit from the Stephen Gallacher Foundation where our more experienced Juniors have had some success in the past. As a result of the Club Hosting the SGF event, the Club receives some free Pro Coaching during the Summer holidays.

‘Skills for Life’ is a concept based on the belief that children and young people are able to develop playing skills and personal skills through Golf, which will benefit them for the rest of their lives.

Golf places strong emphasis on good sportsmanship, self-discipline and behaviour and, therefore, is an ideal medium through which children and young people can further develop personal skills such as honesty, respect, co-operation, perseverance, concentration and self-motivation – which they can carry through to adulthood.

View some of our latest participants here.